Bronze for Weaver and Poje in Taiwan
Patrick Chan’s rocky return to competition continued with a fifth place in the short program at the Four Continents figure skating championships Friday.
The 25-year-old from Toronto, who took almost 18 months off after the Sochi Olympics, scored 86.22 points, touching down a hand on the landing of his quad toe loop, and doubling a planned triple toe loop.
Waterloo’s Kaitlyn Weaver and Andrew Poje won bronze in ice dance.
Boyang Jin of China is the leader going into Saturday’s men’s long program, with 98.45 points. Shoma Uno of Japan is second with 92.99 points, while Han Yan of China is third with 89.57.
“I haven’t felt comfortable in training all week,” said Chan. “Considering that, I’m really happy with the skate, staying on my feet, playing it smart and not making major mistakes.”
The three-time world champion said he is taking a patient approach to his comeback.
“This season I want to take my time, be methodical. So far every competition it has been getting better,” he said.
Weaver and Poje scored 173.85 to finish third. It’s only the second time in two seasons the ice dancers haven’t won gold — they were in third at last year’s world championships.
“We didn’t have our strongest skate,” Weaver said. “We fought through, we didn’t let it discourage us. Most days things come together for us, but some days it doesn’t. Today was one of those. We’re still happy to go home with a bronze medal and we know we are capable of being the best.”
The Americans finished 1-2. Maia Shibutani and Alex Shibutani took the gold with 181.62 points, while Madison Chock and Evan Bates followed at 174.64.
Poje says the result fires them up for next month’s worlds in Boston.
“We are going to use this as a learning experience,” he said. “We are going to make sure we get out the little stumbles and bumps out of the program. We plan to go into Boston full of confidence and full of energy.”
Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier of Toronto were fifth and Elisabeth Paradis of Loretteville, Que., and Francois Xavier-Ouellette of Laval, Que., were sixth.