Two Canadian pairs secured medal positions following the short program on Friday at Skate Canada International, the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating event held in Saskatoon. Deanna Stellato-Dudek and Maxime Deschamps claimed second place with a score of 73.03, while Lia Pereira and Trennt Michaud landed in third with 70.66 points.
Deschamps expressed his delight at performing in front of an enthusiastic home crowd, emphasizing the positive atmosphere. Stellato-Dudek acknowledged mixed results in their routine compared to a previous Grand Prix event in France, mentioning some elements needing improvement.
Pereira and Michaud achieved a personal best during the short program, showcasing their joy in executing their program effectively on home ice. Leading the pairs competition are Germany’s Minerva Fabienne Hase and Nikita Volodin with a top score of 77.53 points. Canadians Kelly Ann Laurin and Loucas Ethier will enter the free program in sixth place with a score of 59.93.
In the women’s event, Japan’s Mone Chiba holds a slight lead with a score of 72.29 over American Isabeau Levito at 71.80, with Italy’s Lara Naki Gutmann in third place with 68.11 points. Sara-Maude Dupuis represents the top Canadian, currently in eighth place with 60.41 points, expressing satisfaction with her performance and the audience support.
The coverage of Skate Canada International will continue on Saturday at 2:45 p.m. ET. Viewers can access detailed information on the CBC Sports broadcast schedule for timings and channels. Additionally, ice dancers Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier are revisiting their “Vincent” free dance program as they aim for Olympic success in Milan-Cortina, Italy.
This article was originally published on CBC Sports.