Champs ice dancers medal in international debut

The dance duo of Miku Makita and Tyler Gunara took their first international assignment and found a bronze lining.

The skaters finished third at the Egna Dance Trophy competition in Italy earlier this month.

It was the first time the pair – who train at the Burnaby-based Champs International Skating Academy of B.C. – had represented Canada abroad. And while they briefly held second place, and were disappointed to slide away from silver, the overall experience was a promising debut.

“It wasn’t one of our greatest performances,” Gunara, who calls Burnaby home, said. “But we still learned a lot about ourselves for next season. Still, to win a medal at our first international event felt pretty good.”

They sat second overall after two pattern dances, but were edged out for silver by Ontario’s Nadiia Bashynska and Peter Beaumont, after the free dance.

“We are happy with the medal but disappointed in our skating,” noted 14-year-old Makita. “Our free dance didn’t go as planned and I think we learned some valuable lessons.”

In January, Makita and Gunara placed second at the Canadian Tire national championships’ novice competition.