The rankings remained unchanged in ice dancing at the ISU Figure Skating Grand Prix Final on Saturday in Beijing. At the end of the free dance, the Quebec duets of Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Nikolaj Soerensen (195.57) and that of Marjorie Lajoie and Zachary Lagha (193.63) finished in fifth and sixth place, respectively.
Their compatriots Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier totaled 213.58 points and were bronze medalists at the end of the competition.
Provisionally in the lead at the end of the rhythm dance, Americans Madison Chock and Evan Bates won gold with a cumulative score of 221.61, while Italians Charlene Guignard and Marco Fabbri finished second with 215.51 points.
“There are times it’s harder than others. I had a lot of difficulty adjusting to the schedule, I didn’t sleep well and fatigue caught up with me,” Soerensen said, referring to the time difference. He also mentioned not feeling at his best after Friday’s rhythm dance.
“We have made small changes since the Grand Prix in Finland. […] We had an excellent preparation for this Grand Prix final and it didn’t turn out the way we wanted, but that’s part of the game,” he added.
The duo he formed with Laurence Fournier Beaudry won two Grand Prix silver medals this fall, in France and Finland.
“We are taking this as a dress rehearsal for the Four Continents Championships which will also be in China [at the end of January]. The World Championships will be at home [in Montreal], so we won’t have any time difference problems,” Fournier Beaudry emphasized with a laugh.
Marjorie Lajoie and Zachary Lagua, also double silver medalists this season, were making their first appearance in the Grand Prix Final.
“It was much better than yesterday [Friday], even if yesterday was not a disaster. Today we gave what we had, so it’s a nice way to end,” said Lajoie.
Figure skaters will enjoy a week off before returning to training in preparation for the Canadian Championships scheduled for Calgary, January 8-14.
