Canadian Figure Skaters Triumph At Finlandia Trophy

Two Canadian figure skating teams shone brightly at the Helsinki-hosted Finlandia Trophy, marking a significant achievement on their path toward the ISU Grand Prix Final. This weekend's competition not only highlighted individual talent but also showcased Canada's prowess in figure skating against fierce international competitors.

Long track speed skaters hit the podium hard during the ISU Four Continents Championships held in Japan, collecting 12 medals and setting the stage for what promises to be an exciting World Cup season. The collective success of Team Canada at these international events is drawing attention and building momentum as the Olympic season approaches.

Deanna Stellato-Dudek and Maxime Deschamps delivered their season-best performance at the Finlandia Trophy, winning their second ISU Grand Prix gold medal of the season. This victory not only boosts their confidence but also secures their spot at the Grand Prix Final slated for early December.

After presenting a strong short program, the reigning world pairs champions improved upon their previous free skate presentation from the Skate Canada International event held barely three weeks prior. Despite experiencing minor setbacks, including the doubling of what was meant to be a triple salchow and a misstep on the landing of the newly introduced throw triple lutz, Stellato-Dudek and Deschamps emerged victorious with a commanding score of 207.44, which was over 23 points higher than their nearest competitor.

Stellato-Dudek expressed satisfaction with their performance, explaining, “We made some improvements from Skate Canada. We changed the order of the elements which seemed to be received well and felt good.” She noted, though, the necessity for technical adjustments as they continue to develop their routine.

Alongside Stellato-Dudek and Deschamps, fellow Canadians Kelly Ann Laurin and Loucas Éthier also put forth commendable efforts. The pair achieved their season-best but fell just shy of breaching the podium, finishing fourth and mere three points behind the bronze medalists.

Another Canadian duo, ice dancers Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier, had mixed results. Though Gilles and Poirier initially sat atop the leaderboard following their rhythm dance, their free dance brought unexpected challenges. A fall during what should have been one of their strong elements coupled with lower-than-anticipated performance scores resulted in them finishing with silver, behind Great Britain’s Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson. Despite disappointment, this podium finish solidified their path to the Grand Prix Final, thanks to their previous success at Skate Canada International.

Meanwhile, the Canadian long track speed skaters displayed exceptional talent at the ISU Four Continents Championships, taking home 12 medals from Hachinohe, Japan. Their performance marked the official kick-off of the international skating season with several standout skaters claiming multiple medals.

Ivanie Blondin led the charge for Canada, showcasing incredible versatility and skill as she captured four medals. Blondin reigned supreme during the women's mass start and partnered up with Carolina Hiller and Béatrice Lamarche to obtain gold in the non-Olympic team sprint event. She also snagged bronze medals from the 1500m and 3000m events, establishing her as one of the most formidable competitors on the rink.

For the 3000m, Canada celebrated another podium finish as Isabelle Weidemann secured silver, proving the depth of talent within the Canadian team. Although there were hopes for additional medals with the women’s team pursuit involving Weidemann, Blondin, and Valérie Maltais, the pursuit ended differently than anticipated. A slip on the second lap caused Weidemann to fall short of the podium.

On the men’s side, Graeme Fish captured Canada’s lone gold medal, winning the 5000m event. Laurent Dubreuil was another notable performer, garnering silver in the 500m and bronze medals for his efforts in the 1000m and the men’s team sprint alongside classmates Anders Johnson and Yankin Zhao.

David La Rue and Hayden Mayeur also showcased their skills as they earned silver and bronze respectively during the men’s mass start, marking impressive starts to their seasons and setting expectations high for upcoming competitions.

Fish drew inspiration from his gold medal run, stating, “I felt really good and executed my race plan very well...This title gives me confidence for the upcoming weekends.” His statement reflected not just personal achievement, but also solidified the collective progression of the Canadian long track team as they prepare for the World Cup season beginning this weekend.

Over on the alpine skiing scene, Laurence St-Germain also marked her return to the spotlight by finishing 10th at the opening women’s slalom of the FIS World Cup season. St-Germain’s performance was impressive, particularly as she advanced from 27th place after her first run to post the third-best time during the second run. Her total time of 1:49.45 put her just behind American skiing star Mikaela Shiffrin, who celebrated her 98th career World Cup victory.

Reflecting on her performance, St-Germain revealed, “Really happy with my second run today. I wanted to ski instinctively and free and the second run wasn’t perfect, but I was really going for it.” St-Germain is undoubtedly one to watch as she leads her team to Austria for the next World Cup stop.

The only other Canadian to complete both runs was Amelia Smart, who finished 23rd. Ali Nullmeyer had shown promise, but unfortunately could not finish her second run after ranking 12th at the first.

On the skeleton track, Hallie Clarke kicked off the IBSF World Cup season with much to celebrate. Competing on her home turf at PyeongChang, South Korea, Clarke clinched sixth place, merely 0.13 seconds off the podium. Her two-run time of 1:48.67 showed not only tenacity but hinted at her potential as she strives for podium finishes this season.

A motivated Clarke stated, “I’m very happy with the race...This is a much stronger start to the season than last year.” Her performance continues to inspire confidence among Canadian fans as she heads to upcoming competitions.

Following her strong opener, Clarke placed 14th on the second day of races—the only other day being on the previous day. Veteran teammate Jane Channell finished just ahead of her at 11th during the first race. Clarke is on the rise after making history earlier as the youngest woman to win the world title earlier this season and remains focused on maintaining her momentum during the World Cup circuit.

Not all Canadian athletes experienced success on the international scene this weekend. The Canadian women’s team found themselves ousted from the Billie Jean King Cup during the quarterfinals after defending their title the previous year. The quarterfinals took place in Malaga, Spain, where hopes were dashed against Great Britain.

Rebecca Marino faced off against Emma Raducanu but lost convincingly, 6-0, 7-5. Leylah Annie Fernandez, ranked 31st globally, also had her battle against the higher-ranked Katie Boulter end unfavorably. Fernandez could not keep the Canadian hopes alive as she lost her match 6-1, 6-4. Without needing to finish the doubles match, Canada exited the competition early, reflecting both the challenges faced and the depth of the competition.

Despite these mixed results, Team Canada can look forward with optimism. The remarkable performances from figure skating and speed skating as well as the strong starts from St-Germain and Clarke point to potential success as the season progresses. Canada's athletes are set to make waves on the international stage, and fans are eager to see what’s next for this talented national squad.