Canadian ice dancers Gilles, Poirier in the lead at Finlandia Trophy Grand Prix

By The Canadian Press on November 16, 2024.

Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier of Canada perform during the rhythm dance of the ice dance at the international figure skating competition Finlandia Trophy in Helsinki, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Vesa Moilanen/Lehtikuva via AP

HELSINKI – Canadian ice dancers Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier brought their beach party to the Finlandia Trophy Grand Prix and won Saturday’s rhythm dance.

This year’s world championship silver medallists scored top marks with their “Barbie and Ken at the beach” routine set to music by The Beach Boys.

Britain’s Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson ranked second and Finland’s Juulia Turkkila and Matthias Versluis third.

Toronto’s Gilles and Poirier of Unionville, Ont., will skate the free dance Sunday.

World pairs champions Deanna Stellato-Dudek and Maxime Deschamps of Montreal also led heading into Sunday’s free skate after finishing first in the short program.

Both teams were victorious at Skate Canada International in Halifax in October.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 16, 2024.