Canadian pairs nears podium at ISU Junior Grand Prix

TORUN, Poland – Bryn Hoffman and Bryce Chudak of Calgary came within five points of the podium in pairs competition on Friday at the fifth stop on the ISU Junior Grand Prix figure skating circuit.

Russians swept the podium. Ekaterina Borisova and Dmitry Sopot took the gold with 158.82 points, Amina Atakhanova and Ilia Spiridonov second at 149.52 and Anastasia Gubanova and Alexei Sintsov were third at 147.03.

Hoffman and Chudak reached major goals for this season surpassing 50 points for Thursday’s short program, 90 for the free skate and 140 points overall – all personal bests. They finished at 142.33. They were also fourth earlier this season at the third stop in Colorado Springs.

“We improved at all levels in our skating today,” said Hoffman. “We were much more together and we repeated what we had been doing in practice. It’s really encouraging for us to reach those point levels this early in the season. Our next big objective is to win a medal at nationals.”

Hope McLean of Newbury, Ont., and Trennt Michaud of Strathroy, Ont., took sixth spot in their international debut.

Melinda Meng and Andrew Meng of Montreal are in the medal hunt in ice dancing standing fifth less than a point from third place. Payten Howland and Simon-Pierre Malette-Paquette of Montreal are sixth, just three points from third. Both couples set personal bests at 57.61 and 54.15.

In men’s competition, Roman Sadovsky of Vaughan, Ont., is second after Thursday’s short program. Sadovsky won gold last month at the season opening stop in Slovakia.

Competition ends Saturday with the men’s free skate and the free dance. Canada is not entered in women’s singles.

Full results: http://www.isuresults.com/results/season1516/jgppol2015/index.htm