Canadian Figure Skating Moments You Might Have Missed This Season
While you may have heard the news about Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier’s Olympic bronze medal or Lia Pereira and Trennt Michaud’s first podium finish at Worlds, there were many other incredible stories of triumph, perseverance, and celebration that took place across Canada’s skating community in the 2025-2026 season.
Here’s a look back at some of the Canadian figure skating moments you might have missed this year.
Remarkable Returns
After three years sidelined by injuries and surgeries, two-time Olympian Gabrielle Daleman skated back onto the scene this season. Daleman captured three medals – gold at Icechallenge, gold at Skate Canada Challenge, and silver at the Canadian Championships – followed by a top 10 finish at the Four Continents Championships. Talk about an incredible comeback!
She wasn’t alone in overcoming adversity. Wesley Chiu also bounced back this season from a year-long ankle injury. He triumphantly marked his return with a gold medal win at Skate Canada Challenge and a fourth-place finish at Nationals.
Fans were also treated to a surprise comeback from two-time Canadian Champion Keegan Messing. Driven by an Olympic dream, Messing returned to competition to earn a silver medal at Skate Canada Challenge and top 5 finish at Nationals. Although he ultimately missed out on Milano Cortina, Messing shared that he has “no regrets.”
Keegan Messing at the Canadian National Skating Championships.
Historic Achievements
Skate Canada’s NextGen Team athletes showcased incredible depth this season, earning 13 medals on the Junior Grand Prix circuit – the country’s highest medal count in 20 years (3 gold, 6 silver, and 4 bronze medals)!
Among those highlights, Ava Kemp and Yohnatan Elivarov built on their Junior Grand Prix Final bronze medal by later capturing gold at the Junior World Championships. Their victory marked Canada’s first junior pairs world title since 1978.
At the senior level, Sara-Maude Dupuis made history at the PGE Warsaw Cup as the first Canadian woman to land a triple axel in international competition. The achievement helped catapult Dupuis onto the top of the podium and onto win her first international gold medal.
Meanwhile, trailblazer Deanna Stellato-Dudek continued to defy expectations in sport. At 42, Stellato-Dudek made her historic Olympic debut at Milano Cortina, becoming the oldest woman to compete in Olympic figure skating in 98 years. She also made fashion history in Milan as the first figure skater to compete in costumes designed by Oscar de la Renta.
Deanna Stellato-Dudek at the Milano Cortina Olympic Winter Games.
Standout Performances
Best friends and training buddies Lia Cho and Parker Heiderich delivered a memorable season. Competing at home in Calgary, Cho claimed gold in junior women’s while Heiderich claimed gold in junior men’s at the Skate Canada Challenge. They continued their success at the Canadian Championships where they each won junior national titles – celebrating in style with a skate along Ottawa’s Rideau Canal.
In junior pairs, Julia Quattrocchi and Etienne Lacasse made a big impact in their first season together. The new team qualified for both the Junior Grand Prix Final and the Junior World Championships and topped their season by winning with junior pairs national title at the Canadian Championships.
Newcomer Minsol Kwon also made waves in her debut Canadian season. After immigrating from South Korea, Kwon skated away with a top 4 finish at the Skate Canada Challenge and went on to earn bronze at her National Championships. She will surely be one to watch in 2026-2027.
From start to finish, Stephen Gogolev dominated this season. After medaling at both of his Challenger Series events, he captured his first Senior Grand Prix medal at Finlandia Trophy. He then went on to claim his first senior national title before placing fifth in his Olympic debut. Gogolev capped off the year with a remarkable fourth-place finish at his first World Championships – an achievement that secured two men’s entries for Canada at the event next year.
Synonymous with synchronized skating excellence, Les Suprêmes displayed their dominance in the discipline this year. The team went undefeated this season, capturing three international gold medals on their way to winning the Synchronized Skating World Title for the fourth time.
Les Supremes at the Synchronized Skating World Championships (International Skating Union)
Looking Ahead
From inspiring comebacks to history-making performances, the 2025-2026 season was full of unforgettable moments that showcased the talent and spirit of Canadian figure skating.
Did we miss any of your favourite moments from the season? Let us know on social media. We look forward to seeing what memorable moments the 2026-2027 skating season will bring!