Canada's Gilles, Poirier skate to lead in ice dance at Grand Prix Final

Canada's Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier are the leaders after the rhythm dance at figure skating's ISU Grand Prix Final.

The 30-year-old Gilles, and Poirier, 31, scored 85.93 points Friday for the program to Lady Bri's "Do What I Do." They take a slim edge over Americans Madison Chock and Evan Bates (85.49) into Saturday's free dance.

Italy's Charlene Guignard and Marco Fabbri are third (84.55), while Canadians Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Nikolaj Soerensen are fourth.

Gilles and Poirier, the world bronze medallists in 2021, have never climbed the podium at the Final, finishing fifth in 2014 and '19.

WATCH | Full coverage of the rhythm dance:

The Final was cancelled in 2020 and '21 due to COVID-19.

Canadians Deanna Stellato-Dudek and Maxime Deschamps were fourth in the pairs event, with 184.28 points.

Earlier this season, the 39-year-old Stellato-Dudek became the oldest skater to ever win a Grand Prix event.

Japan's Miura Riku and Kihara Ryuichi claimed the gold (214.58), while Americans Alexa Knierim and Brandon Frazier were second (213.28), and Sara Conti and Niccolo Macii of Italy took the bronze (187.02).

Canada has no skaters competing in men's or women's singles at the Final, which features the top six skaters or teams on the season's Grand Prix circuit.

WATCH | Riku, Ryuichi claim pairs gold: