Gilles, Poirier lead Canadian contingent competing at Skate Canada International

It's been two years since Canada's Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier stood atop the podium at Skate Canada International after winning gold.

When the second stop on the Grand Prix circuit begins this week, the 29-year-old ice dancers will enter not only as the defending champions from 2019 — the 2020 iteration was cut due to the pandemic — but also with a world championship bronze medal to their names.

"To start off the Grand Prix just feels good. I think we've put in so much work and effort in the last couple of weeks. ... I think we're starting to feel like we're in that perfect spot to be successful," Gilles said.

Skate Canada, taking place in Vancouver from Oct. 29 to 31, will also see figure skating fans fill the arena. The duo is ecstatic to feed off that energy again, though part of them is no longer used to it.

"I think the challenge at Skate Canada ... will be just to manage our energy so we don't get overexcited by the buzz in the building," Poirier said.

WATCH | Canada's Gilles, Poirier capture Autumn Classic ice dance title:

The team has been meticulous about fine-tuning their skates after cruising to first place this season at the Autumn Classic International.

As they approach the circuit and the Olympics, the pair say they've modified the "flavouring" of their programs with newer transitions and dynamic lifts. They're thrilled to share their Elton John rhythm dance and 'Long and Winding Road' free, as well as the heart behind the pieces.

"Our love for skating and performing has never faltered. I think that is the feeling we want to convey and so while 'the road' might be the story, I think what we really want to shine through is our love of our craft and what we do," Poirier said.

They'll be joined by two other Canadian teams, both of whom performed at the Autumn Classic.

Canada's Haley Sales and Nikolas Wamsteeker skated to sixth while Marjorie Lajoie and Zachary Lagha finished ahead of them in fourth place. Lajoie and Lagha also came seventh at the Finlandia Trophy.

Meanwhile, a Canadian trio is also competing in men's singles, including Keegan Messing, Roman Sadovsky and Conrad Orzel.

Messing was the only Canadian who squeaked in a skate on the Grand Prix last year. The 29-year-old performed to piped-in applause at Skate America, which he said was "like someone took all the bass out of your favourite song."

The skater said he got a taste of "what we had forgotten" with the live crowd at Finlandia in early October, where he finished fourth.