From record-breaking performances to international titles, 2024 has been a year to remember for Canadian figure skating. Here are some of this year’s top on and off ice highlights.

Hometown Glory for Kaiya Ruiter

Calgary’s Kaiya Ruiter thrilled local fans by winning her first senior national title in front of her home crowd. Adding to the excitement at Nationals, ice dance duo Alicia Fabbri and Paul Ayer celebrated their first podium finish—an especially meaningful moment for Ayer, who is also a Calgary native.

Youth Olympic Games Gold

Annika Behnke and Kole Sauvé made history as the first Canadian figure skaters to win gold—and the first to claim an individual medal—at the Gangwon 2024 Youth Olympic Games. On top of this historic result, the team earned the honour of being named as Team Canada’s flag bearers for the Closing Ceremony.

World Figure Skating Championships on Canadian Soil

The 2024 ISU World Figure Skating Championships in Montreal, Quebec, brought the global spotlight to Canada as the world’s best skaters competed at the iconic Bell Centre. Deanna Stellato-Dudek and Maxime Deschamps made fans proud nationwide by claiming the Pairs World Championship title on home soil, while Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier secured their top result by finishing second in ice dance.

Synchronized Skating History

Les Suprêmes etched their name into the record books as the first Canadian synchronized skating team to win three consecutive World Championships. Meanwhile, their junior counterparts won Canada’s first gold medal at the ISU World Junior Synchronized Skating Championships.

Lia Cho Breaks Novice and Junior Records

At the 2024 Novice Canadian Championships, Lia Cho shattered the Canadian Novice record she had previously set in 2023, finishing an incredible 33 points ahead of her nearest competitor. Later this year, 12-year-old Cho delivered a fantastic performance at the 2024-2025 Skate Canada Challenge, setting a new Canadian Junior women’s record in the process.

Five Back-to-Back Wins

National ice dance Champions Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier debuted their exciting new programs and continued their winning streak at 2024 Skate Canada International, becoming the second ice dance team in Canadian history, after Shae-Lynn Bourne and Victor Kraatz, to win gold for five consecutive years.

Grand Prix Final Podium Finish

Canada was represented by two senior ice dance and two junior pairs teams at the ISU Grand Prix Final in Grenoble, France. Jazmine Desrochers and Kieran Thrasher capped off their incredible year by capturing the junior pairs bronze medal for the second consecutive year.

Off the Ice

Community Engagement

In 2024, Skate Canada continued to champion equity, diversity, inclusion and accessibility (EDIA) through our Community Constellations, Community of Practice sessions, mentorship programs and Indigenous engagement initiatives. Visit our website to learn more about the strides we’ve taken to make skating for everyone.

Supporting the Adult Skating Community

Skate Canada expanded its offerings for adult figure skaters, hosting two camps held in Burnaby, British Columbia and Fredericton, New Brunswick, that helped skaters refine their skills and build valuable relationships. The 2024 North American International Adult Competition, hosted at Calgary’s Seven Chiefs Sportsplex, was another testament to our support of the adult skating community, with 170 Canadian skaters competing throughout the week across a variety of categories.

Honouring Excellence

In 2024, our community celebrated numerous achievements and awards, including Olympic medallist Patrick Chan’s induction into the Canada Sport Hall of Fame and the Petro Canada Coaching Excellence Awards recognizing eight Skate Canada coaches for their dedication in guiding athletes to success.

2024 may be wrapping up, but the excitement isn’t over! There is still much to look forward to as we head into 2025, which kicks off with the 2025 Canadian National Skating Championships, taking place from January 15-19 in Laval, Quebec. Stay tuned for more great milestones and accomplishments by signing up for our fan exclusive newsletter!