“2025-26 Grand Prix of Figure Skating Series Begins”

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An essential sequence of competitions leading to the upcoming Winter Olympics kicks off on Friday with the commencement of the 2025-26 Grand Prix of Figure Skating series in Angers, France.

For those unfamiliar, the figure skating season is divided into two main parts. The latter part, starting in January, includes national and world championships. The initial part is anchored by the Grand Prix tour.

Over the upcoming weeks until late November, a total of six tournaments will be conducted in various countries worldwide. Following the Grand Prix of France, the series proceeds to the Cup of China, then Skate Canada International in Saskatoon, with subsequent stops in Japan, the United States, and Finland.

Competitors can participate in any two of these events, accumulating points based on their placements. After the regular season concludes, the top six in each category — men’s, women’s, pairs, and ice dance — are extended invitations to the prestigious Grand Prix Final in early December in Japan. This event is expected to showcase the leading medal contenders for the Winter Olympics in northern Italy two months later.

Notable Canadians to Monitor this Season

The primary objective for Canada’s figure skaters this season is to reclaim a spot on the Olympic podium after being entirely shut out in 2022 in Beijing. This concluded a streak of nine consecutive Games with podium finishes, dating back to Brian Orser’s silver in 1984 in Sarajevo and culminating with a national-record four medals in 2018 in South Korea, where Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir secured their second Olympic ice dance gold and contributed to Canada’s team victory.

In Milan this February, Canada’s best chances for medals lie in the partner events.

Deanna Stellato-Dudek and Maxime Deschamps, the 2024 world champions, are anticipated to lead the country’s two pairs entries, while the four-time worlds medalists Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier are expected to spearhead Canada’s three ice dance teams.

Canada secured only one athlete in each of the women’s and men’s events after Madeline Schizas and Roman Sadovsky failed to crack the top 10 at the world championships last spring. The determination of who will fill Canada’s Olympic slots will occur after the national championships in early January in Gatineau, Quebec.

Stellato-Dudek and Deschamps made a breakthrough two seasons ago, clinching victories in both their Grand Prix stops, achieving bronze at the Final, and adding a gold at the Four Continents Championships. They capped off their success with a remarkable performance at the world championships in Montreal, thrilling the local audience by securing Canada’s first world title (in any discipline) since 2018.