A local figure skater and his partner came within striking distance of the podium at the ISU World Figure Skating Championships this week.

Trennt Michaud and Evelyn Walsh placed eighth after the short program and sixth after the free skate at the competition Tuesday and Wednesday in Montpellier, France.

This is a noticeable improvement from last year's pandemic-altered championships in Stockholm, Sweden, where the pair placed 12th. They finished in the same position back in 2019 in Saitama, Japan.

Prior to the Worlds, Michaud and Walsh earned their first senior international figure skating medal, delivering a bronze performance at the Four Continents competition in Tallinn, Estonia.

Born in Belleville, Michaud currently represents the Trenton Figure Skating Club and has skated out of Brighton and Prince Edward County in the past as well.

He was based out of Brantford last year.