Stellato-Dudek and Deschamps crowned | Magic on ice

A 32-year-old Quebecer, struggling with ADHD throughout his life, who thought about retirement before finding the ideal partner at 10^e essay.

A 40-year-old American, who didn’t touch the ice for 16 years, before dusting off her old pair of skates to rekindle Olympic ambitions that she thought were buried forever.

Worlds resurrected four years after their catastrophic cancellation at the dawn of a pandemic of which no one suspected the scale.

Maxime Deschamps and Deanna Stellato-Dudek put the finishing touches to what it is no exaggeration to call a fairy tale, winning the gold medal at the World Figure Skating Championships in Montreal on Thursday evening.

There were only 5,372 spectators to witness this triumph in the immense enclosure of the Bell Center, but they will never forget this event.

“I am very happy with our performance this evening,” Stellato said on the microphone, in French, after the confirmation of their victory ahead of the Japanese Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara, who narrowly won the free program.

“I feel a little sick, it’s been very difficult,” revealed the Chicago native, still in Tremblay’s language, she who hasn’t missed a single day of her lessons on the application Duolingo since its installation in Quebec in the summer of 2019.

“It makes me even happier,” continued, in English, the permanent resident who is still waiting for her Canadian passport.

The emotion then overcame her, like a little earlier on the ice. Deschamps took over: “Skating at the World Championships, here in Montreal, is really special. In front of you, family and friends, the fans. It’s still difficult to put into words what we’re going through right now, but thank you very much. »

Worry

Stellato and Deschamps had given themselves a lead of almost four points by winning the short program the day before. Ultimately, this cushion was decisive in obtaining the gold medal. The Canadian duo had a complicated warm-up, especially Deschamps who fell on a triple jump.

The start of the choreography also caused a bit of worry. After a synchronization problem on the triple toe loop at the opening of the sequence, Stellato missed his double axel at the end. The Bell Center shook, but the local favorites held on until the end of the four-minute performance delivered to the music of‘Interview with the Vampire.

” We did it ! “, Deschamps blurted out to his “warrior”, as upset as he was out of breath. “ Oh my God ! », Reacted the one who had suffered from violent abdominal cramps during the day.

The announcement of the score – 144.08, a personal best – plunged the two skaters, coach Josée Picard and choreographer Julie Marcotte, into euphoria. The “kiss and cry” zone was aptly named.

Last to start, Miura and Kihara had a lot to do to close the gap with the provisional leaders. The title holders, however, put up a fierce fight. A triple salchow turned into a double from Miura, on a side-by-side jump, was their only significant hiccup. It cost them a chance to fight for gold. Their score of 144.35 earned them first place in the free skate, but left them short overall (221.56 to 217.88).

“I told you that Deanna and Maxime led by two goals after two periods,” recalled Bruno Marcotte, the Quebec coach of the Japanese and brother of Julie, who was also their choreographer. “We scored a goal, but the other was refused! »

Dizzy and hyperventilating, Ryuichi Kihara had to lie down on a stretcher after the competition. Much to his dismay, he was unable to make it to the medal ceremony. In their first year together, young Germans Minerva Fabienne Hase and Nikita Volodin (a Russian of origin) moved up a level to take bronze.

Happy reunion

This world gold medal is the first won by Canadians since the double of Meagan Duhamel and Eric Radford in 2015 and 2016. These native Ontarians have represented Quebec for around fifteen years.

Deschamps is the third native of Quebec to win this event. In 1993, Isabelle Brasseur was the first to become world champion, alongside Lloyd Eisler. Olympic gold medalist David Pelletier also achieved the feat with Jamie Salé in 2001 in Vancouver.

Ironically, it was Meagan Duhamel, Bruno Marcotte’s wife, who brought Deschamps and Stellato together. The former junior world vice-champion in singles was looking for a new partner after an injury suffered by the first partner with whom she skated upon her return.

“We have two very different stories,” recalled Deschamps, turning to Stellato, the oldest world skating champion of all time, at the press conference table.

At the conclusion of the press briefing, Deschamps issued a special request for Sunday’s closing gala: permission to carry the Canadian’s torch that he saw near the team’s locker room during a previous visit.

“Perhaps it will bring us luck to win a 25^e Stanley Cup…”