Chock and Bates lead at Four Continents figure skating

By DAVE SKRETTA
AP Sports Writer

Madison Chock and Evan Bates took the lead after the rhythm dance at the Four Continents Figure Skating Championships on Friday as the American ice dancers seek their third title in the marquee international event. They scored 87.67 points to their program set to “Let’s Dance” by David Bowie. That was enough to edge Canadian national champs Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Nikolaj Soerensen, who scored 86.28 points, and Marjorie Lajoie and Zachary Lagha, who scored 79.04 points. The pairs competition also began Friday at Broadmoor World Arena in Colorado Springs, Colorado, where world silver medalists Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara of Japan took the lead.