ItB次元官网网址檚 still sinking in for Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier.
Standing at centre ice in the Bell Centre, the Canadian ice dance pair twirled and saluted to cheers from their home crowd after delivering a breathtaking performance that ultimately earned them silver medals Saturday at the world figure skating championships.
B次元官网网址淚 havenB次元官网网址檛 really fully digested it yet. It still feels like we havenB次元官网网址檛 done it,B次元官网网址� Gilles said. B次元官网网址淭o be able to just stand there at the end and just embrace all of our friends and family that were here to experience that moment with us was just something we can only dream of.B次元官网网址�
For Gilles and Poirier it was B次元官网网址渁 full-circle momentB次元官网网址� as they recalled competing in their first worlds championship on home soil in London, Ont. in 2013.
B次元官网网址淭en, 11, 12 years later, we have a very different moment,B次元官网网址� Gilles said. B次元官网网址淏ut itB次元官网网址檚 still something so special, and now weB次元官网网址檙e closer to the top of the podium.B次元官网网址�
Skating to the B次元官网网址淲uthering HeightsB次元官网网址� soundtrack by Ryuichi Sakamoto, TorontoB次元官网网址檚 Gilles and Poirier of Unionville, Ont., gave the 8,000 fans on hand goosebumps and posted the best score of the free dance with a season-best 133.17 points.
As they watched the marks come up, Poirier had an astonished look on his face.
B次元官网网址淚 was exhausted,B次元官网网址� he said, as laughs went around the Bell Centre press conference room. B次元官网网址淲e really gave our everything to the performance.B次元官网网址�
They finished with 219.68 total points and twizzled their way up a spot on the podium after placing third in FridayB次元官网网址檚 rhythm dance.
ItB次元官网网址檚 their third medal at the worlds. They collected bronze in 2021 and 2023 B次元官网网址� just months after Gilles had surgery for ovarian cancer.
The performance wasnB次元官网网址檛 enough to dethrone defending champions Madison Chock and Evan Bates of the United States.
But the ovation and cheers from the crowd B次元官网网址� and the silver medals around their necks B次元官网网址� had the Canadians beaming with pride.
B次元官网网址淚t was a mix of (exhaustion), of relief that it was done, relief that it had gone well, and joy that it had gone well and joy that we were able to just share a really special moment with that crowd and soak in all of their energy and love,B次元官网网址� Poirier said.
Chock and Bates, the 2022 Olympic champions, captured gold with a season-best total score of 222.20 after placing first in the rhythm dance.
They became the most decorated American ice dancers at the worlds with five medals but arenB次元官网网址檛 sure if theyB次元官网网址檒l build on that haul and compete next season.
B次元官网网址淲e have a lot to celebrate coming up and a lot to evaluate before we jump into another season,B次元官网网址� Chock said. B次元官网网址淚t isnB次元官网网址檛 out of the realm of possibility but also weB次元官网网址檙e not going to get ahead of ourselves.B次元官网网址�
Gilles and Poirier, both 32, werenB次元官网网址檛 sure how long theyB次元官网网址檇 go before hanging their blades up, either.
B次元官网网址淲hen we feel like we donB次元官网网址檛 want to come into the rink every single day, I think is when you wonB次元官网网址檛 see us anymore,B次元官网网址� Gilles said.
ItalyB次元官网网址檚 Charlene Guignard and Marco Fabbri claimed bronze (216.52).
Marjorie Lajoie of Boucherville, Que., and Zachary Lagha of Saint-Hubert, Que., ranked fifth after a beautiful program to B次元官网网址淩osesB次元官网网址� by Jean-Michel Blais.
They posted a personal-best 208.01 points despite the fact Lajoie suffered a concussion before the Canadian championships in January.
B次元官网网址淲e worked so hard for this moment, and with the adversity we had to be able to skate like this itB次元官网网址檚 the cherry on top,B次元官网网址� Lajoie said.
Later Saturday, Ilia Malinin of the United States captured gold with a record-setting performance in the menB次元官网网址檚 singles.
The 19-year-old hit six quad jumps to earn a world record free program score of 227.79, bringing his total to 333.76.
He dethroned two-time defending world champion Shoma Uno of Japan, who fell to fourth (280.85).
Yuma Kagiyama of Japan collected silver (309.65) and Adam Siao Him Fa of France claimed bronze (284.39).
It was MontrealB次元官网网址檚 first time hosting the event since 1932. The city was supposed to stage the 2020 championship but the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the competition.
Boston will hold the 2025 competition.
MORE ON SORENSEN
MontrealB次元官网网址檚 Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Danish-Canadian partner Nikolaj Sorensen moved from 10th to ninth (199.91) in the competition while skating under the cloud of sexual assault allegations against Sorensen.
Sorensen and Fournier Beaudry withdrew from the Canadian championship in January after USA Today reported an American figure skating coach and former skater accused Sorensen of sexually assaulting her in 2012. The case is currently being probed by CanadaB次元官网网址檚 Office of the Sport Integrity Commissioner and the allegations have not been proven in court.
USA Today reported Saturday that the attorney for SorensenB次元官网网址檚 complainant, Nancy Hogshead, said another complaint is being filed against Sorensen with the OSIC for comments the ice dancer made on March 6 that she says amount to B次元官网网址渞etaliationB次元官网网址� against the complainant.
B次元官网网址淲hen something like that comes out in the media, the damage is kind of done and I think that was the intention more than anything,B次元官网网址� Sorensen said about the allegations at the time.
Sorensen denied a chance to comment on the matter Saturday.
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Daniel Rainbird, The Canadian Press
