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The Ice Dance final could hardly have been closer with the top team bringing out their best on the ice at the ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships 2025. Piper Gilles/Paul Poirier (CAN) edged reigning World Champions Madison Chock/Evan Bates (USA) to win their second consecutive ISU Four Continents title Saturday in Seoul (KOR). 

Piper Gilles/Paul Poirier’s (CAN) golden Tango 

Canada’s ISU Four Continents Champions Piper Gilles/Paul Poirier and two-time ISU World Champions Madison Chock/Evan Bates (USA) were once again head to head and the Canadians came out on top, edging their rivals by just half a point to take their second successive ISU Four Continents title. 

Piper Gilles/Paul Poirier (CAN) are the ISU Four Continents Ice Dance Champions in Seoul, Rep. Korea © ISU

Chock/Bates skated first out of the top two and impressed with their playful dance to “Take Five”. They looked smooth and confident, completing difficult steps and beautiful lifts with amazing ease. The husband-and-wife team scored 131.72 points, just below their season’s best, and accumulated 217.93 points.

Rhythm Dance leaders Gilles/Poirier knew they had no room for error. 

And the Canadians lived up to the expectations, producing a perfect “Tango on the G String” that was highlighted by seamless footwork and innovative lifts. The ISU World silver medalists ranked second in the Free Dance with a season’s best of 131.24 points but overall remained in top spot with 218.46 points. This was Gilles/Poirier’s ninth appearance at the ISU Four Continents Championships, at which they have now won five medals.

“We're really proud of what we did today,” Gilles said. “We really took our time from the moment the music started. We felt really prepared coming into this competition. So it was kind of nice not having to force anything. We just kind of let the program come to us today.

“We didn't really feel the pressure coming into this competition. I think that's what we feel like, when we skate our best is when we don't put the pressure on ourselves. 

“We kind of just stick to the plan. We try to skate the programs that we would at home and kind of let them flow and I think we really did that at this event. 

“We had a lot of confidence. We had some great practices being here and we skated like champions and I think that's what we're really proud of.”

Victorious again: Piper Gilles/Paul Poirier (CAN) at the ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships in Seoul, Rep. Korea © ISU

Poirier looked ahead towards the upcoming ISU World Championships next month: 

“We're getting close to the end of the season, and obviously the World Championships are next,” he said. “We're really excited for those. We have a nice chunk of time now to go home, review the programs, see where we still feel like we can expand them, grow upon them, develop the character more, find, squeeze little moments out of the program. 

“So I think we're just going to do that, focus on that, really give ourselves the training that we know we need so that we can go into Worlds feeling confident.”

Gilles debuted a new golden costume that matched the color of her medal. “The structure of the other dress was just a little bit stiff and I just felt going into the second half of the season I wanted something that I was really comfortable in,” she explained.  “I'm really proud of this new dress and as you can see out there I'm not stiff at all.”

Piper Gilles/Paul Poirier (CAN): a medal to match the dress in Seoul, Rep. Korea © ISU

Chock/Bates were also very happy with what they put out on to the ice.

“We feel great. It was such a fun performance. I felt very present for every moment and I was really having a lot of fun dancing with Evan,” Chock said. 

“This is a great stepping stone for the World Championships. Our Free Dance is right where we want it to be. We're going to go home and do some technical work and just keep improving our programs and get them to their full potential by the World Championships,” she added.

Madison Chock/Evan Bates (USA): silver medalists at the ISU Four Continents Championships in Seoul, Rep. Korea © ISU

Bates was also satisfied with their Free Dance: “Definitely our best performance of this program to date,” he said. “I felt like we were dancing and not so consumed with all the technical requirements, but able to dance and enjoy the music and the atmosphere and the crowd was great. It was a really, really great experience.” 

Chock once again wore a stunning, sparkling costume which she designed herself. The 32-year-old has twice won the ISU Skating Award for the best costume. “I was inspired by the Chrysler Building,” she said.  

“Our program is kind of very jazzy. I imagine it as like a night out in New York on kind of a rainy day and we're just enjoying the Art Deco feel of New York City. Like old films and obviously the beautiful architecture in New York City, it's inspired a lot by art deco, it's just where the music took us.”

The couple boast an impressive record at the ISU Four Continents Championships: in eight appearances they have won eight medals: three gold, three silver and two bronze.

Madison Chock/Evan Bates (USA) wearing their newest ISU Four Continents medals in Seoul, Rep. Korea © ISU

Marjorie Lajoie/Zachary Lagha of Canada missed the ISU Four Continents Championships a year ago due to injury and returned to the podium in Seoul, earning the bronze medal with their captivating dance to “The Sound of Silence”. However, Lajoie briefly stumbled on the twizzles. The Canadians picked up 118.18 points for their Free Dance, and 201.04 overall, to take their second ISU Four Continents bronze medal after achieving the same result in 2023.

“We're happy to be back in this position,” Lagha said. “When you don't compete and you train, you don't have this feeling of accomplishment. I personally feel like a loser if I don't get this adrenaline thing, even though it's not pleasant to compete. 

“Nobody wants to go on stage, but at the same time you can't stay without it. So we're just happy to compete and to have this feeling of accomplishment,” he continued.

Lajoie told the post-event press conference: “Today wasn't the best performance. I think that Zach did a good job. I made a pretty big mistake and didn't feel so good.

“We came here ready and there was no excuse for that. But I'm happy about the Rhythm Dance and the whole week.”

Marjorie Lajoie/Zachary Lagha (CAN): bronze medalists following the Free Dance at the ISU Four Continents Championships in Seoul, Rep. Korea © ISU

The 2022 and 2024 ISU Four Continents bronze medalists Christina Carreira/Anthony Ponomarenko (USA) came fourth with their dramatic “Carmen Suite” interpretation (197.08 points) followed by teammates Emilea Zingas/Vadym Kolesnik (USA) on 188.55 points. Hanna Lim/Ye Quan (KOR) entertained the home crowd with their “Cruella” program and finished sixth (184.02 points).  

What and when 

The schedule of the ISU Four Continents Championships 2025 is as follows:

• Thursday, February 20: Pairs Short Program, Rhythm Dance, Men’s Short Program
• Friday, February 21: Pairs Free Skating & Women’s Short Program  
• Saturday, February 22: Free Dance & Men’s Free Skating
• Sunday, February 23: Women’s Free Skating & Exhibition Gala

For more information, full entry lists and results, visit the ISU event page of the ISU Four Continents Championships 2025 and the official event website of the Championships. Follow the discussion on social media using #4ContsFigure and #FigureSkating.

Where to watch the ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships 2025:

The ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships will be live streamed on the Skating ISU YouTube Channel. Geo-restrictions will apply in markets where TV rights are in place. You will find the full list in the Where to Watch news here.

Subscribe to the Skating ISU YouTube Channel to receive alerts when the live streams start and when new videos are posted. 

Stay connected with the ISU:  

ISU website:                 ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships 2025 

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