2025–26 Canadian Pairs: News and Updates

Deanna was quoted by at least one source at the GPF saying that "Max was sick before Poland and I was sick in Poland". That is a bit worrying, along with the ongoing claims that their performances are different on practice vs competition and mention of "nerves".
 
victorskid said:
Deanna was quoted by at least one source at the GPF saying that "Max was sick before Poland and I was sick in Poland". That is a bit worrying, along with the ongoing claims that their performances are different on practice vs competition and mention of "nerves".
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At what point does one start to raise an eyebrow at that? They seem to get sick a lot.
 
Karen-W said:
At what point does one start to raise an eyebrow at that? They seem to get sick a lot.
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At some point after 30, most people start being more succeptible. Throw in traveling and the associated sleep and eating disruptions and the wear and tear from training and I get it. Deanna and Max can still prove me wrong, but I think they gave all they had in mid quad.
 
Aceon6 said:
At some point after 30, most people start being more succeptible. Throw in traveling and the associated sleep and eating disruptions and the wear and tear from training and I get it. Deanna and Max can still prove me wrong, but I think they gave all they had in mid quad.
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That's exactly what I was thinking during the FS earlier - they peaked mid quad.
 
Tesla said:
Which is perfectly fine. They should be so very proud of there World's gold. Barring disaster, they should be going to the Olympics. They need to let go of an Olympic medal and enjoy themselves.
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Yes. 6 years ago, they had nothing skating career wise. They achieved so much since then and they’re still favourites to go to the Olympics.

I think another coach could’ve helped them grow more but making such a big change after winning Worlds, or a year before the Olympics, I can see why they wanted things to remain the same.

We know about Deanna’s longevity in the sport but Maxime turning 34 this month, depending on previous injuries and what not, is not ideal.

I hope they can offer performances they are proud of in the coming competitions.
 
They will go down in history as one of the amazing pairs of all time. I know it shouldn't be only about their age. It is really about belief in yourself, rejecting established barriers and perceived limits, forming new unlikely collaborations, overcoming disappointments and not giving up, and just having a great amount of class. They exemplify the Olympic sprit and regardless of the outcome I hope they have an absolute blast!!
 
Nina Ouellette and Charly Laliberte-Laurent are official. Looks like for Canada

www.instagram.com

𝘼𝙘𝙖𝙙é𝙢𝙞𝙚 𝙋𝙚𝙧𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙄𝙨𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙨 on Instagram: "Nouveau duo. Nouveau chapitre. #figureskating #patinageartistique #teamapisatis @figureskatingquebec"

Dans cet épisode, nous vous présenterons un nouveau duo de patineurs artistiques en herbe qui se prépare à prendre la scène par storm. Vous découvrirez leurs stratégies pour réussir, leurs moments de doute et les leçons qu'ils ont apprises de leurs erreurs. Alors que l'actualité vous lira? Que...
www.instagram.com www.instagram.com
 
happycamper2554 said:
Nina Ouellette and Charly Laliberte-Laurent are official. Looks like for Canada

www.instagram.com

𝘼𝙘𝙖𝙙é𝙢𝙞𝙚 𝙋𝙚𝙧𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙄𝙨𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙨 on Instagram: "Nouveau duo. Nouveau chapitre. #figureskating #patinageartistique #teamapisatis @figureskatingquebec"

Dans cet épisode, nous vous présenterons un nouveau duo de patineurs artistiques en herbe qui se prépare à prendre la scène par storm. Vous découvrirez leurs stratégies pour réussir, leurs moments de doute et les leçons qu'ils ont apprises de leurs erreurs. Alors que l'actualité vous lira? Que...
www.instagram.com www.instagram.com
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Nina Ouellette as in former ladies competitor for the US??
 
Laurie Nealin's update with K/E following the JGP Final: Winnipeg pairs skaters finish third at Junior Grand Prix Final
Frustration was written on Kemp’s face again on Saturday after she failed to execute a triple salchow combo and toe loop in their Clair de Lune long program. Because the judges score the most flawed element executed by one of the partners, those errors cost them at least eight points on the technical side of the equation.

“I am quite disappointed in myself. I didn’t do my job...
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Dec. 7, 2025 article on Tristan Taylor and Miyu Yunoki:
www.ctvnews.ca

New Regina duo claims gold at Skate Canada event

Two figure skaters who competed in the 2025-26 Skate Canada Challenge in Calgary last weekend brought medals back to Regina, winning gold in their division.
www.ctvnews.ca www.ctvnews.ca
Two figure skaters who competed in the 2025-26 Skate Canada Challenge in Calgary last weekend brought medals back to Regina, winning gold in their division.
Merging their talents from Canada and Japan, Tristan Taylor and Miyu Yunoki finished first in the Senior Pairs category with a total of 163.34 points. Eliana Secunda and Thierry Ferland, representing Quebec, finished second with 145.20 points.
“We had some injuries going into the first couple of weeks of training for this [competition], but overcoming that and then coming out and winning was really special for us,” said Taylor, referring to the pair’s prior season which was spent competing in Japan.
Taylor and Yunoki were first partnered back in 2024 through Derek Drew Meekins, a national and international figure skating coach.
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Eliana Secunda previously competed at U.S. Nationals from 2014-2018 in Juvenile to Junior with Blake Eisenach.
 
Recent interview with Tristan Taylor discussing his new partnership with Miyu Yunoki: Wolseley figure skater Tristan Taylor back at Canadian nationals with new partner
While he was training in the U.S., one of his coaches thought he and Osaka, Japan’s Yunoki would make a good pairing.

“I came down, did a tryout, and then when I was back in Canada, they had reached out to Miyu as well, because they knew she was looking for a partner,” Taylor explained.

“It just kind of worked out that we both came here at the same time and did a little tryout and then decided that we both really enjoyed it, so we decided to skate together. It was sort of a coincidental that we both decided to come here at the same time, but a bit of orchestration with that.”
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Congratulations to Lia and Trennt, and especially Trennt for finally making the Olympics!

I may be in the minority, but I was underwhelmed by Deanna's dresses. The SP one was nice, but the skirt looked unfinished. And the FP one looked like it was made fabric you can buy from Fabricland - definitely did not look like a $50k designer dress.
 
Just a question on where the $50k number came from? Did she say that’s how much she paid for them? I assumed this would be more like the Oscars where she talks about wearing the designer frequently in exchange for a heavily discounted rate.

If she did pay that much, then I would be demanding someone tailor them again. They both look too big for her.

I think that the short program dress is really beautiful in its detailing. I’d keep that one. I don’t think the long is great to be honest. I said this in the Canadians thread, but the choker and one shoulder neckline is giving Wilma Flintstone to me. I would ditch the choker and make the flower bigger on the shoulder. And take it in. And add some flesh colored mesh on the shoulder because I don’t understand how that isn’t a costume malfunction waiting to happen. I watched it in HD last night and I feel pretty confident there is nothing holding that dress up, which blows my mind. The red looks great on her, but the design isn’t quite right for me.
 
honey said:
Just a question on where the $50k number came from? Did she say that’s how much she paid for them? I assumed this would be more like the Oscars where she talks about wearing the designer frequently in exchange for a heavily discounted rate.

If she did pay that much, then I would be demanding someone tailor them again. They both look too big for her.

I think that the short program dress is really beautiful in its detailing. I’d keep that one. I don’t think the long is great to be honest. I said this in the Canadians thread, but the choker and one shoulder neckline is giving Wilma Flintstone to me. I would ditch the choker and make the flower bigger on the shoulder. And take it in. And add some flesh colored mesh on the shoulder because I don’t understand how that isn’t a costume malfunction waiting to happen. I watched it in HD last night and I feel pretty confident there is nothing holding that dress up, which blows my mind. The red looks great on her, but the design isn’t quite right for me.
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She kept tugging on the red one which made it look like the fit wasn't right. It looked like it needs to be taken in a bit.
 
honey said:
Just a question on where the $50k number came from? Did she say that’s how much she paid for them? I assumed this would be more like the Oscars where she talks about wearing the designer frequently in exchange for a heavily discounted rate.

If she did pay that much, then I would be demanding someone tailor them again. They both look too big for her.
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Per this article (scroll down), she estimates the gold one was worth $50-100k and was covered through her partnership with OdlR. She came up with the idea of a designer dress after the IOC passed a rule allowing any athlete to partner with haute couture designers for the Olympics. Not sure if/how this is a new rule, since skaters have been wearing Vera Wang at the Olympics for the past 30 years.

I agree that the detailing on the gold one is nice, but I didn't love the fit of the sleeves, and I wish the bottom of the skirt was not just empty. I also don't necessarily think the dress matches the music.

As I said in my earlier post, I think the red one looks 'cheap' for what it is. And also doesn't necessarily match the music.

I also find it hard to believe that, per the article, it took 4 months to come up with the ideas for those dresses, and another 4-5 for them to be made.
 
@screech hadn’t seen that article! Thanks!

I thought the rule change had to do with skaters being allowed to put logos/branding on their costumes. Maybe I made that up? Because, yeah agreed I don’t understand this supposed rule change when Vera Wang has had costumes at the Olympics for over 30 years. Sasha Cohen wore a Badgley Mischka once as well (not at the Olympics). It’s not like we weren’t told every time Nancy or Michelle got on the ice that their costume was by Vera Wang.
 
honey said:
@screech hadn’t seen that article! Thanks!

I thought the rule change had to do with skaters being allowed to put logos/branding on their costumes. Maybe I made that up? Because, yeah agreed I don’t understand this supposed rule change when Vera Wang has had costumes at the Olympics for over 30 years. Sasha Cohen wore a Badgley Mischka once as well (not at the Olympics). It’s not like we weren’t told every time Nancy or Michelle got on the ice that their costume was by Vera Wang.
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You're correct - it's logos/branding on their costumes and team jackets/gear.
 
honey said:
@screech hadn’t seen that article! Thanks!

I thought the rule change had to do with skaters being allowed to put logos/branding on their costumes. Maybe I made that up? Because, yeah agreed I don’t understand this supposed rule change when Vera Wang has had costumes at the Olympics for over 30 years. Sasha Cohen wore a Badgley Mischka once as well (not at the Olympics). It’s not like we weren’t told every time Nancy or Michelle got on the ice that their costume was by Vera Wang.
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I vaguely remember it being mentioned by commentators that Nancy Kerrigan was wearing Vera Wang at the 1992 Olympics. That is near 34 years ago. And of course Michelle Kwan and Evan Lysacek each wore Vera Wang at their respective Olympic events. Surya Bonaly also wore designer dresses by Christian LaCroix at the 1992 Olympics. It's odd that they should mention some kind of rule change about wearing haute couture designs. :confused:
 
I think she should spend more time on the skating and less worrying about her dresses. Although I can imagine that if you felt uncomfortable in a dress it could easily affect the program.........especially if you had to keep tugging at it! The dress should add not detract from the performance and the athlete's comfort.

THis coming from someone who has never spent anything close to 50K for a dress of any kind! i.e., I am no expert.
 
It also wasn't a unique design, solely for her. If you look at the OdlR 'Spring 2026' runway collection, look 56 (at the bottom of the page) is the gown version of Deanna's SP dress.
Though that dress isn't under the 'ready to wear' section, other intricately beaded gowns that are available for purchase on the website are around $25-30K (CAD).

No matter our thoughts on her dresses, it's still really cool that she took the initiative to reach out to various haute couture designers on LinkedIn and managed to convince such a major brand to collaborate with her.
A bit disappointed that there is nothing about the dresses on the brand's Instagram, but maybe they'll have something closer to, or during the Games.
 
CBC Sports on the "road to the Olympics" series interviewed Deanna & Max after Canadians (but probably while still in Gatineau) - it's the first 1/2 of this video:

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From Olympic.ca: Fuel Incredible: Deanna Stellato-Dudek’s faithful furry companion for her Olympic journey
Goldy’s story begins with an unexpected surprise. Two and a half years ago, while Stellato-Dudek was preparing to head home for a visit with family, Deschamps and their coach, Josée Picard, orchestrated something that would change her life.

“Deanna always wanted a dog,” explained Deschamps, also mentioning that Stellato-Dudek had originally imagined a larger breed, like an Australian shepherd. But living in an apartment in Montreal steered the choice toward something smaller.

“Deanna left for a two-week vacation,” recalled Deschamps. “I went with Josée to get the dog. I babysat Goldy for two weeks until Deanna came back. I didn’t know if Deanna was going to be mad at me at first and then happy or just happy. [It’s a] big responsibility to get a dog.”
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Aww, such a cute pup. :)
 
victorskid said:
“Deanna’s Dream” tells the extraordinary story of Deanna Stellato-Dudek: belief, resilience, and the courage to chase a dream no one thought possible. On the Olympic Channel:
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Thanks! Links are also posted in this TV Alerts thread (Deanna also did a podcast interview with Nick McCarvel) along with a 21-min. documentary in French with more of a focus on Maxime (VPN required to watch outside of Canada): https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/threads/deannas-dream.113524/#post-6875135
 
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