An essential chapter in the lead-up to the upcoming Winter Olympics kicks off this Friday with the commencement of the 2025-26 Grand Prix of Figure Skating series in Angers, France.
The figure skating season comprises two main segments. The first part, the Grand Prix tour, is the cornerstone, with a total of six meets scheduled in different countries worldwide from now until late November. Following the Grand Prix of France, the tour will move on to the Cup of China, then Skate Canada International in Saskatoon, and subsequently to events in Japan, the United States, and Finland.
Skaters can participate in any two of these events, earning points based on their performances. The top six performers in each discipline – men’s, women’s, pairs, and ice dance – will receive invitations to the prestigious Grand Prix Final in early December in Japan. This Final is expected to showcase the top contenders for Winter Olympic medals in northern Italy two months later.
In the upcoming season, the primary objective for Canada’s figure skaters is to reclaim a spot on the Olympic podium after being shut out in 2022 in Beijing. The country’s best chances for medals lie in the partner events in Milan this February.
Deanna Stellato-Dudek and Maxime Deschamps, the 2024 world champions, are set to lead Canada’s pairs competition entries, while Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier, four-time world medallists, will headline the ice dance teams. Canada has secured only one athlete each in the men’s and women’s events, pending the outcome of the national championships in early January in Gatineau, Que.
Stellato-Dudek and Deschamps, who secured Canada’s first world title in Montreal two seasons ago, faced setbacks last season due to health issues and inconsistent performances. Despite challenges, they remain determined to excel in the upcoming competitions.
Other prominent Canadian contenders include Gilles and Poirier, who have consistently performed well at the world championships, and Marjorie Lajoie and Zachary Lagha, who represented Canada in ice dance at the Grand Prix Final last season.
The Grand Prix of France will showcase top international talent, including Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara from Japan in the pairs event, and Marie-Jade Lauriault and Romain Le Gac from Canada in ice dance.
The men’s event will feature American sensation Ilia Malinin and French skater Adam Siao Him Fa, while the women’s competition will see Japan’s Kaori Sakamoto and U.S. skater Alysa Liu in action.
For viewers interested in following the action, CBC Sports will kick off live coverage of the Grand Prix of France this Friday. Viewers can tune in to watch the women’s short program followed by the pairs short program. Full streaming schedules and event entries and results are available for fans to stay updated on the exciting competitions.
