Gilles, Poirier clinch gold at Skate Canada; Sakamoto finishes first in women's
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Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier have once again claimed gold on home soil, finishing on top of the ice dance program at Skate Canada International.
Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier have once again claimed gold on home soil, finishing on top of the ice dance program at Skate Canada International.
The pair, skating in a competition for the first time since Gilles shared her ovarian cancer diagnosis in May, had a score of 131.46 in the free dance for a total score of 219.01.
"We're really thrilled," said Gilles. "It's taken a long time for us to get to this moment in our career and I think we're really starting to enjoy each moment we step out onto that ice. I think we believe in ourselves just a little bit more."
Great Britain's Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson, who had the audience clapping along to their "Rocky" themed program, finished just over five points behind the Canadians in the free dance to end up second overall.
Lithuania's Allison Reed and Saulius Ambrulevicius rounded out the unchanged top three from Friday's competition.
"It's been a long road for us, especially teaming up as we had our different careers," said Ambrulevicius. "Long work and dreams do come true."
Gilles and Poirier are the first team to win four consecutive Skate Canada gold medals since fellow Canadians Victor Kraatz and Shae-Lynn Bourne. Kratz and Bourne won five straight Skate Canada medals from 1994-95.
