Figure skaters Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier dominated the short dance program at the Four Continents Championships in Shanghai. The Canadians lead the rankings ahead of their compatriots Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Nikolaj Soerensen.
The two tandems representing the maple leaf were the only ones to surpass the 80-point mark in China on Friday.
Gilles and Poirier led the field with a score of 85.49, while Fournier Beaudry and Soerensen, last year's silver medalists in Colorado Springs, received a score of 82.02.
This is Soerensen's first competition since he was investigated for sexual assault, which the daily newspaper reported on January 4th USA today.
In the turmoil, Soerensen and Fournier Beaudry made the decision to skip the national championships Jan. 8-14 in Calgary.
Also competing at the Four Continents Championships, the duo consisting of Marie-Jade Lauriault and Romain Le Gac (71.26) takes provisional 7th place.
Chiba triumphs alone
Mone Chiba won the award in the individual competition, a year after placing third in her first participation in the competition.
The 18-year-old Japanese dominated the free skate with a score of 143.88, bringing her total score to 214.98. She was on the podium ahead of South Korea's Kim Chae-yeon (204.68) and her compatriot Rinka Watanabe (202.17).
It is a great joy and excitement to win this competition
said Chiba, who caused a stir on the Shanghai ice.
The Japanese team is particularly successful at the Four Continents Championships, which brings together athletes from all continents except Europe and is the last major event before the World Championships, which take place in Montreal from March 18 to 24.
Japan has won the vast majority of competitions since the Four Continents Championship was founded in 1999.
Canadian Madeline Schizas (185.69) was the best of the Maple Leaf trio at the end of the free skate. She took 6th level, Sara-Maude Dupuis (172.45) 9th and Justine Miclette (151.3) 14th level.
With information from Agence France-Presse
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