Think ice dance is predictable? You’ll think again once you watch this field at this week’s 2021 Skate Canada International. With the exception of two teams here, we’ve got a group of five to seven teams who, on a good day, are fairly closely matched. It would’ve be a total surprise to see third and seventh separated by under ten points, which can be the difference in a couple levels and extended lifts.
2021 Skate Canada International predictions
Official hashtags: #SCI21 #GPFigure
GOLD Piper Gilles/Paul Poirier CAN - With their bronze medal finish at Worlds last season, Gilles/Poirier took that next step in their journey to the very top of the ice dance world. And after six seasons where they finished consistently in sixth to eighth at Worlds and the Olympics, it was a welcomed ascent for them, as they have combined their distinct style with stronger and stronger skating that was recognized by the international panel last season. They won this event two years ago and will be favorites to grab their second career Grand Prix title.
SILVER Charlene Guignard/Marco Fabbri ITA - The one team that has the goods to challenge Gilles/Poirier this week are the Italians, who have also seen steady improvement over the past few years. They won gold at Lombardia Trophy last month with some strong scores, and they have brought back their free dance from last year, a vehicle that has been really good at showing off their strength in storytelling.
BRONZE Olivia Smart/Adrian Diaz ESP - As I noted on my IceTalk recap of Skate America, Smart/Diaz has a brilliant free dance - well choreographed, captivating, and a fresh take on a piece of music that others have used. They’ve got a chance at grabbing their first Grand Prix medal this week, and will need to be ultra precise in that rhythm dance to set them up well to bring it home with their free.
4. Lilah Fear/Lewis Gibson GBR - Another breakthrough season last year pushed them to seventh at Worlds, and much like with Gilles/Poirier, the ice dance audience have been treated to programs from them that are outside the typical box. And all the while, they have improved in their partnering and their strength in basics. They will absolutely be challenging for their first Grand Prix medal this week.
5. Caroline Green/Michael Parsons USA - With a bronze at Autumn Classic to start, Green/Parsons come into this season looking at their long game. They are likely still outside contenders for an Olympic spot, but they have all the potential to progress over the next four years. The battle of interest will be between them and Carreira/Ponomarenko, in a bit of a preview of that Nationals head-to-head that will come in January. Their free dance this season give them the space to create exquisite shapes, and it has the ability to really turn some heads.
6. Marjorie Lajoie/Zachary Lagha CAN - World junior champs in 2019, Lajoie/Lagha have unfortunately not been able to take advantage of the leadup to the Olympic season as much due to the pandemic, and while many junior-to-senior teams in the past have used that lead-up to progress, they haven’t had as much exposure as they would’ve liked. They were seventh at Finlandia Trophy earlier this month.
7. Christina Carreira/Anthony Ponomarenko USA - Coaching changes always take a bit of time to get used to, and for Carreira/Ponomarenko, they haven’t seen the kinds of scores so far this season that they have seen in the past quite yet. They were fourth at Lombardia and eighth at Finlandia with scores in the 170s, and they will need something along the 190 range to be competitive for a medal.
8. Diana Davis/Gleb Smolkin RUS - Their senior debut at US Classic was eye-opening, as they took silver with the highest scores of their career by far. It will be interesting to see them up against a more similar group of dance teams (at US Classic, they were a bit alone in skill level below Hubbell/Donohue), and what kinds of scores the comparisons will lead them to.
9. Elizaveta Shanaeva/David Naryzhnyy RUS - World junior bronze medalists two seasons ago, Shanaeva/Naryzhnyy are making their Grand Prix debut after a bronze medal to open their first senior season at Budapest Trophy.
10. Haley Sales/Nikolas Wamsteeker CAN - This will be Sales/Wamsteeker’s third Skate Canada. They finished sixth at their opening event of the season at Autumn Classic.