Milan, Italy

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Watch Ice Dance Free Dance Highlights

Spectacular performances, record-setting programs, surprising newcomers, first-time medalists, personal-best achievements and entertaining show numbers highlighted the ISU World Figure Skating Championships 2018 in Milan. Time to look back at some of the best moments that the skaters gave to the audience.

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Gabriella Papadakis/Guillaume Cizeron (FRA)

Gabriella Papadakis/Guillaume Cizeron (FRA) dominated the dance event with their inspiring performances and set three new highest scores. “With all the mastery we had from that season it really allowed us to step it up compared to other performances. I think we couldn’t have finished on a higher note. It is a beautiful victory, it’s cool. We are very proud of this third gold medal. I think this will be one of the moments for us to remember, we beat three world records – in the short, the free and overall,” Cizeron noted.

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Madison Hubbell/Zachary Donohue (USA)

After falling out of the top three in the Free Dance at the Olympic Winter Games and also at the World Championships 2017, Madison Hubbell/Zachary Donohue (USA) now won their first world medal, the silver, with strong performances. “It’s a bit overwhelming, it’s going to take a little bit of time to sink in. But I’m proud of how far we’ve come and how we handled the pressure today and skating last and we’re really excited to start the next four years,” Hubbell said.

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Kaitlyn Weaver/Andrew Poje (CAN)

Kaitlyn Weaver/Andrew Poje (CAN) returned to the World podium for the first time since 2015, winning their third World medal and it was special for them. “I don't have words for this moment. The program went by so fast and before we knew it we were climbing the podium. Sometimes you aren't sure how a program's gone but I think this was one of our best skates and to know we're still being appreciated for our skating is very gratifying,” Weaver shared. “This season has been a struggle. And there have been injuries and low places in the last couple of years but it's a great feeling to know that we went out, did two great programs and we're appreciated for them,” she added.

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Anna Cappellini/Luca Lanotte (ITA)

Home crowd faves Anna Cappellini/Luca Lanotte (ITA) came out again with beautiful dances and earned the small ISU bronze medal for the Free Dance. Their fun Charlie Chaplin exhibition number was another highlight. Milan marked possibly the end of a long and successful career for the 2014 World Champions. “This was the most fantastic moment. This is the most emotion, the most passion we have had for years. Being here (in Milan) with our friends and the crowd, everybody rooting for us, it's been wonderful for us,” Cappellini noted. “Today was probably the biggest emotion we have ever had skating. Today we gave all we had to each other. We never imagined when we were children that we would arrive so high, to get so far. And I'm so grateful to Anna who gave me the opportunity to show our skating to everyone and to share the last 12 years with her,” Lanotte said.

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Tiffani Zagorski/Jonathan Guerreiro (RUS)

Newcomers Tiffani Zagorski/Jonathan Guerreiro (RUS) competed in their first World Championships and finished eighth with personal best scores, which was the best debut Ice Dance in Milan. “We are very happy with our performance here at the World Championships. We wanted to do a clean program and we've got two clean programs and two Season's Bests. It's a good note to end the season on, especially as it's our first time at Worlds. Our whole season has been one surprise after another but we've managed to stay in shape, be psychologically strong and manage to keep it together,” Zagorski offered.

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Alisa Agafonova/Alper Ucar (TUR)

For Alisa Agafonova/Alper Ucar (TUR), on the other hand Milan was a farewell as they announced their retirement from competitive skating after eight years. “We feel really grateful because this was the last competition of our career that is why we are so emotional: we finish our career right here. It has been a long and hard way for us and for our country to get to where we are now: to get into the strongest group and to get into the top twenty in the Olympics and get this kind of ranking. We are here and we are really proud of it,” Agafonova said. She and Ucar plan to start a coaching career and Ucar wants to contribute to the development of Ice Dance as a member of the ISU Athletes’ Commission.

Watch Ice Dance Short Dance Highlights: