SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA (February 20, 2025) – Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier quickly set the tone for the 2025 ISU Four Continents Championships in Seoul, South Korea, on Thursday, obtaining the top result in the rhythm dance.

After a disappointing finish in the 2024 ISU Grand Prix Final, the Canadian Champions delivered their highest-scoring performance of the season in the rhythm dance in Seoul. Gilles (Toronto, ON) and Poirier (Unionville, ON), who clinched the gold medal at last year’s Four Continents Championships, notched up 87.22 points at the Mokdong Sports Centre on day one of this year’s event, and currently sit in front of reigning world champions Madison Chock and Evan Bates of the USA, who hold a score of 86.21.

“We didn’t really have any expectations, other than just to skate the way we do at home. After the Grand Prix Final, we changed our approach. We took a good, hard look at what we do well and what we need to improve. We got our confidence back, and that showed through today,” said Gilles.

Marjorie Lajoie (Boucherville, QC) and Zachary Lagha (Saint-Hubert, QC) sit in third place with 82.86 points. Alicia Fabbri (Terrebonne, QC) and Paul Ayer (Brossard, QC) hold the tenth spot with a score of 60.06.

In pairs, Lia Pereira (Milton, ON) and Trennt Michaud (Brantford, ON) sit in third place after obtaining Canada’s highest score of 69.79 points—the duo’s best of the season. Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara of Japan (74.73) and Ellie Kam and Danny O’Shea of the USA (70.32) hold the top two spots, respectively.

“We were very well prepared for this event. We worked really hard after the Cup of China and that showed through at the Canadian Championships. That event marked the start of the second half of the season, and we wanted to hold onto our momentum in training,” said Pereira.

Reigning world champions Deanna Stellato-Dudek (Chicago, USA) and Maxime Deschamps (Vaudreuil-Dorion, QC) hold fourth place with a score of 69.66. Kelly Ann Laurin (Saint-Jérôme, QC) and Loucas Éthier (Saint-Alphonse, QC) are currently in seventh place with 62.90 points.

Day one of the ISU Four Continents Championships closed with the men’s short program. Matthew Newnham (Saint-Albert, AB), who was initially on the reserve list, ended up skating his way to seventh place with a score of 73.81. Roman Sadovsky (Vaughan, ON) is in ninth place with 72.85 points, while Aleksa Rakic sits in twelfth (69.35).

The action will resume on Friday in Seoul with the pairs free program and the women’s short program.

The complete results of the ISU Four Continents Championships can be found here.