Switzerland Figure Skating Europeans
Florent Amodio of France performs during the men's short program at the European Figure Skating Championships in Bern, Switzerland, Thursday, Jan. 27...
Florent Amodio of France performs during the men's short program at the European Figure Skating Championships in Bern, Switzerland, Thursday, Jan. 27, 2011. (AP Photo/Anja Niedringhaus)
Switzerland Figure Skating Europeans
Russia's Artur Gachinski performs during the men's short program at the European Figure Skating Championships in Bern, Switzerland, Thursday, Jan. 27...
Russia's Artur Gachinski performs during the men's short program at the European Figure Skating Championships in Bern, Switzerland, Thursday, Jan. 27, 2011. (AP Photo/Anja Niedringhaus)
Switzerland Figure Skating Europeans
Florent Amodio of France reacts after the men's short program at the European Figure Skating Championships in Bern, Switzerland, Thursday, Jan. 27, 2...
Florent Amodio of France reacts after the men's short program at the European Figure Skating Championships in Bern, Switzerland, Thursday, Jan. 27, 2011. (AP Photo/Anja Niedringhaus)
Switzerland Figure Skating Europeans
Michal Brezina of the Czech Republic jumps during the men's short program at the European Figure Skating Championships in Bern, Switzerland, Thursday...
Michal Brezina of the Czech Republic jumps during the men's short program at the European Figure Skating Championships in Bern, Switzerland, Thursday, Jan. 27, 2011. (AP Photo/Anja Niedringhaus)
Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy from Germany have won the pairs at the European Figure Skating Championships, ending their two-year wait for another gold medal.
The Olympic bronze medalists scored a total of 206.20 points after a free skate routine to the "Pink Panther" theme.
Defending champions Yuko Kavaguti and Alexander Smirnov of Russia took silver, trailing by less than three points after a more subtle program set to piano music by Debussy.
Another Russian pair, Vera Bazarova and Yuri Larionov, earned bronze for their first major medal.
Savchenko and Szolkowy swept the world and European titles in 2008 and '09 but went through the Olympic season without taking gold at a major championship.
