The international figure skating season kicks off this Friday with the start of the Grand Prix tour in France. Over the next two months, six regular Grand Prix events will take place, with one scheduled in Kelowna, B.C., Canada next week. Skaters can participate in up to two events, with the top six in each discipline earning a spot at the Grand Prix Final in China in December. Following the Grand Prix season, the focus shifts to national championships and the world championships in Finland in March.
The current season signifies the beginning of a new Olympic cycle. Several notable figures retired post the last winter Olympics in Italy, including Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara of Japan and Kaori Sakamoto. Some athletes, like Alysa Liu of the U.S. and Yuma Kagiyama of Japan, are taking a break to plan their future. As the journey to the 2030 Games commences, Canada faces a challenging path ahead.
With the retirement of Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier, Canada loses its only figure skating medallists from the past two Winter Olympics. The landscape of Canadian figure skating is shifting, with key partnerships dissolving and new ones forming. Despite these changes, there are rising stars to watch out for in the upcoming season.
Lia Pereira and Trennt Michaud, who placed eighth in the Olympics last season, secured a bronze at the world championships. Stephen Gogolev, a promising 21-year-old, made a mark with his performances in the previous season and looks to continue his success. Gogolev aims to enhance his routines with more quadruple jumps, though a lingering foot injury poses a challenge to his training regimen.
To follow the action, viewers can tune in to the Grand Prix events live on CBC Gem and the CBC Sports website. Additionally, weekend coverage will be available on the CBC TV network, including the new CBC Sports Primetime show on Saturday nights. Detailed streaming and broadcast schedules can be found for additional information.
