By Matt Reynolds

Germans Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy took an early lead in the pairs at the European figure skating championships on Tuesday despite a fall that left them close to tears.

The 2006 silver medallists, dressed in matching black body suits with red trim, sailed through most of an exhilarating routine set to the rock strains of Once Upon a time in Mexico.

But Savchenko tumbled to the ice after a triple twist throw, costing the couple a chance to take a commanding lead going into Wednesday's free program.

"At the moment I'm just frustrated because our routine didn't work out," Szolkowy told reporters with Savchenko visibly upset at his side. "I don't care that we are in first place."

Despite the mistake, the judges awarded them a career best 65.38 points. Their long-time rivals, 2006 bronze medallists Maria Petrova and Alexei Tikhonov, of Russia, finished second with 62.22 points.

Fan favourites Dorota and Mariusz Siudek, a Polish married couple, finished third with 57.81 points. The pair put off retirement last year to compete before their countrymen in Warsaw.

SMALLER SURFACE

"This is our dream coming true," Dorota Siudek said. She, like her husband, will hang up her skates later this week. "It was really worth staying for another year. Tomorrow, we want to do a perfect programme."

Ice dance favourites, world champions Albena Denkova and Maxim Staviski, fell behind in the opening day of competition, finishing third in the compulsory dance.

French couple Isabelle Delobel and Olivier Schoenfelder won the event with 39.57 points.

Denkova and Staviski, Bulgarians, entered the rink to loud applause a glided through most of their routine. But their performance came up short, earning them 38.56 points.

Denkova said they were thrown off by the size of the surface at Warsaw's Torwar arena, which is two metres shorter and two metres narrower than a standard figure skating rink.

"Other skaters new about the size beforehand and prepared for it," she told reporters. "But we found out about it here."

"It doesn't affect the exactness of the dance but maybe the freedom of the movement."

The couple will look to close the gap on Thursday as dancers return for the original dance programme followed on Friday by the free dance.