Canadian ice dance stars Gilles and Poirier on a beat before Skate Canada Worldwide

Piper Gilles says she and Paul Poirier will skate until they run out of gas.

Right now, the tank is full for Canada's best ice dancers.

“We're going to keep skating until we feel like we have nothing left to give,” Gilles said. “I feel like we still have a lot of momentum, motivation and unfinished business.”

Gilles and Poirier open their figure skating season this weekend at their ninth Skate Canada Worldwide. They are also aiming for a fifth consecutive title at the Scotiabank Center in Halifax.

The two 32-year-olds return to competition for the first time since winning silver at the world championships in Montreal, where they also achieved the highest score in free dance.

After that performance, Gilles and Poirier, who were considering retiring after the 2022 Olympic cycle, returned for one more season with the commitment to compete until the 2026 Games in Milan-Cortina.

SEE | CBC Sports previews Skate Canada Worldwide from Halifax:

They began exchanging musical concepts and working on choreography earlier than usual during the offseason. And although Gilles was simultaneously planning their wedding in early October, they are feeling the positive effects of that preparation heading into the season.

“We feel very confident coming to this event,” said Poirier, dressed in yellow like “Ken” to Gilles’ pink “Barbie” after practicing his Seaside Boys-themed rhythm dance on Thursday.

“We really feel in our groove and in our element and on top of what we're doing, and that's a really nice way to feel.”

It's a feeling they don't take for granted.

Gilles and Poirier ready for the next chapter

Poirier remembers the low moments when his seasons were interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic and a personal illness after Gilles' ovarian cancer diagnosis during the 2022-23 campaign. She had an ovary and appendix removed after discovering a tumor, which later tests showed was cancerous.

“I feel like all that is behind us now,” Poirier said. “We've had a nice year, I don't want to say promedio, but a nice year in which we really live, train and do the things we want to do. “It’s been really liberating to be able to skate like that for the last few months.”

They will estreno their show Seaside Boys under this season's 50s, 60s and 70s rhythmic dance theme, with the goal of capturing “that American dream of the time, that perfect life in California,” Poirier said.

“Who knew we were going to do Seaside Boys? “I never predicted it,” Gilles added. “Our skating career has been so unpredictable, for us and our fans, and I think we have never stopped growing. That's what's been so surprising about our career. It's been so fun and unexpected, and for us too in so many ways. “.

For Sunday's free dance, they will skate to Annie Lennox's version of “A Whiter Shade of Pale.”

Canadians Marjorie Lajoie and Zachary Lagha are Gilles and Poirier's biggest rivals this weekend, and two-time defending world champions Madison Chock and Evan Bates of the USA will not be competing at Skate Canada.

Lajoie and Lagha are also making their season estreno after withdrawing from two Challenger events due to Lajoie's concussion, the second after the duo withdrew from nationals in January.

Keep improving

The 2019 junior world champions, who placed fifth at the World Cup in Montreal, said the fact that Gilles and Poirier return and improve year after year is a source of motivation.

“It's inspiring to see that you can have a long career. “They still look fit and are capable of doing everything,” Lajoie said. “I think it's inspiring, not only for us, but for all skaters.”

“It also gives you a goal,” Lagha added. “It's not like they retire at 30 and then it's your turn. No, because they stay, you also have the opportunity to compete against them and everything.”

For now, however, Gilles and Poirier continue to improve.

“Last year, they had a very strong season and a great finish to the season, and there is still more to give and develop,” said Skate Canada high performance director Mike Slipchuk. “They are knocking on the door. I know their goal is to be world champions and they continue to improve.”

Gilles and Poirier also have their sights set on winning medals at the Olympics and say they have already started planning their programs for Milan.

In the meantime, they're focused on capturing more {hardware} at Skate Canada.

“Yes, the goal is to win world cups. Yes, it's getting Olympic medals, being on top of the podium, all that kind of stuff,” Gilles said. “But I think we thrive if we are confident in the moment, taking one thing at a time.

“We're not going to be here much longer, are we? So I think just sitting here and living these moments, taking them in, helps us be more present and confident in our ability.”

Skate Canada begins Friday night with the pairs and women's short programs. Rhythm dance and men's short will take place on Saturday afternoon, followed by couples and free women's programs in the evening. The competition concludes on Sunday afternoon with the men's free program and free dance.

The Grand Prix, the most important series in figure skating, consists of six events and a final. This year's circuit kicked off at Skate America last week.