2025–26 Canadian Pairs: News and Updates

[shutterbug]

Desrochers/Thrasher interview with Goldenskate's Paula Slater: Stronger together, Canada’s Desrochers and Thrasher eye continued progress

For the upcoming season, the duo will continue with their free skate to “Since I’ve Been Loving You” by Led Zeppelin—choreographed by Julie Marcotte, who also selected the piece.

Their short program will be to an upbeat remix of The Black Eyed Peas’ “Meet Me Halfway” and “Boom Boom Pow”, also choreographed by Marcotte. Both skaters admitted that it’s a bit outside their comfort zone but welcome the challenge.

While the skaters will be competing as juniors again, they hope to be invited to an international or Challenger event. However, they plan to compete as seniors at the 2026 Canadian National Figure Skating Championships. However, they are not setting any personal expectations for the latter event.

 

[Kateri]

The Black Eyed Peas’ “Meet Me Halfway” and “Boom Boom Pow”, also choreographed by Marcotte

OK, who asked the monkey's paw for Julie to buy a new CD?

 

[Karen-W]

OK, who asked the monkey's paw for Julie to buy a new CD?

Are we sure it's a new CD or one she found while cleaning out some boxes in the garage?

 

[shutterbug]

Desrochers/Thatcher and Kemp/Elizarov have been assigned to JGP Riga. Some of their performances from the NextGen competition this past weekend:

Desrochers/Thatcher

SP:

Kemp/Elizarov

SP:

FP:

 

[danafan]

Desrochers/Thatcher and Kemp/Elizarov have been assigned to JGP Riga.

Skate Canada updated their international assignments page and only Kemp/Elizarov are listed for Riga. However three teams are listed for Ankara:

Ava Kemp & Yohnatan Elizarov
Julia Quattrocchi & Étienne Lacasse
Brianna Dion & Jacob Côté

 

[fan]

Stellato/Deschamps posted that they now have Lori Nichol doing their SP. Anyone but Marcotte. Hallelujah.

 

[Aaron MB Fan]

Stellato/Deschamps posted that they now have Lori Nichol doing their SP. Anyone but Marcotte. Hallelujah.

Deanna's post also says "That means no Summer Provincials for us this time...". Guess this means they are going to withdraw from the Championnats québécois d'été happening in just under a couple of weeks. That's too bad, I was seriously thinking of going to watch again and they were the biggest draw to see their Olympic programs live

 

[skatfan]

Deanna's post also says "That means no Summer Provincials for us this time...". Guess this means they are going to withdraw from the Championnats québécois d'été happening in just under a couple of weeks. That's too bad, I was seriously thinking of going to watch again and they were the biggest draw to see their Olympic programs live

I wonder if they trashed a Marcotte program because this is pretty late to start on a program.

 

[dramagrrl]

I wonder if they trashed a Marcotte program because this is pretty late to start on a program.

The post said that their original concept for their SP didn't work out, so yes, they trashed a program, but it didn't specify whether that was also a Lori program or if it was a Marcotte program.

 

[honey]

The post said that their original concept for their SP didn't work out, so yes, they trashed a program, but it didn't specify whether that was also a Lori program or if it was a Marcotte program.

Shortly after WTT when they said Lori would be doing the free, they said Julie would be doing the short.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DIoFiWeSQu3/?igsh=N2d6NnJ0MjBxcGVz

I suspect they are feeling sensitive about material given how much everyone panned the short last year. And even the free wasn’t really getting great reviews last season.

I think ultimately it’s good to change it now if it just wasn’t working, but yeah, we’re getting pretty late in the summer for this kind of thing. Interesting though that changing the programs didn’t seem on the table last year when I think just about anyone else would have abandoned ship on that short program after the GP events.

 

[Karen-W]

I think ultimately it’s good to change it now if it just wasn’t working, but yeah, we’re getting pretty late in the summer for this kind of thing. Interesting though that changing the programs didn’t seem on the table last year when I think just about anyone else would have abandoned ship on that short program after the GP events.

Eh, ChoBat changed their RD after Champs Camp in 2021 - and that was held in late August/early September. There's plenty of time for SDDes to get their programs trained & debut them in late September at somewhere like Nebelhorn.

 

[Karen-W]

And Charly Laliberte-Laurent has made it official - he and Martina Ariano Kent have ended their partnership.

Charly Laliberté-laurent on Instagram: "Après deux saisons enrichissantes et une médaille de bronze aux Championnats du monde juniors 2025, une page se tourne. Je vous annonce officiellement la fin de mon partenariat en patinage en couple. Merci à to

280 likes, 7 comments - lalibertelaurent on July 29, 2025: "Après deux saisons enrichissantes et une médaille de bronze aux Championnats du monde juniors 2025, une page se tourne. Je vous annonce officiellement la fin de mon partenariat en patinage en couple. Merci à tous ceux qui nous ont...

www.instagram.com

 

[Former Lurve Goddess]

I wonder if they trashed a Marcotte program because this is pretty late to start on a program.

All Marcotte programs should be trashed.

 

[honey]

Eh, ChoBat changed their RD after Champs Camp in 2021 - and that was held in late August/early September. There's plenty of time for SDDes to get their programs trained & debut them in late September at somewhere like Nebelhorn.

Yes and no. Yes they have plenty of time to get things together and debut in September. But this is the Olympic season and typically getting yourself on your back foot in July isn’t what you want.

They also had a subpar season last year and I’m sure they wanted to start to re build their reputation as quickly as they can. Now that gets pushed out. Not that Quebec Summer Skate means a hill of beans by February, but it can help a skater start some momentum. Or it can be a good spot to get some rust off. Better to do that in early August at a small event than in mid/late September with way more eye balls on you.

In any case, I agree with the overall sentiment that they will be ok in changing a program now, it’s just that I’m sure this wasn’t what they wanted in a perfect world.

But it does make me incredibly curious about how bad the feedback on it must have been for them to not even show it publicly.

 

[Karen-W]

PerMich are listed on the starting order for Glacier Falls this week.

 

[happycamper2554]

https://x.com/AnythingGOE/status/1950464045129093416

Desrochers/Thrasher out of Riga and not replaced.

 

[manhn]

I am surprised they are doing two new programs. I thought it was inevitable they would recycle one program, ie the vampire LP.

 

[tony]

I think S/D’s issue may have been a music licensing thing, hence the reason for having to find a new program.

 

[clairecloutier]

An interview with Pereira/Michaud:

Pereira/Michaud: "We're hungry for more" - A divine sport

Figure skaters Lia Pereira and Trennt Michaud look to claim a spot on Canada's team for the 2026 Winter Olympics.

adivinesport.com

 

[luckiest1]

PerMich are listed on the starting order for Glacier Falls this week.

Is there a livestream?

 

[Karen-W]

Is there a livestream?

Livestream info is in the KnC thread, but yes, there's a video-only stream available for purchase.

 

[danafan]

Thierry Ferland is on the senior pairs entries at September's Georges Éthier event but no partner is listed. Does anyone know who is he skating with now?

 

[danafan]

Thierry Ferland is on the senior pairs entries at September's Georges Éthier event but no partner is listed. Does anyone know who is he skating with now?No

His partner on the entires is Eliana Secunda - a google search found a very old ISU bio for her, for the US.

 

[shutterbug]

Missed posting this one - Aug. 9th Rob Brodie interview with Pereira/Michaud: 'It'll make that moment even more special'

“My grandfather immigrated from Italy. It’s been my dream to go there even before I started skating,” the 21-year-old Pereira said during a break from practice at the Milton Skating Club west of Toronto (they split their training between there in nearby Brantford, where coach Alison Purkiss is based). “I just knew from when I was a child that I wanted to travel to Italy and I’ve never been there, not for skating or for personal travel, and Trennt has not been there, either.

“The amount of competitions that we go to and the amount of travelling that we do, I think it’s pretty cool that we both have never been there before and I think it’ll make that moment, if we are there, even more special.”

Glacier Falls also gave them an opportunity for an early test drive of the two new programs they are bringing into the Olympic season. It’s the short program, skated to Jessie Ware’s “Say You Love Me,” that gives Pereira and Michaud the greatest latitude to stretch out some of their storytelling chops.

Pereira and Michaud went to another ice dance duo, Jean-Luc Baker and Olivia Smart, to craft their free program, set to music from “The Mission” movie soundtrack (if these choreography pairings sound familiar, it’s because Baker and Smart created their short program last season, while Hubbell and Diaz did the long).

And because I'm totally biased and over the moon proud of my hometown kids , must share Kemp/Elizarov's FS from JGP Riga this morning:

They confirmed after the SP they plan to compete Senior domestically this season, and if they can get the throw 3lutz and Ava's 3toe consistent by Nats, we might see an upset for the bronze medal....

 

[pointbleu]

They confirmed after the SP they plan to compete Senior domestically this season, and if they can get the throw 3lutz and Ava's 3toe consistent by Nats, we might see an upset for the bronze medal....

I totally agree!

 

[kalamalka]

I've been a fan of Kemp and Elizarov since they were novices, and it's great to see how they're developing. PBs in both segments in Riga, and they're adding both difficulty of elements (strategically) and complexity/maturity of choreography and performance.

 

[danafan]

They are entered in senior for the Skate Ontario October event. Hopefully a senior international will follow so they can get their CTES minimums.

 

[4rkidz]

I’m glad they chose to do their JPG back to back early so they can focus on senior as I think they are a realistic bronze or silver domestically as seniors.

 

[Aaron MB Fan]

I don't think there is a 2025-2026 Pairs thread yet, so posting here. Miyu Yunoki & Tristan Taylor have announced that they will be representing Canada now instead of Japan: https://www.instagram.com/p/DNwh6I-WNXj/

Cross-posting this news here. New Canadian Pairs team with Miyu Yunoki & Tristan Taylor now representing Canada as of this season!

 

[Karen-W]

Cross-posting this news here. New Canadian Pairs team with Miyu Yunoki & Tristan Taylor now representing Canada as of this season!

They're not a new team. They competed at Japanese Nationals last year, but never competed internationally. Interesting, though, that they made the decision to switch to Canada.