Canadian figure skaters Evelyn Walsh, Trennt Michaud earn Four Continents bronze

Canada's Evelyn Walsh and Trennt Michaud earned their first international figure skating medal on Saturday, delivering a bronze performance at the Four Continents competition in Tallinn, Estonia.

Audrey Lu and Misha Mitrofnaov became the first American pair to win Four Continents gold since 2018 after recovering from Lu's early fall on a triple toeloop to post 120.75 in the free skate for a total of 189.10. Teammates Emily Chan and Spencer Akira Howe collected silver (180.94) while Walsh and Michaud scored 179.70, an international best for the Canadians.

The Canadians were second after the short program and coming off a silver performance earlier this month at nationals.

"We are disappointed in our free skate," said Walsh of London, Ont. "We made some costly errors today that going forward we know we can't make."

"It was a very good week," said Michaud, who hails from Trenton, Ont. "We were feeling very confident after nationals and had a great short program here. We had a lot of good things in the free skate today we just made one or two errors we don't usually make."

WATCH | Canada's Walsh, Michaud capture bronze at Four Continents:

Evelyn Walsh, Trennt Michaud win bronze in Four Continents pairs free program

5 months ago

Duration 9:36

Canadian duo Evelyn Walsh and Trennt Michaud finished 3rd in the pairs free program during the ISU Four Continents competition from Tondiraba Ice Hall in Tallinn, Estonia.

Deanna Stellato and Maxime Deschamps of Vaudreuil-Dorion, Que., were fourth (172.71) and Lori-Ann Matte and Thierry Ferland of Lévis, Que., sixth (163.60).

Mai Mihara won her second career Four Continents women's title on Saturday in a strong recovery from missing out on the Japanese team for the Winter Olympics.

Japanese dominance

Mihara was near-flawless in Saturday's free skate with a program packed with triple jumps until she ran out of momentum on her final combination spin. It was still more than enough to keep her lead from the short program.

Mihara scored a total 218.03 points to win a second Four Continents title after claiming the gold in 2017. Japanese skaters have won the women's gold at the last six editions of the event, which brings together leading skaters from outside Europe.

Mihara placed fourth at Japanese nationals, when the top three were selected for the Olympic team.

South Korean skaters claimed the silver and bronze, with Lee Hae-in scoring 213.52 and Kim Ye-lim on 209.91.

WATCH | Replay of Saturday's women's free skate:

Four Continents women's free program

5 months ago

Duration 3:54:43

Watch the ISU Four Continents women's free program from Tondiraba Ice Hall in Tallinn, Estonia.

Gabrielle Daleman of Newmarket, Ont., was top Canadian in 10th (172.98) followed by Alison Schumacher of Tecumseh, Ont., in 11th (168.42) and Véronik Mallet of Sept-Îles, Que., (151.87) 13th.

"I managed to do a decent long [program]," said Daleman. '"Again there were mistakes but I managed to bounce back and I fought through the program and recovered."

The risk of catching the coronavirus ahead of the Winter Olympics has meant many of the top U.S., Canadian and Japanese skaters have opted to skip Four Continents, which was relocated to be held in Europe for the first time amid the pandemic.

Competition ends Sunday with the men's free skate.