Figure Skating – RIGA, Latvia – Natalie D’Alessandro and Bruce Waddell of Toronto missed a bronze medal by only 0.67 points on Saturday to place fourth in ice dancing at the third stop on the ISU Junior Grand Prix figure skating circuit.
Elizaveta Khudaiberdieva and Andrey Filatov of Russia won the gold with 165.59 edging Maria Kazakova and Georgy Reviya of Georgia in second at 165.26. Sofya Tyutyunina and Alexander Shustitskiy of Russia overtook the Canadians for third spot at 152.79.
D’Alessandro and Waddell were third after the rhythm dance on Friday and set personal bests for the rhythm, free dance and overall score at 152.12.
Isabel McQuilkin and Jacob Portz of Calgary were 11th.
In men’s competition, Joseph Phan of Laval, Que., was third after the short program but struggled in his free skate earning the eighth best score to finish sixth overall at 189.72. Andrei Mozalev of Russia won the gold medal with 223.72.
Phan, 18, started his free skate to Beethoven’s fifth piano concerto landing a quad-double toe loop combo but fell on his following triple Axel. He never seemed to recover from that mistake.
The fourth stop on the circuit is this Thursday to Saturday in Cheliabinsk, Russia. Also next week is the Autumn Classic International in Oakville, Ont.
Full results: ISU JGP Riga Cup 2019