Canada’s reigning ISU World Champions Deanna Stellato-Dudek/Maxime Deschamps are on track in the Pairs Short Program and skated to the lead with a new season’s best score. 2023 Skate America Champions Annika Hocke/Robert Kunkel of Germany edged two-time ISU World Junior silver medalists Anastasia Golubeva/Hektor Giotopoulos Moore of Australia by only 0.01 points for second place.

Stellato-Dudek/Deschamps had the crowd in the Scotiabank Center behind them from the first second of their sensual “Crazy in Love” program and hit a triple twist, side by side triple toe and level-four lift, spin and footwork. That meant a season’s best of 73.23 points for the ISU Four Continents Champions. 

“I actually noticed the difference in the volume from our announcement versus everybody else's,” Stellato-Dudek said. “I felt stressed and just wanted to do well, but the Canadian crowd, they just really want everybody to do well and they're just hoping the best for you. It’s a genuine type of encouragement that I feel here. So I just try to keep that in mind with all the stress that comes with it.”

Stellato-Dudek/Deschamps (CAN) - ISU Grand Prix Skate Canada 2024 Halifax - ©International Skating Union (ISU)

“We're pretty pleased with what we've done,” Deschamps said. “We have worked on a lot on stuff since Oberstdorf (Challenger event) and we have set some objectives and we reached them. We wanted first to fix our footwork sequence because last time we had a level two and we wanted a level four and that's what we achieved here. We also wanted to get the second mark up.”

Hocke/Kunkel got the crowd going with their upbeat program to “I Love Rock’n’Roll” and “Black Betty”, producing a triple twist, side by side triple Salchow and difficult lift. Hocke only two-footed the throw triple loop. The 2023 ISU European bronze medalists set a season’s best with 64.82 points.

Hocke/Kunkel (GER)  -  ISU Grand Prix Skate Canada 2024 Halifax (CAN) - ©International Skating Union (ISU)

“It was a solid skate. We did a silly mistake on the throw, which is not a mistake we usually do, but it happens and we're quite pleased with the rest and I’m excited for tomorrow,” Hocke said. 

“I always love seeing close points like this but I never like experienced it myself. I think it's kind of fun and also honestly it’s not really a difference. It feels like it’s the same points. It doesn’t change anything for tomorrow for us. We want to do our best, we want to skate clean and if it's 0.01 (difference) more or not, who cares.”

Golubeva/Giotopoulos Moore put out an excellent performance as well, nailing a triple twist, triple toe and throw triple loop to score 64.81 points. 

Golubeva/Giotopoulos Moore (AUS)  -  ISU Grand Prix Skate Canada 2024 Halifax (CAN) - ©International Skating Union (ISU)

Giotopoulos Moore agreed with Hocke on the close score. “It’s kind of funny. We all want to do the best that we can, we don’t really worry about what others are scoring. You should just worry about your own scores. I think we’re all happy with our results and there’s always work to be done,” he said.

The Free Skating will be interesting as the scores are close. Ekaterina Geynish/Dmitrii Chigirev (UZB) are sitting in fourth at 63.53 points, followed by two-time ISU Four Continents silver medalists Emily Chan/Spencer Akira Howe (USA), who are on 61.04 points.

Check out the ISU Grand Prix Standings to find out who is on their way to qualify for the Final:

Men       Women            Pair Skating      Ice Dance

What & When

The schedule of Skate Canada International is as follows

Friday, Oct 25: Pairs & Women’s Short Programs

Saturday, Oct 26: Rhythm Dance, Men’s Short Program, Pairs & Women’s Free Skating

Sunday, Oct 27: Men’s Free Skating & Free Dance

Follow the ISU Grand Prix events:

The schedules of each ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating event are available below:

1. 18 - 20 Oct 2024                       Skate America in Allen, TX (USA)
2. 25 - 27 Oct 2024                       Skate Canada International in Halifax (CAN)
3. 01 - 03 Nov 2024                      Grand Prix de France in Angers (FRA)
4. 08 - 10 Nov 2024                      NHK Trophy in Tokyo (JPN)
5. 15- 17 Nov 2024                       Finlandia Trophy in Helsinki (FIN)  
6. 22 - 24 Nov 2024                      Cup of China in Chongqing (CHN)

The ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final: 

1. 05 - 08 Dec 2024                        Grenoble (FRA)