This season’s ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating moves on to its second stage for Skate Canada International which takes place in Kelowna, British Columbia.
When is it on?
Skate Canada International begins Friday, 30 October with the men’s short programme and concludes Sunday, 1 November with the free dance.
Who is skating?
After just missing out on the medals at the World Championships this year, Stephen Gogolev (CAN) will have the weight of expectation on his shoulders to take a medal for the home nation in the men’s event for the first time since 2019. Coincidentally, Skate Canada International was also held in Kelowna that year. 2026 World Junior champion Rio Nakata (JPN) makes his Grand Prix debut this weekend. He placed fifth at the Kinoshita Group Cup last month. Kevin Aymoz (FRA) will seek to improve on his 10th place finish at last year’s Skate Canada and instead show the form that earned him spots on a Grand Prix podium many times throughout his career.
With an unbeaten streak in the junior ranks, Mao Shimada (JPN) got her international senior career off to a winning start at the Kinoshita Group Cup this season and is the big hope for Japanese women’s skating. Jia Shin (KOR) finished second to Shimada three times in a row at the Junior World Championships but has had a full year more of experience as a senior including a trip to the Olympics and Worlds. Isabeau Levito (USA) was the other skater to deny Shin a Junior World crown and the American subsequently went to win a senior world silver medal in 2024. Two-time European champion Niina Petrokina (EST) has added a quadruple Salchow to her repertoire this season and already has three competition victories under her belt.
Lia Pereira and Trennt Michaud (CAN) will be aiming to continue the string of consecutive Canadian wins in the Skate Canada pairs event to make it four. The 2026 World bronze medallists will be joined by teammates and 2026 World Junior champions Ava Kemp and Yonatan Elizarov (CAN) in Kelowna. The young Canadians came fourth at this season’s Nebelhorn Trophy and won Tayside Trophy this month. There is potentially for an all-North American podium with Alisa Efimova and Misha Mitrofanov (USA) opening their season at this event.
In ice dance, the battle for gold looks set to be between Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson (GBR) and Evgeniia Lopareva and Geoffrey Brissaud (FRA). The British have so far only competed once this season at Bolero Cup at home, while the French had a surprising silver at Lombardia Trophy when they had been expected to take the title. Oona Brown and Gage Brown (USA) picked up third place at last month’s Nepela Memorial where compatriots Caroline Green and Michael Parsons (USA) came fifth. Green and Parsons (USA) did claim bronze at Denis Ten Memorial. Marie-Jade Lauriault and Romain Le Gac (CAN) took silver at Nebelhorn Trophy and will be Canada’s best hope of a medal in the category.
Everything you need to know (and some things you did not) about the skaters, the competition schedule and results can be viewed here.
When is the skating on?
Afternoon till evening in North America, evening till early morning in Europe and late night till morning in Asia. The times listed for Skate Canada International are local and if you want to know what the time difference is between where you are and Kelowna then this link is your friend.
Where can I watch the pretty skaters?
Check out this link where you can find out where to watch the ISU Figure Skating Grand Prix.
What are the hashtags?
#GPFigure #FigureSkating
