World champions Stellato-Dudek, Deschamps skate to 3rd straight pairs national title [Video]

Reigning world champions Deanna Stellato-Dudek and Maxime Deschamps won their third consecutive Canadian pairs figure skating title on Saturday despite a shaky free skate, by their standards.

Stellato-Dudek and Deschamp’s free program score of 130.75 — which included a fall on the throw triple loop — was second-best behind Lia Pereira and Trennt Michaud’s 134.53.

Their five-point cushion after Friday’s short was just enough to secure gold (207.06), but Stellato-Dudek answered with a definitive “no” when asked if they could enjoy another victory in Canada.

“I’ve done clean run-throughs since Max has been back [from an illness],” she said. “I don’t really know what’s happening this year, if I’m being totally honest. I don’t know how many more clean run-throughs I have to do at home to do it in competition.”

Pereira and Michaud won silver (204.96) while Kelly Ann Laurin and Loucas Ethier took bronze (187.29), matching the order …