The decision of Virtue and Moir, winners of the ice dance at Vancouver 2010, to compete again has surprised the skating world.

They had retired after winning silver medals in the ice dance and team event at Sochi 2014. 

"After Sochi, we took time to do everything, step outside the skating world, and have lives - and it was wonderful," Virtue told the Canadian Press.

"But there was a certain void that we tried to fill.

"And then over time, just realized we missed the structure of training and waking up with a purpose, and having goals in mind, daily goals, weekly goals, seasonal goals.

"We missed competing."

Virtue, 26, and Moir, 28, claimed there decision was motivated by nothing more than the fact of wanting to compete again. 

"We're not coming back feeling bitter about Sochi or feeling like we're trying to get revenge," said Virtue. 

"It's really just purely for the joy of skating.

"And that's neat, because it's just for us now."

The couple, winners of the World Championships in 2010 and 2012, have moved to Montreal to train with Marie-France Dubreuil and Patrice Lauzon.

“We’re not kidding ourselves, we know we have a mountain to climb,” Moir told the Canadian Press. 

“We’ve been out of the game two years and that’s a long time in our sport.

"We know the biggest challenge of our career lies in front of us, but that’s what is so exciting

“It will be very difficult, but we go into every competition to win.

"We’re hoping to come back and compete with the best in the world.”