The International Skating Union (ISU) Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final champions have won bronze twice at the continental event but now know what it feels like to top the podium.

They led after the short programme and skated the second best free routine to finish on a winning tally of 227.58.

Germans Aliona Savchenko and Bruno Massot topped the free standings to move up from third overnight into silver medal position, on a score of 222.35.

Bronze went to Vanessa James and Morgan Cipres of France, on 220.02.

Elsewhere, Italy's Anna Cappelllini and Luca Lanotte claimed the lead in the ice dance following the short programme in the early session.

Their routine to "Cry For Me" and "Choo Choo Boogie" featured level-four twizzles and a level-four Blues pattern and lift.

The side by side footwork was rated a level three with the performance enough to give the 2014 world and European champions a new personal best of 76.65 points.

"We’ve been craving to give this programme a good go and waited for such a performance like this all season,"Lanotte said. 

"That [being in the lead] is definitely a good thing. 

"But the competition is not over yet, it’s only half of the way. 

"We need to not care about this," he added.

Ekaterina Bobrova and Dmitri Soloviev of Russia are only slightly behind with 76.18 points, with France's defending champions Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron third on 75.48.