The figure skating season is well and truly underway, and if the Grand Prix de France wasn’t enough to get us excited, Skate Canada International certainly built momentum. The second stop of the 2026–27 ISU Grand Prix series saw a mix of long-time favourites, rising stars doing their first Senior GP, and more historic firsts all light up the ice.
Men’s
France’s Kevin Aymoz certainly left Canada with a smile on his face. The 29-year-old veteran took gold with a combined score of 258.43 and a gloriously theatrical Pirates of the Caribbean short program. His beautifully understated Spiegel im Spiegel free skate kept him in the conversation, earning him another fantastic gold to add to his rise.
Buzz going into this meet came by way of both single discipline Junior World Champions making their senior Grand Prix debut! Young Rio Nakata (Japan) putting up an impressive fight despite some costly errors in the free skate, earning him silver with 249.25. Despite a start he won’t have been happy with, he’s still certainly one to watch going forward this season!
Estonia’s Mihhail Selevko will certainly be pleased as he stormed to bronze with 248.66, winning the free skate outright and securing his first Grand Prix medal. A fabulous achievement for the Estonian, and further proof that the men’s field can still be electric on its day.
Women’s
Is there anything Mao Shimada can’t do? The Japanese Junior World Champion made her senior Grand Prix debut in spectacular fashion, taking gold with an extraordinary 235.44 points, just days after celebrating her 18th birthday. Having been unbeaten for years, Shimada has wasted absolutely no time announcing herself as a major contender.
Her free skate featured both a triple axel and an attempted quadruple toe loop, combined with her polished presentation and her infectious enthusiasm, it’s difficult not to be excited about how much higher she can rise.
Estonia’s Niina Petrokina continued to be a star of European skating, taking silver with 221.07. The two-time European Champion has established herself as one of the biggest names in European skating, and this latest result only justifies her position, following two stunning skates with nary an error. Meanwhile, Isabeau Levito (USA) rounded out the podium with 212.22, claiming bronze in her first competition of the season. Although her free skate contained several costly errors, her short program was stunning and Levito will surely go from strength to strength this season.
Pairs
There was plenty for the home crowd to celebrate as Canada’s Lia Pereira and Trennt Michaud took gold with 202.17, securing their second career Grand Prix victory and, just as importantly, their first on home ice. The reigning Canadian Champions delivered two strong performances, leading both segments of the competition. Although Canada’s previous top pair, Deanna Stellato-Dudek and Maxime Deschamps amicably parted ways after the end of the last Olympic cycle, Canadian Paris skating looks to be in great hands.
Alisa Efimova and Misha Mitrofanov (USA) took silver with 191.90 in their first competition of the season. The current Four Continents Champions, who unfortunately were unable to compete at the Olympics last season due to visa issues, will undoubtedly be hoping to build on this result to hopefully grow into an even stronger quad leading up to the next Olympics in France.
Perhaps the most delightful story of the pairs competition came from Switzerland’s Oxana Vouillamoz and Tom Bouvart, who secured bronze with 183.12, becoming the first ever Swiss pairs team to win a medal on the ISU Grand Prix circuit.
Ice Dance
Britain’s Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson always bring the party to the ice and did so to great aplomb in Canada. The British duo won gold with a score of 201.17, securing their fifth career Grand Prix title and their first ever Skate Canada victory. Having collected silver medals at the event in 2022 and 2023, it was particularly satisfying to see them finally reach the top of the podium.
France’s Evgeniia Lopareva and Geoffrey Brissaud took silver with 192.95, continuing to establish themselves among the discipline’s most fascinating must-watch teams. In particular, their contemporary Berghain free dance displayed the notable and thought provoking style that has always had them stand out from the crowd. Caroline Green and Michael Parsons (USA) also had a great meet, completing the podium with a score 186.02, delivering a beautifully elegant performance across both their free dance and rhythm dance to secure bronze.
Two Grand Prix events down, four to go! From Mao Shimada’s sensational senior debut, and Vouillamoz /. Bouvart making history, we can’t be more excited for the Cup of China in Shenzhen next week. On we go!
