MARSEILLE, France -- Defending champion Evgenia Medvedeva began the defense of her Grand Prix Final title in emphatic style, thrilling the crowd with a world record score in the short program on Friday.The 17-year-old world champion landed all of her jumps cleanly and was given a deserved ovation at the Palais Omnisport de Marseille as she recorded 79.21 points, beating three-time world champion and four-time Grand Prix Final winner Mao Asadas 78.66 at the 2014 worlds.Im happy with the world record, but the world record isnt my goal, Medvedeva said. I came close to beating it in Paris (with 78.52 at the Trophee de France last month). Its one step further and it gives me confidence.Although Medvedeva skated with pure elegance to River Flows in You by Lorenzo de Luca, she was still picky about her performance.I can do better in the interpretation of my programs and my spins. Id like to spin faster, she said. Everything has plusses and minuses and I always strive for perfection. I cannot stop because when you stop doing that you stop improving.She leads from Kaetlyn Osmond of Canada (75.54) and Satoko Miyahara of Japan (74.64).Its really rewarding to get a seasons best and a personal best for me, Osmond said. I feel like I connect with the confident character Im projecting in my program.Earlier, Evgenia Tarasova and Vladimir Morozov earned their season-best score in the free skate to win the pairs event for the first time.The Russians scored 135.25 to win with a total of 213.85.Tarasova and Morozov had placed second at the Trophee de France last month and third at Skate America in October, when they also led after the short program.This time they held firm, nailing all of their jumps on both days.We have a lot of emotion inside of us, Morozov said. Were just having fun, dancing and swing with music and we really like it. Music was my first love.The positions stayed the same from Thursdays short program, with Yu Xiaoyu and Zhang Hao of China second, and former champions Meagan Duhamel and Eric Radford of Canada third.Duhamel again made a couple of errors, having also done so on Thursday. She put her hand down on the throw quad salchow and had to check her balance to stop from falling after another difficult landing.Were disappointed with our performance. We wanted to come here with two great programs, unfortunately we couldnt do one, Duhamel said. We cant continue like this. We have to do a U-turn.The Canadians won in Barcelona two years ago and finished runner-up there last year. Duhamels frustration was compounded by the fact she was confident before the event.We were very comfortable coming here, she said. We liked the ice and we were well rested.Former Olympic champions Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir of Canada lead in the ice dance with a commanding 80.50 in the short.Personally this title would mean a lot as we have never won it before, Virtue said. We want to accomplish so much in our comeback and there is still so much room to grow technically and artistically.World silver medalists Maia and Alex Shibutani, who are brother and sister, are in second spot with 77.97, and French duo Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron narrowly behind in third on 77.86.It was definitely our strongest performance of the season, Alex Shibutani said. Were excited about this program because the ceiling is so high for it. There is a lot more we can do.The Final ends Saturday with the mens and womens free and the conclusion of ice dance. Harrison Butker Jersey . The Australian is competing in his final season in Formula One and still looking for his first win this year. He will look to end Vettels run of six straight race wins on Sunday. Webber, who is fifth in the championship, earned his second pole from the past three races and 13th of his career. Joe Montana Jersey . - Levi Browns tenure at left tackle for the Pittsburgh Steelers is over before it even began. http://www.thechiefsshoponline.com/Youth-Harrison-Butker-Chiefs-Jersey/ . One game after a miserable showing in Oklahoma City, Gay tied a career high with 41 points and the Sacramento Kings cruised to a 114-97 victory at the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday night. Anthony Sherman Youth Jersey .Y. -- Bills receiver Stevie Johnson has a bone to pick with the NFL schedule maker. Khalen Saunders Chiefs Jersey . Howard Ganz, an MLB lawyer, said in a letter to U.S. District Judge Edgardo Ramos that Rodriguezs claims do not come "remotely close" to what is needed to overturn an arbitration decision in federal court. WASHINGTON -- The San Diego Padres three-city road trip didnt begin well. Earning their first series victory against the Washington Nationals since 2011 is helping to turn it around.Alex Dickerson and Ryan Schimpf hit back-to-back homers off Shawn Kelley in the eighth inning and the Padres added four runs off Jonathan Papelbon in the ninth to beat the Nationals 10-6 on Sunday.Weve been on the road for a little bit, and its definitely good to come here against a team like this and get two wins out of it, said Schimpf, whose team suffered a four-game sweep in St. Louis before winning two of three in Washington.Ryan Buchter (2-0) pitched a scoreless eighth to earn the victory.With the game tied at 6, Wil Myers drew a one-out walk off Papelbon and moved to second on a wild pitch before Yangervis Solartes RBI single. The Padres added two more singles to load the bases, setting up Alexei Ramirezs three-run double.Nationals manager Dusty Baker then relieved Papelbon (2-3), who was booed after giving up his first runs since June 12.Not to make excuses, I dont like to use my closer three days in a row and this is three days in a row for Pap, Baker said. But we didnt have a choice. The ball wasnt coming out today the way it had been since he came back from the injury.Papelbon, who hadnt pitched on three consecutive days since May 29-31, insisted he was not tired.I think just location, Papelbon said. Coming in there, a situation where weve got to preserve everything we can, and every pitch matters in that situation. One pitch away from getting out of that. Boiled down to missed location on Solarte and he was able to just get enough barrel on the ball to have that one drop right in front of (outfielder Michael A.) Taylor.The Nationals led 6-4 before Kelley, who entered to start the eighth, yielded consecutive home runs. It was the ninth home run in July for Schimpf, a Padres record for a rookie in a calendar month. San Diego also extended a franchise record with its 22nd consecutive game with a home run.Everyone played their part today and everyone came through, Ramirez said. The eighth inning was just as important as the ninth tying it and it allowed us to keep fighhting in the game.ddddddddddddWashington recalled top prospect Lucas Giolito before the game. The right-hander, making his third career start, gave up four runs and four hits in 3 1/3 innings, then was optioned back to Triple-A Syracuse along with Taylor after the loss.San Diego start Christian Friedrich gave up five runs and six hits in 3 innings. The Padres bullpen combined to allow three hits and a walk in 6 innings.You get a short outing from your starter and he didnt quite have his stuff today, and the bullpen comes up with six innings and gives up one run, Padres manager Andy Green said. It was a borderline-dominant effort from them.FORGETTABLE PLAYSan Diegos fourth-inning rally was halted when Washington catcher Wilson Ramos picked Derek Norris off first base with the bases loaded and one out. Norris established a big lead with the shift on, but first baseman Daniel Murphy snuck in behind him to take Ramos throw.Its no small thing, and honestly, its borderline embarrassing when things like that happen on a baseball field, Green said. Its not on him or any person in particular, but were better than that.GLOVER OPTIONEDWashington optioned RHP Koda Glover to Triple-A Syracuse. Glover pitched two scoreless innings for the Nationals last week in his first major league action.TRAINERS ROOMPadres: OF Melvin Upton Jr., a possible trade deadline target for contending teams, was not in the lineup. I think theres a lot swirling around him right now, and it just felt like the right time to put him down and let him have a day of rest, Green said.Nationals: The team said RHP Aaron Barrett, who underwent Tommy John surgery in September, suffered a right elbow fracture Friday and will have surgery Monday.UP NEXTPadres: San Diego begins the final stop on a 10-game road trip when it opens a three-game series against Toronto on Monday. Colin Rea (5-4, 5.01) faces the Blue Jays for the first time.Nationals: Gio Gonzalez (6-8, 4.53) starts Tuesday at Cleveland as Washington begins a nine-game road trip after playing 15 of its last 19 at home. ' ' '