Il Nuovo Postiglione - Canadians Gilles and Poirier lead ice dance at Four Continents

The pair scored 85.49 in the rhythm dance to put them more than three points ahead of their compatriots Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Nikolaj Soerensen.

Gilles, clothed in iridescent green and purple, and sporting neon lightning bolt earrings to comply with an 80s theme, said afterwards that they had now really settled into their routine.

"The performance quality of everything that we're doing is just another level -- and I think (we're) just not holding back, remembering who we are," she said.

"We've been really trying to remember that we are champions."

The two-time world bronze medallists missed Four Continents last year after Gilles was diagnosed with ovarian cancer and had precautionary surgery.

They are the favourites to win the ice dance this year after world champions Madison Chock and Evan Bates dropped out of the competition at the last minute.

Their closest rivals Fournier Beaudry and Soerensen interpreted the 80s theme through the film "Top Gun", skating to the soundtrack and dressing in character -- right down to Fournier Beaudry's perm.

The pair, who are a couple off the ice, withdrew from the Canadian national championships last month after Soerensen confirmed reports he is under investigation by Canada's Office of the Sport Integrity Commissioner for alleged sexual assault.

Soerensen said in a social media post at the time that the allegations were false, but that his presence at the national competition would be "distracting".

The United States' Christina Carreira and Anthony Ponomarenko are in third place going into Sunday's free dance.

Q.Bernardi--INP