The Chinese duo of Zhang Dan and Zhang Hao lead the pairs competition at the ISU's Grand Prix Skate America after a strong skate in the short program on Saturday.

The Zhangs scored 62.85 points to finish ahead of Americans Caydee Denney and John Coughlin, who were second at 59.62.

Vera Bazarova and Yuri Larionov of Russia were third at 59.62 despite him falling on the couple's opening triple toeloop.

The two couples from Germany also had falls.

The only Canadians in the field, Kirsten Moore-Towers, of St. Catharines, Ont., and Dylan Moscovitch of Waterloo, Ont., sat in fourth.

The pairs free program is Sunday.