From personal bests to emotional Olympic debuts, Team Canada skated their hearts out in the figure skating team event, delivering standout moments that kicked off the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games. With big performances, breakthrough skates, and top tier team spirit, Canada set the tone and built momentum heading into the individual events. Here’s what went down on and off the ice this weekend. 

Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier set the tone from the very first skate, strutting onto Olympic ice with their crowd-pleasing RuPaul themed rhythm dance. The ice dance veterans delivered a season’s best score of 85.79, finishing fourth in the opening segment and giving Canada a high-energy start to the team event.  

Next to skate, Olympic rookies Lia Pereira and Trennt Michaud made their debut… and wow did they make it count. Skating not just for themselves but for their teammates, they honored fellow pairs team Deanna Stellato-Dudek and Maxime Deschamps, who were sidelined from the team event due to injury. With emotion, focus, and an impressive technical performance, these two showed everyone just how much heart they’re bringing to the Olympics. 

Madeline Schizas delighted fans once again with her iconic Lion King-themed short program, and her energy didn’t stop when she left the ice. “I love team events!” she shouted to her coach, perfectly matching the enthusiasm of the Team Canada box, with Canadian flags waving, loud cheers, and their matching Lululemon gear on point. 

Saturday sparked the start of an off-ice saga: Schizas had missed a university assignment deadline due to competition and emailed her professor for an extension. The suspense had fans (and Team Canada) wondering—would she get it? 

Day two of the competition opened with all eyes on Olympic rookie Stephen Gogolev. Canada needed a strong skate from Gogolev to secure a spot in the final round. And when Canada needed him most, he showed up and delivered, earning a personal best score of 92.99 to secure Canada’s place in the next round. Talk about a debut to remember! 

 

Following Gogolev, ice dancers Marjorie Lajoie and Zachary Lagha brought elegance and precision to their free dance, earning a season’s best score of 120.90 and a third-place finish. By the end of day two, Canada had climbed into fourth place, leaving fans on the edge of their seats. 

Before the final day of the event began, fans finally got closure on the weekend’s off-ice drama: Schizas did get her assignment extension, and her professor even tuned in from Canada to watch her Olympic performance.  

In the pairs free program, Pereira and Michaud kept the magic going, earning a personal best score of 134.42 and finishing fifth, only one point behind the Americans. The pair couldn’t hold back tears in the mixed zone, overwhelmed by the emotion of skating on Olympic ice in front of family and friends. 

“This isn’t just for us—it’s for our friends, our family and our parents. It’s really special because we’ve dreamed about this since we were kids.” 

Madeline Schizas made fans (and her professor) proud when she showed brilliant resilience in her free program, recovering from an early fall to complete a strong performance and earning a season’s best score of 125.00!  

The team event wrapped up with Stephen Gogolev in the men’s free program, closing the evening with another breathtaking skate and a personal best 171.93, cementing a standout Olympic debut and his strong comeback after being plagued by injuries over the last two seasons. 

The podium saw Team USA take gold, with Japan earning silver and Italy bronze. Canada finished in fifth place, but the results only tell part of the story. Heart, teamwork, and unforgettable performances were on full display throughout the three days of competition. 

With momentum in the bag, Team Canada is ready to take on the individual events, and you won’t want to miss a second of the action. Tune in for all the upcoming figure skating action and stay updated with our Olympic newsletter for the latest Milano Cortina 2026 highlights.