Canada's Gilles, Poirier finish 5th in ice dance event at figure skating worlds

Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier of Toronto placed fifth in ice dancing Saturday to conclude the ISU World Figure Skating Championships in Montpellier, France.

Olympic champions Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron of France took the gold with 229.82 points. Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue of the U.S. were second at 222.39 and their compatriots Madison Chock and Evan Bates third at 216.83.

The top five remained unchanged after Friday's rhythm dance as Gilles and Poirier totalled 202.70.

''It was especially satisfying to end the season with a skate on our terms,'' said Poirier. ''The Olympic free dance didn't go the way we wanted for us. It was important do the last performance of the season the way we know we can do it.''

WATCH l Canadians Gilles and Poirier take 5th spot at figure skating worlds:

Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Nikolaj Sorensen, of Montreal, were ninth and Marjorie Lajoie, of Boucherville, Que., and Zachary Lagha, of St-Hubert, Que., placed 11th.

Sorensen injured his back in training earlier in the week and it came back to haunt him near the end of the free dance.

''We started out well,'' said Sorensen. ''All the things we'd been working on since the Olympics worked out great. But two thirds of the way in I couldn't really find my legs, so I had trouble at the end. It's unfortunate but it happens.''

WATCH l France's Papadakis and Cizeron follow up Olympic gold with world title:

Lajoie and Lagha were 14th at the worlds last year and 13th at the Olympics.

''The most difficult thing was to keep the motivation after a disappointing rhythm dance,'' said Lagha. ''We've always been a strong team mentally and I think we showed that tonight.''

Canada ends the competition with one bronze medal won by Vanessa