Canadian pairs figure skaters Deanna Stellato-Dudek and Maxime Deschamps clinched their consecutive Skate Canada International victory on Saturday night in Saskatoon. The duo captivated the crowd at SaskTel Centre by overtaking their German counterparts Minerva Fabienne Hase and Nikita Volodin to secure the gold medal. Stellato-Dudek and Deschamps tallied a total of 213.40 points, while Hase and Volodin garnered 207.18 points. Ellie Kam and Danny O’Shea from the United States claimed the third spot with 199.11 points.
After trailing the Germans by 4.50 points following the short program on Friday, the Canadian pair showcased a stellar performance in their free skate, earning 140.37 points. Hase and Volodin, the reigning Grand Prix Final champions and world silver medalists, faced setbacks with falls during their free skate routine.
The competition also saw Canadians Lia Pereira and Trennt Michaud finishing fourth with 186.54 points, followed by Kelly Ann Laurin and Loucas Éthier in fifth place with 168.24 points. This victory marks the first Grand Prix win of the season for the 2024 world champions Stellato-Dudek and Deschamps, who secured a silver medal at the Grand Prix of France earlier in the season.
Reflecting on their win, Stellato-Dudek expressed their happiness and highlighted the continuous strive for improvement. They aim to participate in more events to fine-tune their performance before the upcoming Olympics. In the women’s event, Mone Chiba from Japan outperformed American standout Isabeau Levito to claim the title with a flawless free skate. Chiba, the 20-year-old world bronze medalist, scored a season-best of 217.23 points, securing her first Grand Prix gold after finishing as a runner-up last year.
The men’s title and ice dance events will conclude on Sunday, with Canadian ice dance stars Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier leading after the rhythm dance. Gilles and Poirier are aiming for a record sixth consecutive Skate Canada title and are poised as strong contenders for the upcoming Milan-Cortina Olympic Games. American world champion Ilia Malinin dominated the men’s competition with a comfortable lead in the short program, showcasing his prowess as the “Quad God.” The men’s free skate will take place on Sunday, determining the final standings in the men’s event.
