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, Trennt Michaud claim pairs title at Skate Canada International
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 Pereira, Michaud reflect on their gold-medal performance at Skate Canada International
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 finishes 4th at Skate Canada International
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).
France’s Kevin Aymoz captures men’s title at Skate Canada International
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).
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Canada’s Lia Pereira, Trennt Michaud lead pairs event at Skate Canada International
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).
Sara Maude-Dupuis leads Canadian field at Skate Canada International after short 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.
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