Canadians in medal contention at Four Continents Championships

Feb 2, 2024 | 10:27 AM

SHANGHAI — A group of Canadian skaters are in medal contention at the Four Continents Championships heading into the final day of competition.

Toronto’s Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier of Unionville, Ont., are in first place in ice dance after scoring 85.49 points in the rhythm dance.

The pair have never finished in top spot in the Four Continents Championships, with second place their best finish in 2020 and 2014.

Laurence Fournier Beaudry of Greenfield Park, Que., and Montreal’s Nikolaj Soerensen are in second place in the competition.

The duo is skating in Shanghai after withdrawing from last month’s national championships in Calgary after it was revealed that Soerensen is under investigation for an alleged sexual assault in 2012.

The allegation, which Soerensen has denied, has not been tested in court.

Marie-Jade Lauriault of Laval, Que., and Romain Le Gac of Ste-Anne-Des-Plaine, Que., sit in seventh.

Canada currently occupies the top spot in the pair competition with Deanna Stellato-Dudek of Brossard, Que., and Maxime Deschamps of Vaudreuil-Dorion, Que., in the lead after the free skate.

On the women’s side, Mone Chiba of Japan won gold (214.98), while Chaeyeon Kim of Korea took silver (204.68), and Rinka Watanabe of Japan took bronze (202.17).

Madeline Schizas of Oakville, Ont., finished sixth overall with a score of 185.69.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 2, 2024.

The Canadian Press

by Canadian Press