Canadian ice dance stars Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier lead the Skate Canada International after Saturday's rhythm dance in Saskatoon.
The four-time world medalists from Toronto earned 85.38 points in their Grand Prix season debut, ahead of Lithuania's Allison Reid and Saulius Ambrulevicius (80.89) and Americans Christina Carreira and Anthony Ponomarenko (80.89).
Canadians Marjorie Lajoie and Zachary Laga, who won silver at the tournament last year, are currently in fourth place with a score of 75.95.
Gilles and Poirier, this year's world silver medalists, are aiming for a record sixth straight Skate Canada title.
The free dance routine is scheduled for Sunday at 1:40 pm ET and will be livestreamed on CBCSports.ca and CBC Gem. Full broadcast schedule is available available here.
Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier scored 85.38 points to win the rhythm dance at the Skate Canada International in Saskatoon.
Now in their 15th season together, Gilles and Poirier are firmly among the best and most viable gold contenders in the world. Olympic Games Milan-Cortina in February.
They have medaled at three straight world championships, taking bronze in 2023 and then back-to-back silver medals behind Madison Chock and Evan Bates of the United States.
Both Gilles and Poirier will be 34 years old at Milan, and longtime coach Carol Lane has said she believes this season will be their last.
The Canadian duo spoke to CBC Sports' Anastasia Buksis after leading the rhythm dance at the Skate Canada International in Saskatoon.
Malinin shines again
American world champion Ilya Malinin confidently led the men's competition with 104.84 points in the short program later on Saturday at SaskTel Center12.77 more than Japan Kazuki Tomono.
Alexander Selevko from Estonia came third with a score of 91.28.
Ilya Malinin scored 104.84 points to win the men's short program and maintain a double-digit lead at the Skate Canada International in Saskatoon.
Steven Gogolev of Toronto (86.13) is the seventh-best Canadian, while Aleksa Rakic of Burnaby, British Columbia, is last among the 12 skaters with a score of 75.50.
Malinin, known as the “Quad God”, won the season-opening French Grand Prix by 40 points. The 20-year-old athlete has not lost a single competition since November 2023.
The men's free skate will take place on Sunday at 11:30 a.m. ET.
Steven Gogolev was the top Canadian, finishing seventh in the men's short program at the Skate Canada International in Saskatoon.
Canada will try to win its first medal of the weekend Saturday night in the pairs event, with the free skate starting at 7 p.m. ET.
Two Canadian duos are in the top three: Dina Stellato-Dudek and Maxime Deschamps are in second place (73.03), ahead of Leah Pereira and Trennt Michaud (70.66).
Stellato-Dudek and Deschamps took silver at the French Grand Prix.
The current World Championship silver medalists, Germans Minerva Fabien Hase and Nikita Volodin, hold the lead with a score of 77.53 points.
The women's free skate will begin at 8:40 p.m. ET.
Watch rhythm dancing at Skate Canada International in Saskatoon.
