Canadians Shine in the Short Program at Skate Canada International

MISSISSAUGA, Ont. (October 28, 2022) – Olympians Madeline Schizas of Oakville, Ont., and Gabrielle Daleman of Newmarket, Ont., are currently sitting in first and second after skating clean programs in the women’s short program on Friday at Skate Canada International. In ice dance, defending champions Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier of Toronto lead after the rhythm dance and Canada is in the medal hunt in pairs and men’s.

Schizas, 19, earned a season’s best 67.90 points skating to Black Swan while Daleman totaled 66.65 in her first routine this season set to Diamonds by Rihanna. Ava Marie Ziegler of the U.S. stands third at 66.49.

‘’I’m standing here and there’s so many things I can do better,’’ said Schizas, a member of the 2022 Olympic team. ‘’It was my first clean skate of the year and I’m really happy to pull it off at Skate Canada in front of friends and family.’’

Daleman, 24, is looking to regain the magic that earned her a bronze medal at the 2017 World Championships and put her on the 2018 Olympic team. ‘’It’s really cool,’’ she said about her flawless performance. ‘’I came in here with little goals and I’m feeling very prepared. If I’m not ready now I don’t know when I ever will be.’’

Defending Skate Canada International champions Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier of Toronto lead the ice dance field after posting an 87.23, their highest international score for a rhythm dance. Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson of Great Britain are second at 83.80 and Caroline Green and Michael Parsons of the U.S. stand third at 76.13.

‘’It was a really excellent start to our season,’’ said Poirier, seventh at the Olympics with Gilles this past winter. ‘’To have a competition at home with a real audience and all of our friends and family here made today’s skate really special.’’

Two other Canadian couples are in the medal hunt, with Marjorie Lajoie of Boucherville, Que., and Zachary Lagha of St-Hubert, Que., placing fourth at 75.94, while Marie-Jade Lauriault and Romain le Gac of Ste-Anne-des-Plaines, Que., are fifth at 74.59.

In pairs, world championship silver medalists Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara of Japan are first after the short program with 73.39. Emily Chan and Spencer Akira Brown of the U.S. are second at 67.39 and Sara Conti and Niccolo Macii of Italy third at 66.66. Brooke McIntosh and Benjamin Mimar of Toronto are fourth at 60.82 and Kelly Ann Laurin of St-Jérôme, Que., and Loucas Éthier of St- Adolphe, Que., eighth.

In the men’s event, Japan is 1-2 after the short with Kao Miura first at 94.06 and world champion Shoma Uno second at 89.98. Matteo Rizzo of Italy is third at 81.18. Canada’s Keegan Messing stands fourth after a season’s best 79.69 for his short program. Conrad Orzel of Woodbridge, Ont., is sixth and Stephen Gogolev of Toronto is 11th.

Competition ends Saturday where medals will be awarded for all four disciplines. For full results, click here.