Get ready, Kelowna – Skate Canada International (SCI) is coming back!  

This fall, the world’s best figure skaters will take over Prospera Place, seven years after the Grand Prix last touched down in the Okanagan.  

From Canadian breakthroughs to Grand Prix debuts and record-setting performances, here are some of the biggest moments from Skate Canada International in Kelowna in 2014 and 2019. 

2014: Canadian Breakthroughs on Home Ice 

When Skate Canada International first arrived in Kelowna in 2014, Canadian fans had plenty to cheer about. 

Meagan Duhamel and Eric Radford delivered one of the weekend’s biggest moments, capturing their first Skate Canada International title. It was the first time a Canadian pair had won the event since Jamie Salé and David Pelletier in 2001. Their victory was part of a perfect international season that culminated in Grand Prix Final gold and their first World title. 

Canada’s success continued in ice dance, with Kaitlyn Weaver and Andrew Poje skating to gold to capture their first Skate Canada International title. They went on to win the NHK Trophy and the Grand Prix Final later that season before claiming bronze at the World Championships. 

And right behind them? A young Canadian team that would become one of the defining duos of Skate Canada International. Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier earned silver – their first Grand Prix medal and the first of what would eventually become nine SCI medals.  

The men’s and women’s events also brought international star power. Four Continents champion Takahito Mura of Japan won the men’s title ahead of two-time World bronze medallist Javier Fernández of Spain. In the women’s event, American Ashley Wagner returned to the Grand Prix circuit after earning Olympic team bronze at Sochi 2014, taking silver behind Russia’s Anna Pogorilaya. 

2019: A History-Making Weekend in Kelowna 

Five years later, Gilles and Poirier were back in Kelowna – and this time, they were ready for gold. 

The Canadians skated to their first Grand Prix victory, setting personal-best scores across the board to beat the reigning Grand Prix Final Championships, Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue of the USA.  

 The win kicked off an impressive streak at their home Grand Prix, with Gilles and Poirier going on to claim six consecutive Skate Canada International titles from 2019 through 2025. 

The men’s competition delivered another unforgettable moment. Two-time Olympic champion Yuzuru Hanyu of Japan dazzled the crowd, winning his first Skate Canada International title with 322.59 points – just one-point shy of the world record at the time. 

Canadian champion Nam Nguyen gave the home crowd even more to celebrate, delivering a personal-best skate to claim silver. It marked his first SCI medal and remains the most recent podium finish by a Canadian man at the event. 

 Pairs team Kirsten Moore-Towers and Michael Marinaro also found success in Kelowna, reaching the podium with silver and earning their third Grand Prix medal together. The result came five years after they made their Grand Prix debut as a team in the same city in 2014. 

Alexandra Trusova also made history in Kelowna, winning gold in her Grand Prix debut at just 15 years old. The Russian star delivered record-breaking free skate featured two quad-triple combinations, making her the first woman to land the feat in a single program at an ISU international competition while also setting new world-best scores. 

Who Will Create Kelowna’s Next Big Moment? 

Now, seven years later, Skate Canada International is returning to Kelowna with a fresh opportunity to make history.  

With none of the 2025 champions returning to defend their titles, four new champions will be crowned at Prospera Place, setting the stage for a new generation of memorable Kelowna moments. 

Don’t miss the action at 2026 Skate Canada International! Secure your tickets to join us in Kelowna or catch every moment live from home.