Savchenko and Szolkowy golden

By Oliver Grassman

GOTHENBURG, Sweden (Reuters) - Germany's Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy survived a fall to win pairs gold on Wednesday, while Italian Carolina Kostner led the charge for women's gold at the world figure skating championships.

Savchenko and Szolkowy trailed China's Zhang Dan and Zhang Hao after Tuesday's short program, where Savchenko had messed up her landing on a side-by-side triple toe loop.

In their free skate on Wednesday the Germans looked like they were heading for another setback as they both tumbled in their side-by-side triple Salchow, but the pair regained their composure to turn in a winning performance.

"Tonight, I don't know what to say, I'm so happy," said Szolkowy. "It was a hard way to get here and make a performance like this. It wasn't perfect, but in the end it was enough.

"We don't think about the points when we've done a mistake, as in this system a Salchow can be as valuable as a spin. Every element is important," he added.

Skating to the Cirque du Soleil's L'Oiseau, the Germans finished with 202.86 points, more than five points ahead of Zhang Dan and Zhang Hao.

The Chinese were unable to reproduce the faultless form they showed in Tuesday's short program, with Zhang Dan bobbling her landing on the pair's side-by-side triple Salchow.

Canadians Jessica Dube and Bryce Davison finished third, on 192.78, their first world championship podium finish.