Gabrielle Daleman is vying for a podium finish at the Four Continents Championships in Beijing. The Canadian figure skater, a two-time Olympian hailing from Newmarket, Ont., delivered an impressive short program, landing three triple jumps and earning a score of 67.69 points. This places her in fourth position going into the free skate on Friday. The top three spots are currently held by Japanese skaters, with Ami Nakai leading the field with 73.83 points, followed by Yuna Aoki (71.41) and Mone Chiba (68.07), all set to compete in the upcoming Milan-Cortina Olympics.
Daleman, who has been absent from international competitions due to a back injury and two ankle surgeries, made her return this season with ambitions of being the first Canadian woman to participate in three Olympic Games in singles. However, Madeline Schizas secured Canada’s sole spot for the Milan-Cortina Winter Games by winning the national title at the Canadian championships. Notably, several Olympic-bound skaters, including Schizas, opted out of the Four Continents event due to its proximity to the Games.
In other events, Alicia Fabbri and Paul Ayer, two-time national ice dance bronze medallists, are currently in fourth place following the rhythm dance. They are among the contenders aiming to fine-tune their performances before the upcoming Winter Games. Olympic ice dancers Emilea Zingas and Vadym Kolesnik led an American sweep, with Zingas and Kolesnik scoring 79.97 points to secure the top spot.
At the Four Continents Championships, Kelly Ann Laurin and Loucas Ethier, the three-time reigning Canadian pairs bronze medallists, landed in fifth place after their short program. Meanwhile, Alisa Efimova and Misha Mitrofanov, the two-time reigning U.S. champions, are currently in third place after the short program. Despite their strong performance, Efimova’s bid to compete in Milan was hindered by citizenship issues.
The competition in Beijing will continue with the free dance and women’s free skate on Friday, followed by the men’s short program and pairs free skate on Saturday. The event will conclude on Sunday with the men’s free skate. Sui Wenjing and Han Cong from China, the reigning Olympic pairs champions, are currently leading after the short program at the Four Continents Championships.
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