Two Canadian pairs are currently in medal positions following the short program at Skate Canada International held in Saskatoon, part of the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating. Deanna Stellato-Dudek and Maxime Deschamps are in second place 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 a supportive home crowd, stating, “It’s always nice to skate at home in front of such an enthusiastic crowd.” Stellato-Dudek mentioned that their performance had its ups and downs compared to a previous event in France, adding, “We lost several points on one specific element, but we haven’t seen our routine yet. It’s hard to assess everything right now.”
Pereira and Michaud achieved a personal best in their short program and were thrilled to do so on home ice. Pereira shared, “This is one of the best competitions we’ve done in the short, so we’re really excited about that. We love this program and we’re really happy to showcase how we trained it at home.”
Leading the pairs competition are Germany’s Minerva Fabienne Hase and Nikita Volodin with a top score of 77.53 points after the short program. Canadian duo Kelly Ann Laurin and Loucas Ethier will begin the free program in sixth place with a score of 59.93.
In the women’s event, Japan’s Mone Chiba is currently in the lead with a score of 72.29, closely followed by American Isabeau Levito with 71.80 points. Italy’s Lara Naki Gutmann holds third place with a score of 68.11.
Among the Canadian women competitors, Sara-Maude Dupuis ranks eighth with a score of 60.41 points. Dupuis expressed her excitement, stating, “I feel really great. It was the first time I performed my new routine in front of a large audience, and the crowd was simply incredible. It’s the best feeling you can have as an athlete.”
The live coverage of Skate Canada International will continue on Saturday at 2:45 p.m. ET. For more information on the broadcast schedule, visit the CBC Sports website.