An essential part of the journey leading to the upcoming Winter Olympics commences this Friday with the start of the 2025-26 Grand Prix of Figure Skating series in Angers, France.
The figure skating season is divided into two segments, with the first part centered around the Grand Prix tour, while the second part features national and world championships starting in January.
Over the coming weeks until late November, six competitions will take place in various countries worldwide. Following the Grand Prix of France, the schedule includes the Cup of China, Skate Canada International in Saskatoon, and events in Japan, the United States, and Finland.
Skaters can participate in up to two events, earning points based on their performances. The top six in each discipline – men’s, women’s, pairs, and ice dance – will earn invitations to the prestigious Grand Prix Final in December in Japan, offering insights into potential medal contenders for the Winter Olympics in northern Italy.
The focus for Canadian figure skaters this season is to reclaim a spot on the Olympic podium after being shut out in 2022. The best medal prospects for Canada in Milan this February lie within the partner events.
Deanna Stellato-Dudek and Maxime Deschamps, the reigning world champions, are set to lead Canada’s pairs competition entries, while Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier are expected to headline the ice dance teams.
The national championships in early January will determine the final selection of Canadian entrants for the Olympics. Stellato-Dudek and Deschamps have shown promise, winning significant titles in recent seasons, although challenges such as health issues have impacted their performances.
In addition to these contenders, other Canadian skaters like Marjorie Lajoie and Zachary Lagha in ice dance and Lia Pereira and Trennt Michaud in pairs have also shown potential on the international circuit.
This week’s competition will provide an early indication of form, with the pairs event featuring strong contenders like Japan’s Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara. Canada will be represented in the ice dance event by Marie-Jade Lauriault and Romain Le Gac, who will face tough competition from Great Britain’s Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson.
Fans can watch the action unfold live on CBC Sports, starting with the women’s short program at noon ET on Friday, followed by the pairs short program. The complete streaming schedule and entries/results are available for viewing online.
