Top Pair Moments from the 2023-2024 Season

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It was a monumental year for pair figure skating in Canada, consisting of historic triumphs and captivating comebacks. Take a look at some of the standout moments that left us inspired and eagerly anticipating the 2024/2025 season.

Deanna Stellato-Dudek and Maxime Deschamps Win the World Championships

Deanna Stellato-Dudek and Maxime Deschamps soared to unprecedented heights this season, medalling at every event they competed in. Their hot streak culminated in a triumphant gold medal at the 2024 World ISU Figure Skating Championships in Montreal, Que. – Deschamps’ hometown. Stellato-Dudek’s victory marked a watershed moment in sport, as she became the first-ever female competitor over 40 years old to clinch this prestigious title.

Lia Pereira and Trennt Michaud Shine in First Grand Prix Season

Another Canadian senior pair team captivated our hearts this year. Lia Pereira and Trennt Michaud debuted in their first Grand Prix season together, where they secured a silver medal at Skate America and claimed gold at the Grand Prix of France. The dynamic duo went on to place in the top-10 at both the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final and the 2024 ISU World Figure Skating Championships – a superb finish for their first year as a team.

Canada’s Junior Teams Show Great Promise for the Future of Pair Skating

While Canada’s senior pair teams dazzled this year, the ascent of our junior stars was equally as remarkable. After suffering from a collapsed lung last season, Yohnatan Elizarov and his partner Ava Kemp came back stronger than ever this year. This season saw the duo clinch gold on the Junior Grand Prix circuit and seize silver at the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final.

Alongside Kemp and Elizarov on the podium at the Junior Grand Prix Final were Jazmine Derochers and Kieran Thrasher. To the delight Canadian fans, this newly formed pair team captured the bronze medal to secure a double podium finish for Canada. Also in their first season as a pair, Martina Ariano-Kent and Charly Lailberté-Laurent had a breakout year, capturing two medals on the Junior Grand Prix circuit and signaling a bright future for Canada’s NextGen talent.

Canada’s Junior Pair Team Makes History With First-Ever Youth Olympics Gold Medal Win

Photo by Dave Holland/COC

The 2024 Youth Olympic Games in Gangwon, Republic of Korea, marked another historic moment for Canadian pairs. In their debut season on Canada’s NextGen team, Annika Behnke and Kole Sauve etched their names in figure skating history by clinching Canada’s first-ever gold medal and first-ever individual medal at the Youth Olympic Games. Behnke and Sauve were further honoured when they were selected as Canada’s flag bearers for the Closing Ceremony.

If the 2024/2025 season is anything like last year, you won’t want to miss a moment! Be sure sign up for our Fan List to be the first to know about ticket releases, team announcements, and athlete accomplishments.

Women’s Top Moments from the 2023/2024 Season

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From novice through to senior women, we saw lots of incredible Canadian talent on display this year. Here are some of our top women’s highlights from the 2023/2024 season.  

The Canadian women’s season started off on a high note with a double podium finish at Autumn Classic International. In front of local fans in Pierrefonds, Quebec, Kaiya Ruiter of Alberta, and Justine Miclette of Quebec claimed the silver and bronze medals behind three-time World Champion, Kaori Sakamoto of Japan. Ruiter continued her hot streak at the 2024 Canadian National Skating Championships, where she captured her first national title in her hometown of Calgary, Alberta.  

This year, we also saw a new star rise to the top of the junior podium at the 2024 Canadian National Skating Championships. After finishing in 8th place the year before, Lulu Lin of Ontario laid down an impressive performance to earn the gold medal and a coveted spot on Canada’s World Junior team. At her World Junior debut, Lin put out two strong skates to find herself ranked in the top-10 of the competition – securing two spots for Canada’s women at the event next season.  

One of the most remarkable Canadian athletes this season was none other than Lia Cho, a novice skater from Alberta. At Skate Canada Challenge – Pre-Novice/Novice, Cho took home the gold medal and set a new Canadian novice record with a total score of 153.81. Cho then went on to rewrite the history books yet again at the 2024 Novice Canadian Championships, where she captured first place and broke her own record with a score of 166.56 – 33 points ahead of the nearest competition. 

The year finished just as good as it started for our female athletes, with three Canadian novice skaters sweeping the podium at the Triglav Trophy in Slovenia. Lia Cho continued to dominate the women’s discipline, claiming the gold medal with a notable lead. She was followed by Ksenia Krouzkevitch of Ontario, and Sandrine Blais of Quebec who took home the silver and bronze medals respectively. It was an especially remarkable result considering that it was the skaters’ first international competition! 

There is a lot of exciting young talent to watch for in the upcoming skating season, some of whom will be named to Skate Canada’s NextGen team and assigned to the Junior Grand Prix circuit. Make sure to sign up to our fan list to be the first to know about our skaters’ accomplishments, upcoming events, and ticket sales.  

2025 Canadian National Skating Championships to be Hosted at Place Bell for First Time in Event History

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OTTAWA, ON (May 8, 2024) – Skate Canada is pleased to announce Laval, Que., as the host destination for the 2025 Canadian National Skating Championships. The competition will take place at Place Bell – the city’s world-class sports and recreation complex – from January 14-19, 2025. The Championships will feature Canada’s top figure skaters in men, women, pairs, ice dance, and synchronized skating competing at both the junior and senior levels.   

“The 2025 Canadian National Skating Championships are an exciting opportunity to showcase our country’s impressive roster of figure skating talent,” said Karen Butcher, Skate Canada’s President. “Together with the City of Laval, we are thrilled to bring Canada’s top athletes to Place Bell and create an unforgettable experience for everyone.”  

“Tourisme Laval is delighted and proud that Laval will host this major sports event. Our team is ready and determined to make this event a resounding success. Laval will assuredly live up to the rhythm of this competition. Athletes, organizers, and all those involved in the event will discover a vibrant tourist destination ideal for welcoming major sports events,” said Christine Métayer, President and General Manager of Tourisme Laval. 

Athletes competing at the 2025 Canadian National Skating Championships will be looking to qualify for spots on the Skate Canada National Team and the Canadian teams that will compete at the ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships 2025, the ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships 2025, the ISU World Figure Skating Championships 2025, the ISU World Junior Synchronized Skating Championships 2025 and the ISU World Synchronized Skating Championships 2025.  

The athletes competing at the 2025 Canadian National Skating Championships will be announced later this year. Join our mailing list to be the first to receive event and ticket information for Skate Canada events.  

Top Men’s Moments from the 2023/2024 Season

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From snowstorms to broken skate laces, new titles to breakout performances, the men kept us on the edge of our seats this season. Here are a few of our top Canadian men’s moments from the 2023/2024 skating season.

When we think of an athlete who seizes every opportunity to shine, Aleksa Rakic immediately comes to mind. Rakic kicked off his standout season at Skate Canada International – his senior Grand Prix debut – where he put up an impressive score of 189.38. He harnessed the momentum to capture silver medals at the 2023/24 Skate Canada Challenge and at the 2024 Canadian National Skating Championships. Rakic’s performance at Nationals was a noteworthy leap from his 10th place finish the previous year.

Wesley Chiu also had a breakout performance at the 2024 Canadian National Skating Championships. For years, Canadian figure skating fans have been watching Chiu rise through the ranks and develop his confidence on the ice. With the retirement of Keegan Messing making way for a new Canadian men’s champion, Chiu rose to the occasion and captured his first National title. Chiu then went on to compete at Four Continents and the 2024 ISU World Figure Skating Championships – his first ever Championship events.

The triumphs of our senior men offer a lot of inspiration for Canada’s up-and-coming athletes. Take Parker Heiderich for example, a novice skater from Alberta who is competing as part of Skate Canada’s podium pathway. After attending the 2023 ISU World Figure Skating Championships, Heiderich was motivated to improve his program and tackle new elements. He skated into the new season with a triple lutz under his belt and walked away with the novice men’s silver medal at the 2023/24 Skate Canada Challenge.

Every season has its challenges and Roman Sadovsky faced his fair share. After falling on a triple axel during summer training, Sadovsky suffered a knee and ankle injury that took him off the ice for a few months. When he finally returned to competition, Sadovsky was sidelined once again by series of travel mishaps, including lost luggage and a snowstorm. Sadovsky’s path finally took an upturn at Nationals, where he qualified for the Four Continents and World Championships teams. He was able to cap off his season on a high note competing in front of the home crowd at Worlds in Montreal.

Anthony Paradis also delt with a surprising stroke of bad luck last season. While competing at Nationals, Paradis’ lace broke in the middle of his free skate. Paradis asked the referee for a three-minute break to fix his lace. With his lace repaired, Paradis jumped back on the ice with tremendous force to skate the remainder of his program and to capture the bronze medal at his first senior men’s Nationals, despite the five-point deduction he incurred for the interruption.

Through all the highs and lows, Canada’s men put on an amazing show of grit and determination last season. We are excited to see what they accomplish in 2024/2025!