Canadians Weaver, Poje sit fourth after ice dance at world championships

Canadians Kaitlyn Weaver and Andrew Poje have dominated the top of the ice dance medal podium for the past two seasons. The one title they’re missing is a world championship gold.

But the two-time Canadian champions find themselves with considerable ground to make up after finishing fourth in the short dance at the world championships Wednesday.

“I think that we skated very well today,’’ Weaver said, visibly disappointed. “I think it was one of our strongest short dances to date. Where the disconnect was between that and our score, I’m not sure. But that’s not what we can control.

“We were selling everything we’ve got, and that’s what we’re going to do (Thursday) as well.’’

Defending champions Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron of France were first with 76.29 points. Maia and Alex Shibutani were second with 74.70 points, with fellow Americans Madison Chock and Evan Bates third at 72.46.

Piper Gilles of Toronto and Paul Poirier of Unionville, Ont., were fifth at 70.70.

Weaver, from Toronto, and Poje, from Waterloo, Ont., won world silver in a depleted field in 2014, and then bronze last season.

They’ve won all but two events over the past two seasons, including the Grand Prix Final in December.

Wednesday, their romantic waltz to music by Johann Strauss _ with Poje wearing a smart cummerbund and tails, and Weaver in an elegant beaded cream dress _ was a crowd pleaser at TD Garden, normally home to the Boston Celtics and Bruins. But the judges weren’t quite as impressed, downgrading the Canadians on a couple of elements. They scored 71.83 points.

Poje said they had no explanation for the scores, saying “We’re on to the next thing.’’

Before their skate, the 29-yearold Poje was spotted rubbing his back. It was tight, he explained, due to a nasty spill in a warmup earlier Wednesday. They insisted the fall had nothing to do with their performance.