Albena Denkova and Maxim Staviski took the lead in the 2007 World Figure Skating Championship in Tokyo after the original dance performed on March 22.

The pair left behind their rivals from Canada, Marie-France Dubreuil and Patrice Lauzon with two hundredths, Focus news agency reported.

Denkova and Staviski performed tango and according to commenters showed good unison. Their score reached 99.52 points after the second competition phase.

Dubreuil and Lauzon rank second having 99.5 points. US pair Tanith Belbin and Benjamin Agosto take the third spot having 99.02 points.

Belbin and Agosto succeeded to outstrip Russian couple Oksana Domnina and Maxim Shabalin, who now rank fourth.

The Bulgarians said that they will try to defend their world champions title from the 2006 competition in Canadian Calgary.

The free dance will take place on March 23.