World champions Marina Anissina and Gwendal Peizerat of France grabbed the early lead in the ice dancing competition Thursday as the NHK Trophy figure skating competition got under way.
Maria Petrova and Alexei Tikhonov, the world champion duo from Russia, also took the lead in the pairs event by winning the short program at Asahikawa Taisetsu Ice Arena in Hokkaido.
In the rhumba compulsory dance, Anissina and Peizert, seeking their third straight NHK Trophy triumph, eased past challengers Margarita Drobiazko and Povilas Vanagas of Lithuania and Germans Kati Winkler and Rene Lohse.
Nakako Tsuzuki and her Russian partner Rinat Farkhoutdinov, skating for Japan, came in a distant 10th.
The women's singles competition gets under way Friday and the men's singles Saturday.