The winners of the 2023-2024 ISU Grand Prix series in figure skating in Canada and China, the Canadian champions of the 2022/23 season, Deanna Stellato-Dudek and Maxime Deschamps, took third place at the Grand Prix final in Beijing, scoring 204.30 points.
In an interview after their free skate, the athletes shared their thoughts on their performance at the tournament, discussed the expectations they set for themselves, how they cope with the burden of expectations, their anticipation for the World Championships in their hometown, and also offered skincare tips.
Deanna:
We know we fell short of expectations this time. We were the top team by 10 points, so this result is definitely below what we had hoped for. However, we still managed to score competitively with some mistakes on almost all the big elements. If we can clean up our performance, we know we can achieve even higher scores than we did at the State Canada.
Maxime:
After the Cup of China, we returned home and worked on various aspects of our performance. Although we faced some challenges this time, we are still proud of what we accomplished and the improvements we made this week. We have been working on a lot of things that we aimed to improve.
Deanna:
I was joking that this is just not my event because it didn’t go well for me either last year in the final.
Well, last year you were fourth, and now you are third…
Deanna:
Yes, exactly. We are gradually moving up.
Maxime:
Little by little.
You mentioned expectations. What about your expectations?
Deanna:
My standards are higher than anyone could possibly imagine (laughs). I’m probably a bad example in that regard. Maxime is more grounded in his expectations. Otherwise, why would I still be doing this at this age?
Maxime:
Indeed, it’s a long process leading up to the Worlds, so we set small objectives along the way. We focus on working on those little details between each competition, as they can make a significant difference at the end of the year.
This year, the Worlds will be held in Canada, and even in your hometown, if I’m not mistaken.
Deanna:
Yes.
How special is that for you?
Maxime:
Oh, it’s almost like having a mini-Olympics. To be competing at home in the biggest competition, other than the Olympics, is going to be amazing. We’ll have the support of friends, family, and all the kids I’ve been coaching. It’s going to be great.
Deanna:
Some of the girls we train with will be flower girls there – those who pick up the toys and flowers. It will be cute.
Now that the pressure is even higher, how do you deal with it?
Maxime:
We have to put the pressure aside because, at the end of the day, we compete because we love skating and want to have fun. Of course, we strive to improve, but our primary focus is on ourselves.
Deanna:
Yes, it’s a new experience for us this year. Except for the Senior B, the Challenger, our first event, everyone is expecting us to win, and now that’s the new reality. So, everything is a learning experience. Hopefully, we can take this with us and continue to improve.
Switching gears a bit, your profile mentions that skincare is your hobby.
Deanna:
Yes.
Could you share your top tips for achieving perfect skin?
Deanna:
Oh my god, that’s a great question. Okay. Sunscreen is number one, but never sleep with it. If you have a nighttime moisturizer with SPF, don’t use it at night. Most people don’t know that; it’s only for daytime use. In the morning, start with a vitamin C serum, followed by a hydrating serum, and then apply sunscreen.
At night, gently exfoliate with retinol or an acid, then hydrate your skin and use a thicker cream.
Liudmila Orlova, Beijing