China's pairs skaters started well to keep hopes of podium finish alive as the Trouphee Eric Bompard kicked off in Bordeauxon Friday.

Sui Wenjing/Han Cong and Wang Xuehan/Wang Lei were ranked respectively the second and third after scoring 67.27 and 63.25 points in short program, with eight pairs competing in the 180,000 US dollars season penultimate event.

Another podium finishes will help them book season ending berths to next month's Grand Prix Final in Barcelona, as Sui and Han were the runners-up in Cup of China two weeks ago, when the other Chinese duo finished on third.

World and Olympic silver medalists Ksenia Stolbova and Fedor Klimov led temporarily in Bordeaux by 3.93 points, while Alexa Scimeca/Chris Knierim of the United States were a distance fourth- placed pair on 59.04 points.

The Russian duo have hoped to win back-to-back Grand Prixs after a title-winning run in Moscow last week.