Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier win bronze at the World Figure Skating Championships
Canada’s Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier repeated as ice dance bronze medallists at the 2023 ISU World Figure Skating Championships on Saturday in Saitama, Japan.
Piper Gilles, center, and Paul Poirier, right, of Canada react to audience members after getting their score for their performance in the ice dance free dance program in the World Figure Skating Championships in Saitama, north of Tokyo, Saturday, March 25, 2023. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae) 
Madison Chock and Evan Bates of the U.S., center, with gold medals, Charlene Guignard and Marco Fabbri of Italy, left, with silver medals, and Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier of Canada, with bronze medals, pose for a photo at the end of the award ceremony for the ice dance free dance in the World Figure Skating Championships in Saitama, north of Tokyo, Saturday, March 25, 2023. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae)
In their first competition in three months, Gilles and Poirier posted a combined score of 217.88 to secure third place on the podium for Canada’s sole medal of the competition.
Americans Madison Chock and Evan Bates became world champions for the first time with a score of 226.01. Italy’s Charlene Guignard and Marco Fabbri followed with silver and a combined score of 219.85.
“We just wanted to put our best foot forward and enjoy every last step of this program,” said Gilles. “We’ve enjoyed doing it every time we’ve gone out there, so performing it on the stage after being gone for a few months was so rewarding.”
They sat in the same positions at the end of the rhythm dance. Gilles and Poirier trailed the Italians by less than one point, but they couldn’t make up the difference during the free program. Despite falling during the free dance, the Americans scored the best result in both programs to lead the competition from start to finish.
READ: Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier win ice dance gold at Grand Prix Final
The Canadian Olympians had a wildly successful Grand Prix season with three international victories. Gilles and Poirier won both their ISU Grand Prix assignments and the Grand Prix Final in December.
‘’This is the best season we’ve ever had,’’ said Gilles to Skate Canada. ‘’We medaled at every event we entered and that was really rewarding when we weren’t sure we would continue after last season.’’
Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Nikolaj Soerensen produced the fourth best free skate result but remained in fifth at 214.04 points to conclude the ice dance event. They also had a successful season with two international medals, including gold at the NHK Trophy Grand Prix in Japan last November.
In other results, Keegan Messing finished the men’s program in seventh place with 265.16 points. He sat in fourth position after the short program and in a good position for the podium, but the Canadian skater had some difficulties in the free program to end in 11th place. He received a standing ovation from the Japanese crowd as he completed his fifth and final world championships.
Earlier this week, Madeline Schizas finished 13th overall with 187.49 points as Canada’s only entry in the women’s event. In the pairs program, Deanna Stellato-Dudek and Maxime Deschamps continued a strong second season together, placing fourth with a personal best international score of 199.97. The duo won four international medals this season including two gold and their first national title.
