WINNIPEG, MB (December 1, 2022) – New partners Lia Pereira of Milton, Ont., and Trennt Michaud of Trenton, Ont., took the pairs title on Thursday in the first night of free skates at the 2022-2023 Skate Canada Challenge – Junior/Senior event with a score of 182.22.
This marked their second competition together after winning the Ontario Sectionals last month. Pereira, who is also competing in the women’s event this week, joined forces with Michaud, a national team pairs veteran who skated with Evelyn Walsh for six seasons. Brooke McIntosh of Toronto and Benjamin Mimar of Terrebonne, Que., were second at 172.66 and Kelly Ann Laurin of St-Jerome, Que., and Loucas Ethier of St-Alphonse, Que., were third at 160.85.
‘’It’s really fun to have this new experience together,’’ said Pereira. ‘’We’re just growing together and each competition is a new learning experience.’’
Marie-Jade Lauriault and Romain Le Gac of Ste-Anne-des-Plaines, Que., capped the evening with the senior ice dance crown totaling 196.75. Lily Hensen and Nathan Lickers of London, Ont., were second at 179.42 and Molly Lanaghan and Dmitre Razgulajevs of Scarborough, Ont., were third at 174.98.
‘’We’ve put so much work into our choreography this year and we are pleased people are enjoying it as much as we enjoy performing it,’’ said Lauriault, who posted third and fifth place finishes with her partner on the Grand Prix circuit this season.
In men’s senior, Matthew Newnham of St. Albert, Alta., won the gold medal placing first in both the short and free programs with 217.09. Wesley Chiu of Richmond, B.C., took second spot with 203.83 while Matthew Markell of Toronto was third at 203.44 after ranking eighth in Wednesday’s short.
‘’I’m very pleased with how everything went this week,’’ said Newnham. ‘’Compared to last year I’m so much better than I thought I possibly could be. Hopefully this is the first step to the National Team.’’
In the men’s junior competition, Grayson Long of Toronto took the gold with 176.52, followed by Shohei Law of Vancouver in second at 169.19 and Rio Morita of Vaughan, Ont., in third at 166.41.
Sandrine Gauthier and Quentin Thieren of Montreal took the junior ice dance crown with 159.76. Hailey Yu and Brendan Giang of Burnaby, B.C., were second at 152.50 and Layla Veillon and Alexander Brandys of London, Ont., third at 148.20.
‘’We’ve been well prepared for each competition this season and we delivered once again tonight,’’ said Thieren, a silver medalist with his partner at an ISU Junior Grand Prix event. ‘’We made some changes to our programs after our last event so this was a great opportunity to show those changes.’’
Ashlyn Schmitz and Tristan Taylor of Regina were the junior pairs winners with 128.03, followed by Martina Ariano Kent and Alexis Leduc in second and Jazmine Desrochers and Aidan Wright in third.
Competition continues through to Saturday at the Seven Oaks Arena at Garden City Community Centre. For full results and information, click here.
