Canadian figure skaters Deanna Stellato-Dudek and Maxime Deschamps clinched their consecutive victory at Skate Canada International in Saskatoon on Saturday night. The dynamic duo captivated the home crowd at SaskTel Centre with a stunning performance that secured them the gold medal, outshining their German competitors, Minerva Fabienne Hase and Nikita Volodin. Stellato-Dudek and Deschamps achieved a total score of 213.40 points, surpassing Hase and Volodin’s score of 207.18.
Representing the United States, Ellie Kam and Danny O’Shea claimed the third spot with 199.11 points. The Canadian pair initially trailed the Germans by 4.50 points after the short program on Friday. However, they delivered an exceptional free skate program, scoring 140.37 points and clinching the top position as Hase and Volodin faced challenges with falls during their routine.
Lia Pereira and Trennt Michaud of Canada finished in fourth place with 186.54 points, followed by their compatriots Kelly Ann Laurin and Loucas Éthier in fifth place with 168.24 points. Stellato-Dudek and Deschamps, the reigning world champions from 2024, celebrated their first Grand Prix victory of the season, aiming to fine-tune their performance in preparation for the upcoming Olympics.
In a separate event, Mone Chiba from Japan triumphed in the women’s competition, edging out American standout Isabeau Levito with a flawless free skate. Chiba, the 20-year-old world bronze medallist, delivered an impressive performance set to traditional Hungarian music, earning a season-best score of 217.23 points and claiming her first Grand Prix gold medal.
The men’s title and ice dance events are set to conclude on Sunday. Canadian ice dance stars Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier led the ice dance competition after the rhythm dance, showcasing their exceptional talent and earning 85.38 points. Gilles and Poirier are eyeing their sixth consecutive Skate Canada title and are determined to make their mark at the Milan-Cortina Olympic Games.
In the men’s competition, American Ilia Malinin dominated the short program with 104.84 points, establishing a significant lead over his competitors. The men’s free skate event is scheduled for Sunday, with Malinin aiming to continue his winning streak. Toronto’s Stephen Gogolev emerged as the top Canadian in seventh place, while Aleksa Rakic of Burnaby, B.C., currently holds the last position among the 12 skaters.