Russians Oksana Domnina and Maxim Shabalin have claimed their first ice dancing gold at the 2009 World Figure Skating Championships.

Not only was it their first World Championship medal of any colour but also the first gold medal by a Russian pair at the event in four years.

"We gave so much power today, I am feeling just empty," said Shabalin on Friday, who will split the 67,500 dollars in prize money with his partner. "At the end of the programme I said 'thank God'."

Americans Tanith Belbin and Benjamin Agosto earned their second World Championship silver medal and Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir of Canada collected the bronze in front of a crowd of 8,000 at Staples Center arena.

In the women's singles earlier Friday, South Korea's Kim Yu-Na surged into first place, dominating the field by posting a record short programme score of 76.12.

Domnina and Shabalin have been hampered in recent years by injuries and missed the 2008 World Championships because of Shabalin's knee surgery.

Shabalin and Domnina have been back on the ice for seven months before it all came together in Friday's free skate as they danced to "Spartacus" by Aram Khatchaturian.

"We can't believe it," Domnina said. "I still felt strong at the end of the programme."

Domnina and Shabalin entered the free skate with a 0.64 points lead over second place Belbin and Agosto.

The 2008 European champions topped the overall standings with 206.30 points, 1.22 points ahead of Belbin and Agosto who now have two World silver medals to go with the silver they captured at the 2006 Winter Olympics.

Shabalin said their energy was spent but they were pleased they achieved their goal.

"This probably means very, very much but right now I am not feeling anything. We reached a goal we have been living for and strived to achieve for many years," Shabalin said.

A new champion was crowned this year because 2008 dance champions France's Isabelle Delobel and Olivier Schoenfelder pulled out due to Delobel's injured shoulder.

This was the second silver and first in four years for Belbin and Agosto. They silenced the skating critics who said they were on the competitive decline.

The American duo tweaked their programme and kept their competitive nerves in check this week, especially in the original dance which they scored the highest mark in.

"We really improved and we are just happy to show the programme and what we have developed this year," said Belbin, who was born in Canada but moved to the United States at 14.

Said Agosto, "This year we made so many changes. The coaching change and just trying to change everything about the way we perform. This programme allowed us to develop a new side and show our new adult, mature sense."

This is second World medal for Canadians Virtue and Moir who earned the silver in 2008.

They wore simple all black costumes and finished fourth in the free dance standings but managed to hold on for a medal.

"I couldn't be more honest in saying that I don't care what the judges say today," Moir said. "I am really self-satisfied."

South Korea's Kim eclipsed her own previous record of 72.24 points and opened up a sizeable lead on reigning world titlist Mao Asada.

Her 76.12 is the highest ladies singles short programme score since the new scoring system was adopted five years ago.

Breaking records is nothing new to Kim as she also set a short programme record at the Four Continents championship last month in Vancouver.

On Friday, Kim skated brilliantly to Camille Saint-Saens "Danse Macabre". She leads Asada by an ample 10 points.

Canada's Joannie Rochette registered 67.90 for second while Asada scored 66.06 to place third heading into Saturday's long programme.

Asada's Japanese teammate Miki Ando is fourth while two-time European champ Carolina Kostner is fifth.