Canadian Ice Dancers Eighth After Rhythm Dance at ISU Grand Prix

TORINO, Italy – Carolane Soucisse of Chateauguay, Que., and Shane Firus of North Vancouver are in eighth place after Friday’s rhythm dance at the Gran Premio d’Italia, the third stop on the ISU Grand Prix circuit.

Four-time world champions Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron of France are in first place in ice dancing with 87.45 points, Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue of the U.S., second at 84.79 and Alexandra Stepanova and Ivan Bukin of Russia third at 81.47.

Soucisse and Firus, competing for the fourth time this season, earned 63.40 which was a slight improvement on their score at Skate America two weeks ago in Las Vegas. They are the only Canadian entry at this week’s stop which was originally scheduled for China but relocated due to pandemic issues.

Prior to the ice dancing, a Russian showdown in women’s singles between Maiia Khromyk and reigning world champion Anna Shcherbakova for gold was infiltrated with Belgium’s Loena Hendrickx in first place after the short program with 73.52

The Russians though are in hot pursuit. Khromyk posted a 72.04 score for second spot and Shcherbakova is third at 71.73.

China is 1-2 in pairs with last week’s Skate Canada International champions Wenjing Sui and Cong Han first at 80.07 and compatriots Cheng Peng and Yang Jin second at 76.71.

Another Chinese skater is first after the men’s short. Boyang Jin totalled 97.89 with Daniel Grassl of Italy second at 95.67 and Junhwan Cha of South Korea third at 95.56.

All four free skates are on Saturday.

Full results: http://www.isuresults.com/results/season2122/gpita2021/