Canadian figure skaters Deanna Stellato-Dudek and Maxime Deschamps secured their consecutive victory at the Skate Canada International competition in Saskatoon. The pair thrilled the local crowd at SaskTel Centre as they rallied from behind to claim the gold medal, outscoring their German competitors Minerva Fabienne Hase and Nikita Volodin. Stellato-Dudek and Deschamps earned a total of 213.40 points, surpassing Hase and Volodin who scored 207.18 points.
In the pairs event, Ellie Kam and Danny O’Shea from the United States finished in third place with 199.11 points. Stellato-Dudek and Deschamps were in second position after the short program on Friday, trailing the Germans by 4.50 points but excelled in their free skate program, amassing 140.37 points.
Despite being the reigning Grand Prix Final champions and world silver medallists, Hase and Volodin faced setbacks with falls during their free skate routine. Lia Pereira and Trennt Michaud of Canada secured the fourth spot with a score of 186.54, followed by Kelly Ann Laurin and Loucas Éthier with 168.24 points.
This victory marked the first Grand Prix win of the season for the 2024 world champions, Stellato-Dudek and Deschamps. The duo expressed their satisfaction with the result and highlighted their continuous pursuit of improvement before the upcoming Olympics.
In the women’s competition, Mone Chiba of Japan clinched the title with a remarkable free skate performance, edging out American competitor Isabeau Levito. Chiba showcased a flawless routine set to music from the film “Cinema Paradiso,” accumulating a total of 217.23 points. Levito delivered a strong performance landing all her jumps with precision and earned 209.77 points, securing the second position.
The men’s competition saw American skater Ilia Malinin dominate the short program, leading with 104.84 points, followed by Kazuki Tomono of Japan and Aleksandr Selevko of Estonia. Toronto’s Stephen Gogolev represented Canada, placing seventh with 86.13 points.
Canadian ice dance pair Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier took the lead in the rhythm dance event, scoring 85.38 points. They aim to secure their sixth consecutive Skate Canada title. Marjorie Lajoie and Zachary Lagha of Canada currently hold the fourth spot with 75.95 points.
The Skate Canada International event continues with the men’s free skate and ice dance competitions scheduled for the following day. Gilles and Poirier are considered strong contenders for the upcoming Milan-Cortina Olympic Games, aiming for a significant achievement in their final competitive season.