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Canadian figure skaters Lia Pereira and Trennt Michaud won pairs gold at Skate Canada International in Kelowna, B.C., on Saturday, capturing their first Grand Prix title in three years.
The reigning Canadian champions and world bronze medallists won both segments, scoring 125.11 in the free skate for a total of 202.17 points, 10.27 ahead of Americans Alisa Efimova and Misha Mitrofanov (191.90).
Pereira and Michaud were seven points ahead of the Americans after Friday’s short program.
Switzerland’s Oxana Vouillamoz and Tom Bouvart moved up from fourth to take bronze (183.12) with the second-best free skate.
Canada’s Lia Pereira and Trennt Michaud finish first in the pairs competition at Skate Canada International with a total score of 202.17.
Pereira, of Milton, Ont., and Michaud, of Brantford, Ont., earned the event’s highest program component score in the free skate (65.50).
It’s the duo’s first Skate Canada International medal. Their only previous Grand Prix win came at the 2023 Grand Prix de France.
“To have all the Canadian flags in the audience and everybody on their feet for both performances is something so special and something we’ll always remember,” Pereira told CBC Sports’ Devin Heroux.
World junior champions Ava Kemp and Yohnatan Elizarov of Winnipeg, third after the short program, slipped to fifth (163.07) in their senior Grand Prix debut after two deductions in the free skate. Miyu Yunoki and Tristan Taylor of Regina moved up one spot to finish seventh (152.41).
Canada’s Lia Pereira and Trennt Michaud discuss their first-place finish in the pairs competition at Skate Canada International.
Gogolev climbs to 4th as Aymoz wins men’s title
Toronto’s Stephen Gogolev posted the third-best free skate to climb from 12th to fourth in the men’s competition earlier Saturday, as France’s Kevin Aymoz overtook Japan’s Rio Nakata for the title.
Gogolev, last after Friday’s short program, skated first in the free and scored 165.99 for a total of 232.72.
Toronto’s Stephen Gogolev places fourth in the men’s competition at Skate Canada International to top the Canadian field with a total score of 232.72
Aymoz won with 258.43 points for his second career Grand Prix title, a year after winning Skate America.
Nakata, who led after the short program, placed fourth in the free skate to finish second (249.25) in his senior Grand Prix debut, just 0.59 points ahead of Estonia’s Mihhail Selevko, who topped the free skate segment to jump from fifth to bronze (248.66).
David Bondar of Richmond Hill, Ont., finished ninth (214.61), while Vancouver’s Wesley Chiu was 10th (200.94).
Kevin Aymoz of France finishes first in the men’s competition at Skate Canada International with a total score of 258.43
Japan’s Mao Shimada led the women’s competition after Saturday’s short program with 82.11 points, 3.61 ahead of American Isabeau Levito (78.50). Estonia’s Niina Petrokina was third (77.24).
Montreal’s Sara-Maude Dupuis was the top Canadian in seventh (64.58), with Madeline Schizas of Oakville, Ont., in ninth (57.95) and Fee Ann Landry of Gatineau, Que., 10th (57.27).
Montreal’s Sara Maude-Dupuis posted a score of 64.58 in the short program to top the Canadian field at the Skate Canada International. She sits in seventh place going into Sunday’s free program.
Britain’s Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson led after the rhythm dance with 81.37, ahead of France’s Evgeniia Lopareva and Geoffrey Brissaud (77.90) and Americans Caroline Green and Michael Parsons (74.24).
Canada’s Marie-Jade Lauriault and Romain Le Gac sat fifth with 72.10, 2.14 points off the podium.
Fellow Canadians Alyssa Robinson and Jacob Portz were ninth (60.22), and Layla Veillon and Alexander Brandys were 10th (59.72).
Watch live coverage of Skate Canada International on CBCSports.ca and CBC Gem. The full streaming schedule is available here.
Decorated Canadian ice dancers Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier look back at competing on the Grand Prix circuit.
Source: www.cbc.ca
