History of Piper Gilles in Timeline

Piper Gilles is a prominent American-Canadian ice dancer renowned for her achievements representing Canada alongside partner Paul Poirier. Together, they've secured four World medals, two Four Continents titles (2024-25), the 2022-23 Grand Prix Final championship, eight Grand Prix gold medals, and five Canadian national titles. Gilles and Poirier have also represented Canada at the 2018 and 2022 Winter Olympics, marking a significant presence on the international figure skating stage.

Sections (5)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles

January 16, 1992: Piper Gilles Born

On January 16, 1992, Piper Gilles was born. She is an American-Canadian ice dancer.

Others born on this day/year

1992: Emily Brontë's Wuthering Heights Film Adaptation

In 2023, Gilles and Poirier chose Ryuichi Sakamoto's score for the 1992 film adaptation of Emily Brontë's Wuthering Heights for their free dance for the season.

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1994: Began Skating

In 1994, Piper Gilles began learning to skate.

January 2003: Teamed up with Timothy McKernan

In January 2003, Gilles teamed up with Timothy McKernan after skating with him earlier on a temporary basis.

2004: Bronze Medal at Juvenile Level

In 2004, Piper Gilles and Timothy McKernan, competing on the juvenile level, won the bronze medal.

2005: Intermediate Dance Champions

In 2005, Piper Gilles and Timothy McKernan became the intermediate dance champions.

2007: Junior Pewter Medal at U.S. Championships

In 2007, Piper Gilles and Timothy McKernan won the junior pewter medal at the U.S. Championships.

May 22, 2008: End of Partnership with Timothy McKernan

On May 22, 2008, Piper Gilles and Timothy McKernan announced the end of their partnership, due to Gilles having outgrown McKernan.

2008: Teams up with Zachary Donohue

In the summer of 2008, Gilles teamed up with Zachary Donohue and they made their international debut at the 2008-2009 ISU Junior Grand Prix event in Ostrava, Czech Republic, which they won.

2009: Bronze Medal at U.S. Championships

In 2009, Piper Gilles and Zachary Donohue won the bronze medal on the junior level at the U.S. Championships.

May 2010: Split with Zachary Donohue

In May 2010, Piper Gilles and Zachary Donohue announced that their partnership had ended.

July 27, 2011: Teamed Up with Paul Poirier

On July 27, 2011, Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier confirmed they had teamed up to represent Canada.

September 2012: Gold at U.S. Classic

In September 2012, Gilles and Poirier won gold at the U.S. Classic.

2012: Bronze Medal at Canadian Championships

In 2012, Gilles and Poirier won the bronze medal at the Canadian Championships, but were ineligible for international competition that season.

May 2013: Poirier's Ankle Injury

In May 2013, Poirier sustained a serious ankle injury, which delayed the duo's preparation for the upcoming season.

December 2013: Gilles Becomes Canadian Citizen

In December 2013, Gilles became a Canadian citizen, making her and Poirier eligible to participate in the Olympics.

December 17, 2013: Piper Gilles Becomes a Canadian Citizen

On December 17, 2013, Piper Gilles became a Canadian citizen.

2013: Fifth at Four Continents Championships

In 2013, Gilles and Poirier finished fifth at the Four Continents Championships, winning a small bronze medal in the free dance.

2014: Bronze Medal at Four Continents Championships

At the 2014 Four Continents Championships, Gilles and Poirier won the bronze medal overall.

2014: Fifth Overall at Grand Prix Final

In 2014, Gilles and Poirier placed fifth overall at the Grand Prix Final.

2014: Silver Medals at Grand Prix Events

In 2014, Gilles and Poirier won silver at both of their Grand Prix events, the 2014 Skate Canada International and 2014 Trophée Éric Bompard.

2014: Fourth at Canadian Championships

In 2014, due to Poirier's injury, Gilles and Poirier finished fourth at the Canadian Championships and were not selected for the Canadian Olympic team.

2014: Stuck between sixth and eighth

In 2021, Poirier remarked that it had "been a very long time for us; we were kind of stuck between sixth and eighth for a very long time, essentially since 2014, so I think just the pent-up frustration of so many years, being able to accomplish this just feels like such a nice relief."

November 2015: Cancellation of 2015 Trophée Éric Bompard

In November 2015, the Trophée Éric Bompard was cancelled after the November 2015 Paris attacks. The short program results were considered the final results.

2015: Sixth at World Championships

In 2015, Gilles and Poirier capped off their season with a sixth-place finish at the World Championships.

2015: Win at Ondrej Nepela Trophy

In 2015, Gilles and Poirier opened their season with a win at the 2015 Ondrej Nepela Trophy.

2016: Remembering 2016 World Championships

During the 2025 World Championships in Boston, Poirier recalled their memorable short program performance at the 2016 World Championships held at the same venue.

2016: Fifth at Four Continents Championships

In 2016, Gilles and Poirier finished fifth at the Four Continents Championships. This prompted significant revisions to their short dance program, initially set to a mix of music by The Beatles and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, later revised to primarily Beatles music.

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2016: Silver Medalists at Canadian Championships

In 2016, Gilles and Poirier repeated as national silver medalists at the Canadian Championships.

2016: Bronze at Grand Prix Events

In 2016, Gilles and Poirier took bronze at the 2016 Skate Canada International and the 2016 Trophée de France.

2016: Virtue/Moir Win Grand Prix Final

In 2016, Virtue/Moir won the Grand Prix Final, which was the first Grand Prix Final victory for any Canadian competitor since then.

2017: Program Change Mid-Season

In 2017, Gilles and Poirier changed their free dance program mid-season, discarding an initial film noir-themed routine for a James Bond program.

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2017: Bronze at Canadian Championships

In 2017, Gilles and Poirier took bronze at the Canadian Championships. They struggled with their disco-themed short dance, with Gilles falling at the 2017 Four Continents Championships. They finished eighth at the 2017 World Championships in Helsinki.

2018: Nebelhorn Trophy Win

Following Weaver/Poje's decision not to skate the 2018-19 Grand Prix series, Gilles/Poirier became the top-ranked Canadian team competing there. They won the Nebelhorn Trophy in 2018, placing first in both segments.

2018: 2018 Winter Olympics

In 2018, Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier competed for Canada at the Winter Olympics.

2018: Qualifying for the 2018 Winter Olympics

In 2018, Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier earned the silver medal at the Canadian championships, leading to them qualifying for the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea. The duo placed eighth at their first Olympics.

2019: Second at Canadian Championships

At the 2019 Canadian Championships, Gilles and Poirier placed second in the rhythm dance and finished second overall.

2019: Bronze Medal at Four Continents Championships

At the 2019 Four Continents Championships, Gilles and Poirier won the bronze medal overall, their first Four Continents podium since 2014.

2019: Gold Medal at Skate Canada International

In 2019, Gilles and Poirier won the gold medal at the Skate Canada International, Gilles/Poirier's first Grand Prix gold medal

2020: Silver at Four Continents Championships

At the 2020 Four Continents Championships in Seoul, Gilles and Poirier placed third in the rhythm dance. They rose to win the silver medal overall after placing second in the free dance.

2020: Cancellation of Skate Canada International

In 2020, Gilles and Poirier's assignment to Skate Canada International was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

2020: Canadian National Champion

In 2020, Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier won the Canadian National Champion.

2020: First Canadian National Title

In 2020, during the Canadian Championships rhythm dance, Piper Gilles' hair caught on Paul Poirier's jacket. Despite the mishap, they won both the rhythm and free dance, securing their first Canadian national title.

2020: Rhythm and Free Dance Theme Selection

In 2020, the team settled on Mack and Mabel for their rhythm dance, and Joni Mitchell's "Both Sides Now" for their free dance.

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2021: Grand Prix Season and Qualification for Final

In 2021, Gilles and Poirier improved their personal best in the rhythm dance at Skate Canada International and won gold. They then secured a silver medal at the Internationaux de France. These results qualified them for the Grand Prix Final, which was later cancelled.

2021: Preparations for the Olympic Season and Autumn Classic Win

In 2021, Gilles and Poirier prepared for the Olympic season by selecting an Elton John medley for the rhythm dance and collaborated with Govardo for a Beatles cover of "The Long and Winding Road". They won the 2021 CS Autumn Classic International, marking the first major skating competition in Canada in a year and a half.

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2021: Gold at Skate Canada Challenge

In 2021, Gilles/Poirier won gold at the virtually-held 2021 Skate Canada Challenge, after which the Canadian Championships were cancelled.

2021: World Championships Bronze Medal

In February 2021, Gilles and Poirier were selected for the Canadian team at the World Championships. They placed fourth in the rhythm dance and second in the free dance, earning a bronze medal overall and securing three berths for Canadian dance teams at the 2022 Winter Olympics.

June 21, 2022: Engagement to Nathan Kelly

On June 21, 2022, Gilles became engaged to her boyfriend, Nathan Kelly.

2022: 2022 Winter Olympics Performance

At the 2022 Winter Olympics, Gilles and Poirier competed in the team event, finishing fourth in the rhythm dance and third in the free dance, contributing to Team Canada's fourth-place overall finish. In the individual dance event, they placed sixth in the rhythm dance and seventh overall due to a bobble in the free dance.

2022: 2022 World Championships

At the 2022 World Championships, Gilles and Poirier finished fifth overall. They performed their "Vincent" program in the exhibition gala, accompanied by a live performance by the band Govardo.

2022: Qualified for the 2022 Winter Olympics

In 2021, Gilles and Poirier's placement at the World Championships combined with Fournier Beaudry/Sørensen's eighth-place qualified three berths for Canadian dance teams at the 2022 Winter Olympics.

2022: Diagnosis of Ovarian Tumor

In 2022, Gilles/Poirier set a new personal best (87.23) at Skate Canada International and won the gold medal. Gilles was diagnosed with an ovarian tumour, with tests indicating it may be cancerous. At the Grand Prix of Espoo, they won the rhythm dance and set a personal best in the free dance, qualifying for the Grand Prix Final.

2022: Canadian National Champion

In 2022, Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier won the Canadian National Champion.

2022: Second National Title and Olympic Team Selection

In 2022, at the Canadian Championships in Ottawa, Gilles and Poirier won their second national title. The next day, they were named to their second Canadian Olympic team.

May 2023: Treatment for Ovarian Cancer

In May 2023, Gilles revealed she had been treated for stage 1 ovarian cancer, including the removal of her left ovary and appendix.

2023: Gold at Skate Canada and Cup of China

In 2023, Gilles and Poirier won gold at Skate Canada International and the Cup of China despite Gilles' twizzle errors.

2023: Surgery and Withdrawal from Competitions

In 2023, Gilles underwent surgery to remove her left ovary and appendix, leading to their withdrawal from the 2023 Canadian Championships and the Four Continents Championships. The post-surgical biopsy confirmed that the tumour had been cancerous, and she was also diagnosed with endometriosis. Subsequent blood tests indicated she did not have cancer.

2023: World Championships Bronze Medal

In 2023, Gilles/Poirier finished third at the World Championships in Saitama, winning their second World bronze medal. Gilles described it as one of the hardest competitions of her life, given her recent cancer surgery.

2023: Marriage Announcement

In 2023, Piper Gilles publicly announced that she and Nathan Kelly had married on September 3 of the previous year, 2022.

2023: Bronze at Grand Prix Final

In the 2023-24 Grand Prix Final, Gilles and Poirier finished third in both the rhythm dance and free dance, earning the bronze medal.

2024: World Championships Silver Medal

At the 2024 World Championships held in Montreal, Gilles and Poirier won the free dance segment with a new personal best and secured the overall silver medal, finishing behind Chock/Bates.

2024: Canadian National Title and Four Continents Championships

In 2024, Gilles and Poirier captured the Canadian national title at the Canadian Championships in Calgary and later won their first Four Continents title in Shanghai, marking a significant milestone in their career.

2024: 2024-25 Grand Prix Circuit

In 2024, Gilles and Poirier competed on the 2024-25 Grand Prix circuit, winning Skate Canada International for a fifth time. At the Finlandia Trophy, a collision of their blades caused Poirier to fall during the free dance, leading to a silver medal overall and qualification for the Grand Prix Final, where they finished fifth overall.

2024: Four Continents Champion

In 2024, Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier became the Four Continents champions, competing for Canada.

2025: Retained Four Continents Title

At the 2025 Four Continents Championships, Gilles/Poirier retained their title, finishing ahead of Chock/Bates.

2025: World Championships Silver Medal

At the 2025 World Championships held in Boston, Gilles/Poirier won their second consecutive World silver medal. They finished second in both the rhythm dance and free dance.

2025: Qualifying for the Grand Prix Final

In 2025, Gilles and Poirier placed second overall at the Finlandia Trophy, which allowed them to qualify for the 2025-26 Grand Prix Final.

2025: Grand Prix Final

In 2025, Gilles/Poirier competed at the 2025–26 Grand Prix Final, earning a news season's best in the Free Dance. They placed fourth overall.

2025: World Team Trophy

In 2025, Gilles/Poirier competed for Team Canada at the World Team Trophy, placing second in all segments of the ice dance event. Team Canada finished in fifth place overall.

2025: Fourth National Title

In 2025, Gilles/Poirier won their fourth national title at the Canadian Championships.

2025: Sixth Consecutive Skate Canada International Title

In 2025, Gilles/Poirier won their sixth consecutive Skate Canada International title. They placed first in the Rhythm dance, earning the highest score thus far of the season. They revived their popular "Vincent" Free Dance, but had a small slip on the curve lift, placing second in this segment.

2025: Finlandia Trophy and Judging Standards

In 2025, at the Finlandia Trophy, Gilles relayed concerns about the judging standards, the scoring system, and the disconnect between judges and the audience.

2026: Winter Olympics Bronze Medalist

In 2026, Piper Gilles and her partner Paul Poirier won a bronze medal at the Winter Olympics competing for Canada.

2026: Fifth National Title and Olympic Team Selection

In January 2026, Gilles/Poirier won their fifth national title at the Canadian Championships and were subsequently named to the 2026 Winter Olympic team.

2026: Bronze Medal at the 2026 Winter Olympics

On February 11, 2026, Gilles and Poirier won the bronze medal at the Winter Olympics after placing third in both segments of the event.

2026: Rhythm Dance at the 2026 Winter Olympics Team Event

On February 6, 2026, Gilles and Poirier competed in their Rhythm Dance at the Winter Olympics Figure Skating Team Event, finishing fourth with a new season's best score of 85.79.