Canada Wins Silver and Bronze at ISU Four Continents Championships

COLORADO SPRINGS, USA (February 12, 2023) – Keegan Messing won the silver medal and Deanna Stellato-Dudek and Maxime Deschamps added a bronze in pairs in a double medal performance for Canada on Saturday at the ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships.

Kao Miura of Japan took the men’s crown with 281.53 points followed Messing who finished with a career best 275.57. Shun Sato of Japan was third at 259.14. In other Canadian results, Conrad Orzel of Woodbridge, Ont., was eighth and Stephen Gogolev of Toronto, Ont., 13^th.

‘’I was dying out there,’’ said Messing about competing at altitude. ‘’I really had to pace myself. I had some great training after nationals but when I got here, I was tired all over again. I kept the focus on the breathing and the training.’’

In pairs, Stellato-Dudek and Deschamps of Vaudreuil-Dorion, Que., took the bronze medal with 193.84. It was the fourth medal in five international events this season for the Canadian champions who set a personal best international score for their free skate with 125.45. Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara of Japan won the gold with 208.24 and Emily Chan and Spencer Akira Howe of the U.S. were second at 201.11.

‘’It was a good stepping stone for us towards the worlds,’’ said Stellato-Dudek. ‘’We’re just trying to improve our skates going into the world championships.’’

First-year pairs Lia Pereira of Milton, Ont., and Trennt Michaud of Brantford, Ont., remained fourth with a personal best 186.33, while Kelly Ann Laurin of St-Jerome, Que., and Loucas Ethier of St. Adolphe, Que., were seventh at 167.67, an international best.

Competition ends Sunday with the free dance. Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Nikolaj Sorensen of Montreal, Que., and Marjorie Lajoie of Boucherville, Que., and Zachary Lagha of St-Hubert, Que, are second and third after Friday’s rhythm dance.

 For full results, click here.