Two Canadian duos are in medal contention following the short program at Skate Canada International, the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating competition held in Saskatoon on Friday. Deanna Stellato-Dudek and Maxime Deschamps currently hold the second spot with a score of 73.03, while Lia Pereira and Trennt Michaud are in third place with 70.66 points.
Deschamps expressed his delight in performing in front of the enthusiastic home crowd, stating, “It’s always a great experience to skate at home with such supportive fans.” Stellato-Dudek reflected on their performance, mentioning, “Certain aspects of our routine were improved compared to the Grand Prix in France, although we encountered challenges on a specific element. We will need to review our performance to evaluate everything accurately.”
Pereira and Michaud achieved a personal best in the short program, showcasing their satisfaction with their performance on home ice. Pereira shared, “This competition marks one of our best showings in the short program, and we are thrilled about it. We have a strong connection to this routine, and it’s fulfilling to demonstrate our hard work from training at home.”
Leading the pairs competition are Germany’s Minerva Fabienne Hase and Nikita Volodin, attaining the highest score of 77.53 points in the short program. Meanwhile, 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 category, Japan’s Mone Chiba holds a narrow lead with 72.29 points, followed closely by American Isabeau Levito with 71.80 points. Italy’s Lara Naki Gutmann stands in third place with 68.11 points.
Canadian representative Sara-Maude Dupuis ranks eighth with 60.41 points, expressing her excitement during her performance of a new routine in front of a large audience. Dupuis expressed, “It was an incredible feeling to compete in front of such a supportive crowd. I’m content with my score, which is very close to my personal best.”
Viewers can catch the live coverage of Skate Canada International on Saturday at 2:45 p.m. ET. For detailed information on the broadcast schedule, visit CBC Sports.
