Deanna Stellato-Dudek and Maxime Deschamps of Canada clinched their consecutive victory at Skate Canada International in Saskatoon with an impressive performance on Saturday night. The duo delighted the home crowd at SaskTel Centre by claiming the gold medal, surpassing their German competitors Minerva Fabienne Hase and Nikita Volodin. Stellato-Dudek and Deschamps secured a total score of 213.40 points, while Hase and Volodin settled for 207.18 points.
In the pairs competition, Ellie Kam and Danny O’Shea from the United States finished in third place with 199.11 points. The Canadians were initially in second position after the short program on Friday, trailing the Germans by 4.50 points. However, they delivered a spectacular free skate program, earning a winning score of 140.37.
Despite being the reigning Grand Prix Final champions and world silver medalists, Hase and Volodin faced challenges during their free skate, experiencing falls on their side-by-side triple toe loop and throw-triple flip. Lia Pereira and Trennt Michaud of Canada secured the fourth spot 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 2024 world champions, celebrated their first Grand Prix victory of the season at Skate Canada International, following their silver medal win at the Grand Prix of France. Stellato-Dudek expressed their happiness with the win and highlighted the continuous strive for improvement, aiming to participate in more events to refine their performance before the Olympics.
Mone Chiba from Japan emerged victorious in the women’s competition, outshining American standout Isabeau Levito with a flawless free skate performance. Chiba, the 20-year-old world bronze medalist, showcased a vibrant program set to a traditional Hungarian folk dance tune, “Csardas,” earning a season-best score of 217.23 points.
Ami Nakai, the winner of the Grand Prix de France, claimed the third spot with 203.09 points. Meanwhile, Canadian skaters Madeline Schizas, Sara-Maude Dupuis, and Uliana Shiryaeva finished in the 9th, 11th, and 12th positions, respectively.
In the ice dance category, Canadian stars Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier took the lead after the rhythm dance event with a score of 85.38 points. Gilles and Poirier, aiming for their sixth consecutive Skate Canada title, showcased a captivating performance, setting the stage for the upcoming free dance program.
The men’s competition saw American world champion Ilia Malinin dominating the short program with 104.84 points, maintaining a significant lead over his competitors. Toronto’s Stephen Gogolev secured the seventh spot as the top Canadian skater, while Aleksa Rakic from Burnaby, B.C., occupied the last position among the 12 skaters.
Malinin, nicknamed the “Quad God,” continued his winning streak from the season-opening Grand Prix of France, where he triumphed by a substantial margin. The men’s free skate event is scheduled for Sunday, providing an opportunity for the skaters to further showcase their talents.