Canada's Deanna Stellato-Dudek and Maxime Deschamps compete in the Pairs Free Skating during the figure skating Grand Prix finals at the Palavela ice arena, in Turin, Italy, on December 9, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP, Antonio Calanni
November 26, 2024 - 12:52 PM
OTTAWA - Reigning pairs world champions Deanna Stellato-Dudek and Maxime Deschamps will lead Canada's contingent into next week's ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final.
Stellato-Dudek, who is from Chicago but representing Canada, and Deschamps, from Vaudreuil-Dorion, Que., enter the event scheduled for Dec. 5-8 in Grenoble, France, as the top-ranked pairs team.
The duo posted wins at both their appearances on the circuit this season, topping the podium at Skate Canada International and the Finlandia Cup.
Stellato-Dudek and Deschamps took the bronze medal at last year's Grand Prix final.
Ice dancers Piper Gilles of Toronto and Paul Poirier of Unionville, Ont., return to the final after placing third in 2023 and will be joined by Marjorie Lajoie of Boucherville, Que., and Zachary Lagha of St-Hubert, Que.
Gilles and Poirier won gold at Skate Canada and silver at Finlandia, while Lajoie and Lagha won silver at Skate Canada and silver at the Cup of China.
In junior competition, Jazmine Desrochers of Mississauga, Ont., and Kieran Thrasher of Amherstburg, Ont., will compete in ice dance while Julia Quattrochi of Laval, Que., and Simon Desmarais of Carignan, Que., skate in pairs.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 26, 2024.
News from © The Canadian Press, 2024