Canadian ice dancers hold top 2 spots after rhythm dance at Four Continents

Canadian ice dancers put themselves in a strong position to land on the podium after Friday's action at the Four Continents Figure Skating Championships in Shanghai, China.

Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier, the current national champions who won bronze at the Grand Prix final in December, sit in first place after the rhythm dance with 85.49 points.

Close behind Gilles and Poirier are fellow Canadians Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Nikolaj Soerensen, who scored 82.02 points in the rhythm dance.

WATCH | Gilles, Poirier lead ice-dance competition in China:

Canada's Gilles and Poirier sit in 1st place after rhythm dance skate at Four Continents

10 months ago

Duration 6:16

2-time World bronze medalists Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier scored 85.49 and sit in top spot after the rhythm dance event in Shanghai.

Fournier Beaudry and Soerensen withdrew from the national championships last month with Soeresen facing an allegation of sexual assault dating back to 2012 that is reportedly under investigation by Canada's Office of the Sport Integrity Commissioner.

Soeresen denied the allegation, but said he and Fournier Beaudry pulled out of the Calgary competition in order to avoid distraction.

Americans Christina Carreira and Anthony Ponomarenko are third after the rhythm dance with 77.47 points. Canada's Marie-Jade Lauriault and Romain Le Gac placed seventh at 71.26.

WATCH | Fournier Beaudry, Soerensen sit 2nd in ice dance:

Fournier Beaudry and Soerensen of Canada sit in 2nd place after rhythm dance skate at Four Continents

10 months ago

Duration 6:34

Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Nikolaj Soerensen are in second place with a score of 82.02 after the rhythm dance program in Shanghai.

The free dance will be contested on Saturday at 11 p.m. ET. Live coverage of the entire Four Continents Championships is available on CBCSports.ca, the CBC Sports app and CBC Gem.

Action continues with the pairs free program on Friday at 11:45 p.m. ET. Click here for the full broadcast schedule.

Meanwhile, Canada's Madeline Schizas used a strong free dance of her own to place sixth in the women's event with 185.69 points.

The 20-year-old from Oakville, Ont., won silver at nationals after failing to qualify for the Grand Prix Final. 

Schizas, along with Gilles and Poirier, was part of the 2022 Olympic team that did not get bumped up to the podium despite Russian skater Kamila Valieva's doping disqualification earlier this week.

Japanese skater Mone Chiba (214.98) won gold in the women's event, while Kim Chaeyeon of Korea (204.68) took silver and Rinka Watanabe of Japan (202.17) claimed bronze.

WATCH | Chiba strikes gold in Shanghai:

Japan's Mone Chiba claims Four Continents gold medal

10 months ago

Duration 8:58

Mone Chiba scored 214.98 points overall to claim the ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships gold medal, by more than 10 points over her nearest competitor.