After winning world championship silver last March, Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier got a jump-start on their preparation for the following season.
So far, it’s paying off for Canada’s top ice dancers.
Gilles and Poirier scored 214.84 total points in their first event of the season to win a fifth straight gold medal at Skate Canada International on Sunday.
“It made a lot of difference just in our confidence,” Gilles said. “It’s really tricky to be able to come to this event and have it be your first competition.
“There’s a lot of nerves, but we didn’t really have them this week.”
The two 32-year-olds have been deciding their future one year at a time since competing at the 2022 Olympics. This season, they’re back with a commitment through the 2026 Games — and a feeling that they still have a lot left to give.
WATCH | Gilles, Poirier skate to gold:
Canada’s Piper Gilles and Paul …