Canada's Stellato-Dudek, Deschamps sit 2nd in pairs at Grand Prix Final

Canada's Deanna Stellato-Dudek and Maxime Deschamps began competition at the figure skating Grand Prix Final with a strong performance on Thursday in Beijing.

The duo sits second after the pairs short program with 71.22 points, trailing only Germany's Minerva Fabienne Hase and Nikita Volodin at 72.56.

WATCH | Stellato-Dudek, Deschamps 2nd after short program:

Stellato-Dudek, the 40-year-old who lives in Brossard, Que., and Deschamps, the 32-year-old from Vaudreuil-Dorion, Que., won each of their stops during the Grand Prix season to qualify for the Final in China.

The Canadians are skating their short program this season to the song Oxygène by France's Jean-Michel Jarre.

Canada's Lia Pereira and Trennt Michaud (61.78) are sixth of six pairs entries.

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With no Canadians competing in the men's competition, American Ilia Malinin, known as "the Quad God," is in the lead with 106.9 points after Thursday's short program competition.

Japan's Shoma Uno, the two-time reigning world champion, is just behind at 106.02, while Yuma Kagiyama is third with 103.72 points.

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Canada also boasts three teams in the ice dance competition, including defending title-holders Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier.

CBC Sports is live-streaming every skate at the Final, continuing with the pairs free program on Friday at 3:45 a.m. ET. See the full schedule here.