2025–26 Canadian Pairs: News and Updates

[Sylvia]

@shutterbug - from the 2025-26 GP Announcement:

"e) Medallists from the ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships 2025 and gold medallists from the ISU Junior Grand Prix Final 2024/25 will be included in the selection process. Skaters/Couples who have stated their intention to skate as Senior in the season 2025/26 might be included in the Grand Prix event(s) if they fulfil the requirements of the minimum Grand Prix score."

Early discussion/projections/speculation re. the 2026 GP Pairs: https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/th...-2026-grand-prix-entries.113603/#post-6909936

 

[Karen-W]

Question for those who follow rules changes closely - When McIntosh/Mimar won their World Jr. bronze
in 2022, I recall the event YouTube commentator (Ted?) saying the medallists were guaranteed a Sr. GP spot in the following season. M/M did get a SCI host spot and plus a 2nd GP event in 2022 (as did LaLa in the 2019 season), so it does seem reasonable(?). Has there been a rule change with respect to this, or am I mis-remembering?

Ted misspoke in 2022. The GP General Announcement has stated, for years, that Jr Worlds medalists & JGPF gold medalists are put into the GP selection pool but they're not guaranteed an assignment.

In 2022 the pairs field was EXTREMELY thin once Russia was banned and all of their pairs teams were excluded from the GP pools so pretty much any and all teams who were eligible for GPs got them, especially if they were from host feds like McMim.

 

[Sylvia]

Rocker Skater Podcast video interview with Lia Pereira/Trennt Michaud: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9pczucxF5s

Beverley Smith's article (based on Pereira/Michaud's pre-Worlds media call on Wednesday):

Pairs: the Astronomical Clock is Ticking - Bev Smith Writes

Timing seems to be everything. The only times in history that the world figure skating championships have previously been held in beautiful, historic Prague, Canadian pairs and men’s skaters have excelled. Make that four world gold medals at two events, separated by 31 years: 1962 and 1993. It’s...

bevsmithwrites.com

 

[Jonas]

Did Lia and Trennt come to Prague to play or what?!?! That was even better than their individual SP in Milano if you ask me! I took particular notice of their lifts -- stronger than I've ever remembered from them!

Your thoughts...

 

[Winnipeg]

ITA

 

[manhn]

They're closer to 1/2 than they are to 4/5. Hopefully, the experience they gained in Milano will have them stay steadier during the LP.

 

[honey]

I gotta say, Hubbell was really cooking with gas when she did this program. The rotations of the lift matching the “slowly, slowly” lyrics and then the dismount on the “you unfold me” as Lia unfolds from the lift. Perfect.

Really beautiful skate today. This should give them some confidence that they belong in this top group. I also think that they’ve earned some rep with the judges over the last month. If they put down the same free skate as they did in the team event, it’s going to score much higher now I think.

But tomorrow is another day, and easier said than done to lay down some of your best skates when a medal is on the line.

 

[Aaron MB Fan]

I am definitely a sucker for PB performances from our Canadians as a biased, proud Canadian.

But WOW, that performance today from Lia and Trennt was just magical, it even had an ethereal quality to it. The speed and lifts were greater than I remember seeing earlier in the season, with better confidence and flow on the landings. I’ve seen them skate this program live 3x this season at Skate Canada, Nationals and the Olympics, twice of which where they earned PB scores, but this performance was by far the best.

This is the first time I really saw them live up to the potential I always thought they had from when they first paired up. This program, their connection, the performance reminded me of the IT factor and chemistry that Jamie and David brought, and Lloyd and Isabelle had too. Classic Canadian Pairs quality which helps them to stand out differently amongst the field!

So thrilled for them to have this performance and a small Worlds medal!!