Grand Prix of Figure Skating: Canada earns 2 bronze medals at Skate America

Canada's Julianne Seguin and Charlie Bilodeau finished third in pairs with 189.49 points at Skate America in Milwaukee, Wis., on Saturday.

China's Sui Wenjing and Han Cong rallied to place as the best duo at 202 points, topping the 191.97 points achieved by U.S. champions Alexa Scimeca and Christopher Knierim. 

''We didn't expect to win a medal so early in our senior careers,'' said Bilodeau. ''But I think we realized after Germany we had to be more solid in order to compete at this level.''

Their program was highlighted by remarkable lifts.

We've put a lot of focus on improving our lifts,'' said Séguin. ''We've worked at making them more challenging and original as well.''

Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier also reached the podium for Canada, finishing third in ice dance with a score of 157.58. The U.S. team of Madison Chock and Evan Bates (173.22) took gold and Viktoria Sinitsina and Nikita Katsalapov of Russia (162.21) finished second.

'Our goal this year is to make the Grand Prix Final so that result will make it more difficult for us,'' said Gilles. ''Still we were very happy with the performance and we felt it was a step-up from Slovakia.''

Meanwhile, Russian world junior champion Evgenia Medvedeva won the women's program, edging U.S. Olympian Gracie Gold in her first Grand Prix Series event.

The 15-year-old Medvedeva had a fall on a double Axel combination, but she rallied, adding double toe loops to the end of two jump elements. She finished with 206.01 points.

"You always have to think of what you have to do in case something goes wrong," Medvedeva said. "You have to think a step ahead. My coaches and I, we discuss this in case something doesn't work. I know what to do and I do it."

Gold doubled an intended triple Salchow late, but that was the only blemish in an otherwise brilliant performance by the 20-year-old, who finished with 202.80 points.

World silver medallist Satoko Miyahara of Japan was third with 188.07 points, while Canada's Alaine Chartrand finished 12th in the field with 148.20 points. 

In the men's event, Max Aaron of the U.S. finished first (258.95), Shoma Uno of Japan placed second (257.43), while American Jason Brown was third with 238.47 points.