SASKATOON, Saskatchewan — Mone Chiba of Japan delivered a breathtaking performance to clinch the Skate Canada title on Saturday night, edging out American prodigy Isabeau Levito in a thrilling showdown. Chiba, a 20-year-old world bronze medalist, showcased her technical prowess and artistry with a near-perfect free skate set to the traditional Hungarian folk tune “Csárdás,” earning a season-best score of 217.23 points. This victory marked her first Grand Prix gold after finishing as the runner-up in both of her assignments last year. Levito, the 18-year-old reigning world silver medalist, had set the stage with a flawless free skate to the soundtrack of “Cinema Paradiso,” scoring 209.77 points. Despite her valiant effort, she had to settle for silver. Ami Nakai of Japan secured third place with 203.09 points. In the pairs competition, Canadian duo Deanna Stellato-Dudek and Maxime Deschamps thrilled the home crowd at SaskTel Centre by claiming their third consecutive Skate Canada gold with a score of 213.40 points, narrowly defeating German pair Minerva Fabienne Hase and Nikita Volodin, who scored 207.18. The men’s and ice dance events are set to conclude on Sunday, with two-time reigning world champion Ilia Malinin leading the men’s short program with a commanding score of 104.84. The competition for the final U.S. Olympic spot remains fierce, with Levito and Bradie Tennell vying for the coveted position.
Japan’s Mone Chiba wins Skate Canada, holding off Olympic hopeful Isabeau Levito of the U.S.
