This is where we discuss figure skating and skating related items. How did you favourite skaters perform, and so on? However we never speculate on the private lives of skaters, like who might be going out with whom, because that is poison and is not tolerated here. A good guideline is that if it's not publicly announced, in the papers etc. then it's probably best to leave it alone. Is it a gray area? Then write to me and ask.
Top Ice Dance Moments from the 2023/2024 Season
April 23, 2024/by Skate Canada
The 2023/2024 figure skating season came to a crowd-roaring conclusion at the 2024 ISU World Figure Skating Championships at home in Montreal, Quebec. From the junior to senior level, Canada’s ice dancers impressed this season, capturing a total of 14 international medals.
Here are some of the top ice dance moments from the season.
The king and queen of Canadian ice dance, Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier continue to impress year after year, and what a year it was for this dynamic duo! Gilles and Poirier posted their best-ever finish at the 2024 ISU World Figure Skating Championships, winning the free dance and capturing the silver medal. Their road to the silver medal included their first championship gold medal at the 2024 ISU Four Continents Championships, a bronze medal at Grand Prix Final, and their fourth title win at Skate Canada International.
Not only did Marjorie Lajoie and Zachary Lagha overcome adversity this season, but they also found their place in the upper ranks of Canadian ice dance. After winning two silver medals on the Grand Prix circuit and making their first appearance at Grand Prix Final, Lajoie suffered a concussion that sidelined the duo for months. Finally in the clear to train again just before the World Championships, these previous Junior World Champions (2019) wowed the home crowd to place 5th in Montreal. A huge leap from their previous 11th place finish in 2022.
On the topic of impressive comebacks, Paul Ayer and Alicia Fabbri also had career highlighting moments this year. After being sidelined the previous season due to Ayer’s shoulder injury, Fabbri and Ayer captured their first podium finish – a bronze medal – at Nationals in Ayer’s hometown of Calgary, Alberta. They finished their season strong by winning the first senior international medal of their career, a bronze at the 2024 Challenge Cup.
Skate Canada’s junior teams also shone brightly this season. Ontario’s Layla Vellion and Alexander Brandys claimed their first national title, rising from their fifth-place finish at Nationals the year before. While Chloe Nguyen and Brendan Giang, the newly formed team from British Columbia, took home a silver medal on the junior Grand Prix circuit at the Cup of Austria. Both teams also had standout performances at the 2024 ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships, placing in the top-10.
The future of Canadian ice dance is looking strong as we approach the halfway mark to the 2026 Olympic Games in Milano-Cortina. Make sure to stay tuned to skatecanada.ca and sign up for the Fan List to be the first to know about the 2024/2025 Grand Prix assignments and who’s named to the National Team in the months ahead.
Top Men’s Moments from the 2023/2024 Season
May 1, 2024/by Skate Canada
From snowstorms to broken skate laces, new titles to breakout performances, the men kept us on the edge of our seats this season. Here are a few of our top Canadian men’s moments from the 2023/2024 skating season.
When we think of an athlete who seizes every opportunity to shine, Aleksa Rakic immediately comes to mind. Rakic kicked off his standout season at Skate Canada International – his senior Grand Prix debut – where he put up an impressive score of 189.38. He harnessed the momentum to capture silver medals at the 2023/24 Skate Canada Challenge and at the 2024 Canadian National Skating Championships. Rakic’s performance at Nationals was a noteworthy leap from his 10th place finish the previous year.
Wesley Chiu also had a breakout performance at the 2024 Canadian National Skating Championships. For years, Canadian figure skating fans have been watching Chiu rise through the ranks and develop his confidence on the ice. With the retirement of Keegan Messing making way for a new Canadian men’s champion, Chiu rose to the occasion and captured his first National title. Chiu then went on to compete at Four Continents and the 2024 ISU World Figure Skating Championships – his first ever Championship events.
The triumphs of our senior men offer a lot of inspiration for Canada’s up-and-coming athletes. Take Parker Heiderich for example, a novice skater from Alberta who is competing as part of Skate Canada’s podium pathway. After attending the 2023 ISU World Figure Skating Championships, Heiderich was motivated to improve his program and tackle new elements. He skated into the new season with a triple lutz under his belt and walked away with the novice men’s silver medal at the 2023/24 Skate Canada Challenge.
Every season has its challenges and Roman Sadovsky faced his fair share. After falling on a triple axel during summer training, Sadovsky suffered a knee and ankle injury that took him off the ice for a few months. When he finally returned to competition, Sadovsky was sidelined once again by series of travel mishaps, including lost luggage and a snowstorm. Sadovsky’s path finally took an upturn at Nationals, where he qualified for the Four Continents and World Championships teams. He was able to cap off his season on a high note competing in front of the home crowd at Worlds in Montreal.
Anthony Paradis also delt with a surprising stroke of bad luck last season. While competing at Nationals, Paradis’ lace broke in the middle of his free skate. Paradis asked the referee for a three-minute break to fix his lace. With his lace repaired, Paradis jumped back on the ice with tremendous force to skate the remainder of his program and to capture the bronze medal at his first senior men’s Nationals, despite the five-point deduction he incurred for the interruption.
Through all the highs and lows, Canada’s men put on an amazing show of grit and determination last season. We are excited to see what they accomplish in 2024/2025!
