Canada’s Seguin and Bilodeau win silver at ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships

TALLIN, Estonia – Canada’s Julianne Seguin and Charlie Bilodeau won the silver medal in pairs on Thursday at the ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships.

Xiaoyu Yu and Yang Jin of China successfully defended their world junior crown with 178.79 points. The Canadians followed with a personal best 176.32 and Lina Fedorova and Maxim Miroshkin of Russia were third at 154.33.

‘’We came out here and did what we had to do and it is a very satisfying performance,’’ said Séguin, from Longueuil, Que. ‘’We are proud of ourselves.’’

Séguin and Bilodeau will also compete at the world seniors-set for later this month in Shanghai. They’ve had a super season winning their three ISU Junior Grand Prix assignments including the Final in December and placing third in senior pairs at nationals in January.

In their skate to “In Your Eyes” and “Wallflower” by Peter Gabriel, Seguin and Bilodeau produced a side by side triple Salchow, double Axel-double toe combination, throw triple Salchow and toeloop as well as six level-four elements.

‘’This is a marvelous end to our junior season,’’ said Bilodeau from Trois-Pistoles, Que. ‘’The go out there at every event and deliver clean performances was a big thrill for us

Shalena Rau of Waterloo, Ont., and Sébastian Arcieri of Montreal were ninth and Mary Orr of Brantford, Ont., and Phelan Simpson of Lunenberg, N.S., 10th.

Canada appears on track for another medal in ice dancing. Mackenzie Bent of Uxbridge, Ont., and Garrett MacKeen of Oshawa, Ont., are in second spot after the short dance with 61.09 points, also a personal best. Anna Yanovskaya and Sergey Mozgov of Russia hold a slight lead at 62.22 and Lorraine McNamara and Quinn Carpenter of the U.S., are third at 59.10.

Bent and Mackeen’s smooth dance to “Vida Loca” and “Straight to Memphis” was highlighted by precise footwork and a straight line lift. The Canadians picked up a level four for the lift, the twizzles and both Samba sequences.

“The skate – we couldn’t have asked for much more”, Bent commented. “For us, this season was just a bunch of different stepping stones. Our first Junior Grand Prix Final, was also a big learning lesson and as well senior nationals which was a big part of this season.

Madeline Edwards of Port Moody, B.C., and ZhaoKai Pang of Burnaby, B.C., are sixth at 52.34.

Competition continues Friday with the women’s free skate and men’s short program. The free dance is Saturday.

Full results: http://www.isuresults.com/results/wjc2015/index.htm