The duo posted the top score in both the short and free programmes to finish on a total of 180.53.

Polina Kostiukovuch and Dmitrii Ialin finished second at the Arena Armeec with a score of 167.99.

They narrowly beat Anastasia Mishina and Aleksandr Galiamova, who completed Russia's dominance in third on 167.24.

Gao Ymeng and Zhong Xie of China had been third after the short programme but had to settle with fourth place overall on 164.70.

United States' Alexei Krasnozhon justified his favourite's tag to lead after the short programme of the men's individual event elsewhere today.

The 17-year-old hit a triple axel, a triple lutz and a triple flip-triple loop for a score of 80.28 points.

Russia's national junior champion Alexei Erokhov finished almost four points behind in second place on 75.54.

Mitsuki Sumoto of Japan lies third at the halfway point on 72.94.

“I think that was probably the hardest short programme that I’ve done all season, because it is the last event of this year after a long season and I had to fight for some jumps today," said Krasnozhon.

"But I’m very happy with what I did.

“Now I’m done with my short programme and very excited to go to the free skating. 

"I plan one quad, the quad Salchow. 

"My goal is to land my first clean quad in competition.”