Tag Archive for: 2022 ISU Grand Prix Final

Canada Reigns in Ice Dancing with Double Gold at ISU Grand Prix Final

TORINO, Italy (December 10, 2022) – Canada won the gold medal in both the senior and junior ice dancing competitions Saturday to conclude the ISU Grand Prix Final.

In the senior event, Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier of Toronto made it a golden sweep on the circuit this year placing first with 215.64 points. Madison Chock and Evan Bates of the U.S. were second at 211.94 and Charlene Guignard and Marco Fabbri of Italy third at 206.84. Canadians Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Nikolaj Soerensen were sixth with 196.15 points.

‘’That was the most present we’ve felt all season,’’ said Gilles. ‘’We felt nervous at our first two events this season, but today we just let it skate and it topped the other performances.’’

The couple had contemplated retirement after the Olympics last year. This season was a test to see whether they still had that passion.

‘’Our goal for this season is really to recapture our joy of skating,’’ said Poirier. ‘’It was really stressful during the Olympics. Yes, we want to win and be the best in the world but more than that we want to feel really proud of the work we’ve done and enjoy every performance.

In junior ice dancing, world junior bronze medallists Nadiia Bashynska and Peter Beaumont of Ajax, Ont., were the victors with 167.26 points. Hannah Lim and Ye Quan of South Korea took the silver at 162.53 and Katerina Mrazkova and Daniel Mrazek of the Czech Republic were third at 161.54. The Canadians won their two ISU Junior Grand Prix’s, as well as the Final this season.

‘’That’s why we are here,’’ said Beaumont. ‘’Having two clean skates which we are super proud of, especially here in the Final. The world juniors are in Calgary (February 27-March 5, 2023) so we are aiming for the gold there as well.’’

Chloe Panetta of Laval, Que., and Kieran Thrasher of Amherstburg, Ont., finished sixth in the junior pairs event. Australians Anastasia Golubeva and Hektor Giotopoulos Moore were the winners.

‘’We showed what are capable of in the free skate,’’ said Panetta. ‘’We attacked every element and we just have to build off of that so we can be even better for nationals.’’

The Canadian Tire National Skating Championships take place at the Tribute Communities Centre in Oshawa, Ont., from January 9-15, 2023. For full results, click here.

Gilles and Poirier Lead After Rhythm Dance at ISU Grand Prix Final

TORINO, Italy (December 9, 2022) – Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier of Toronto are in first place after the rhythm dance, while Deanna Stellato-Dudek and Maxime Deschamps of Vaudreuil-Dorion, Que., nearly reached the podium in pairs on Friday at the ISU Grand Prix Final. The competition regroups the top-six performers in each event during the regular senior and junior Grand Prix seasons.

In pairs, world championship silver medallists Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara of Japan completed a golden sweep of their three Grand Prix assignments, topping the six-team field with 214.58 points. Alex Knierim and Brandon Frazier of the U.S. were second at 213.28 and Sara Conti and Niccolo Macii of Italy snuck into third with 187.02. The Italians caught Stellato-Dudek and Deschamps, who dropped to fourth overall with 184.28.

The Canadians won gold and silver in their Grand Prix events this season. However, Stellato-Dudek was ill this week which kept her off the ice in training. While she expressed her disappointment, Deschamps viewed it as a learning experience.

‘’We were able to accomplish some things. Sure, the result wasn’t what we wanted but once we overcome our emotions we are going to get back up and build for the next one.’’

Gilles and Poirier earned an 85.93 score in the rhythm dance which was slightly better than Madison Chock and Evan Bates of the U.S., who came in second at 85.49. Charlene Guignard and Marco Fabbri of Italy stand third at 84.55.

‘’We don’t’ often see the scores this tight after the rhythm dance,’’ said Poirier, who won both Grand Prix stops this year with Gilles. “It’s exciting to see. Everyone in this field is so good and so strong. It’s great for the audience as well.’’

Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Nikolaj Soerensen of Montreal are also in the medal hunt with 83.16 for fourth.

‘’We’re happy with what we put out there,’’ said Fournier Beaudry, a gold and silver medallist with her partner this season on the circuit. ‘’Our goal is always to go out there and try our best to win. This is also a challenge to see how we measure against these teams.’’

In junior ice dancing, world junior bronze medallists Nadiia Bashynska and Peter Beaumont of Ajax, Ont., lead after the rhythm dance. The Canadians, who won their two Junior Grand Prix assignments this season, totalled 67.74 points. Phebe Bekker and James Hernandez of Great Britain are second at 64.58 and Hannah Lim and Ye Quan of South Korea third at 64.21.

‘’We just wanted to give our best performance for the audience and we gave it our all,’’ said Bashynska. “I’m so excited for the free dance. It’s the most detailed and the most heart-felt program we’ve ever done in our lives.”

Competition ends Saturday with the senior and junior free dances, as well as the junior pairs free program. For full results, click here.

ISU Grand Prix Final to Showcase 10 Canadian Junior & Senior Skaters

OTTAWA, ON (December 1, 2022) – Following a spectacular season that saw Canadians win countless medals on the world stage, 10 athletes will be capping off the Grand Prix season at the ISU Grand Prix Final in Torino, Italy from December 8-11, 2022. In the junior field, one pair and ice dance team will be representing the maple leaf, while the senior team will count one pair and two ice dance entries. 

Chloe Panetta & Kieran Thrasher will be the first duo to represent Canada in junior pairs after finishing third and fourth at their two assigned ISU Junior Grand Prix events this season. First-year juniors Ava Kemp & Yohnatan Elizarov initially qualified for the Grand Prix Final but have withdrawn from the event due to injury.  

Up-and-coming junior ice dancers Nadiia Bashynska and Peter Beaumont will be competing at their first ISU Grand Prix Final after an outstanding season that included winning back-to-back gold medals at both ISU Junior Grand Prix events in Gdansk, Poland. 

In the senior field, Deanna Stellato-Dudek and Maxime Deschamps earned their spot at the final with an outstanding debut season on the Grand Prix circuit. The pair kicked off the competition season by winning silver at Skate America, followed by a gold medal at the 2022 Grand Prix de France. 

Two established teams will be vying for a spot on the podium in senior ice dance after a successful Grand Prix season that includes three gold medals. Olympians Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Nikolaj Soerensen have reached new heights this season, winning gold and silver at their assigned ISU Grand Prix events, while teammates Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier are the team to beat following their back-to-back wins at Skate Canada International and Grand Prix Espoo. 

The competition starts on Thursday, December 8 with the junior and senior pair short programs. The following day, senior pairs will complete their free program, while junior and senior ice dance teams will perform their rhythm dance. The event concludes on Saturday, December 10 with medals being awarded to junior pairs, as well as junior and senior ice dancers. 

For full entry lists and results, please click here. 

Team Canada  

Name | Age | Hometown | Coach | Training Location  

Junior Pair 
Chloe Panetta | 19 | Laval, Que. & Kieran Thrasher | 18 | Amherstburg, Ont. | Bruno Marcotte & Brian Shales | Oakville, Ont. 

Junior Ice Dance 
Nadiia Bashynska | 19 | Ajax, Ont. & Peter Beaumont | 21 | Ajax, Ont. | Carol Lane & Juris Razgulajevs | Scarborough, Ont.    

Senior Pair 
Deanna Stellato-Dudek | 39 | Chicago, USA & Maxime Deschamps | 30 | Vaudreuil-Dorion, Que. | Josée Picard | Vaudreuil-Dorion, Que.    

Senior Ice Dance 
Laurence Fournier Beaudry | 30 | Montreal, Que. & Nikolaj Soerensen | 33 | Montreal, Que. | Marie-France Dubreuil & Patrice Lauzon | Montreal, Que.   
Piper Gilles | 30 | Toronto, Ont. & Paul Poirier | 31 | Unionville, Ont. | Carol Lane & Juris Razgulajevs | Scarborough, Ont.  

Team Leaders – Andre Bourgeois & Mike Slipchuk 
Medical Team – Daphne Anderson & Josiane Roberge
Officials – Janice Hunter & Nicole LeBlanc-Richard