China and the United States took the lead after the dances in the first competition day of the World Junior Figure Skating Championships here on Wednesday.

Chinese skaters Yu Xiaoyu/Jin Yang topped the temporary standings after the short program of the junior pairs, gathering 62.58 points. They were followed by two Russian pairs, Evgenia Tarasova/Vladimir Morozov and Vasilisa Davankova/Andrei Deputat, who got 59.46 and 58.35 respectively.

Earlier on Wednesday, the U.S. pair Kaitlin Hawayek/Jean-Luc Baker took the lead after the short dance of ice dance figure skaters with 66.73 points, followed by Russians Anna Yanovskaya/ Sergey Mozgov (63.80) and Lorraine McNamara/Quinn Carpenter of the U.S. with 58.65.

A total of 168 skaters from 44 International Skating Union (ISU) members finally have been entered for the ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships 2014 that will end on Sunday, the ISU Media Team in Sofia has said in a press release.

Elena Radionova of Russia is the only reigning World Junior Champion who came back to defend her title in Sofia, the press release said. She could become the first junior lady to repeat as World Junior Champion, it added.

Also competing are the following World Junior medalists: 2013 bronze medalist Shotaro Omori of the United States, 2011 silver medalist Keiji Tanaka of Japan, 2012 Pairs silver medalists Yu Xiaoyu/Jin Yang of China, as well as 2012 Pairs bronze medalists Vasilisa Davankova/Andrei Deputat of Russia. Endite