Helsinki, Finland (November 17, 2024)– Canadian pair skaters Deanna Stellato-Dudek and Maxime Deschamps showcased their talent on the international stage this weekend at the Finlandia Trophy, part of the ISU Grand Prix series. They won the gold medal with an impressive performance, solidifying their place as top contenders for the Grand Prix Final. Meanwhile, fellow Canadians Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier also made headlines by securing the silver medal in the ice dance category, contributing to Canada's strong showing at the event.
The duo Stellato-Dudek, originally hailing from Chicago, and Deschamps from Vaudreuil-Dorion, Quebec, came to this competition after their recent victory at Skate Canada International. Their strategy included performing a revised free skate, which clearly paid off, as they scored 207.44 points—way ahead of the second-place finishers from Hungary, Maria Pavlova and Alexei Sviatchenko, who scored 184.21. Italy's Rebecca Ghilardi and Filippo Ambrosini earned the bronze with 181.59 points.
Reflecting on their performance, Stellato-Dudek expressed satisfaction with their improvements. "We made some tweaks since Skate Canada, changing the order of our elements. It felt good, and the feedback was positive. Even though we still face some technical challenges, we’re pleased with our progress overall," she remarked after their win.
Kelly Ann Laurin and Loucas Éthier, representing Quebec, missed the podium but achieved new personal bests, finishing fourth with their total score of 178.57. "Our aim was to end the competition strong with another solid performance, and we achieved just what we wanted," said Éthier, highlighting their new personal bests of 118.12 for the free skate.
Meanwhile, the ice dance events unfolded thrillingly, as Gilles and Poirier started strong with their upbeat rhythm dance themed around "Barbie and Ken at the beach." Coming off their fifth consecutive title win at the Skate Canada International, they initially held the top spot. Yet, they faced issues during their free dance, which affected their overall score, landing them at 200.79 and placing second. Great Britain’s Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson topped the ice dance field with their score of 203.22, finishing just above Gilles and Poirier, with Finland's Juulia Turkkila and Matthias Versluis securing the bronze at 196.60.
Poirier, reflecting on their free dance performance, mentioned, "It was disappointing not to perform as we envisioned. Mistakes were made, but we’ll view this as a learning experience as we advance through the season."
The ISU Grand Prix circuit continues its momentum, with the upcoming Cup of China scheduled for November 22-24, 2024, presenting skaters one last opportunity to qualify for the Grand Prix Final, which will take place from December 5 to 8, 2024, in Grenoble, France. After the Finlandia Trophy, all eyes are on the competitors as they gear up for these pivotal upcoming events.
Overall, the Finlandia Trophy served as not just another competition, but as a showcase of the growing talent within Canadian figure skating. With standout performances from Stellato-Dudek and Deschamps, complemented by solid placements from Gilles and Poirier, Canadian fans have much to look forward to as the season progresses and their favorite skaters aim for more victories on the international stage.
