2025–26 Canadian Pairs: News and Updates

@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
 
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shutterbug said:
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?
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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.
 
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):
bevsmithwrites.com

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 bevsmithwrites.com
 
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.
 
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!!
 
I like the commentating for worlds just fine and I know Mark is very knowledgeable about dance but I have to admit I wish they had someone like KMT (I know, she is busy) or Meagan for pairs. I want to know why this twist got a level 4 and why a 3. They did not make one mention about the lifts of the Georgians and his footwork?? I am so happy for Lia and Trennt and their team. WAY TO GO!!!
 
Watching their reaction in the kiss and cry, but especially his got me a little emotional I admit.

While I come down on the side that SC made the right call 4 years ago with who they sent to the games, that period of time had to have been undoubtedly difficult to Trennt. And he took a chance on Lia with relatively no pair experience to go 4 more years. How wonderful to see this moment happen for them, and to see that potential that I think everyone saw when they first teamed up be on full display here. Really gritty today to be able to hold it together, and that’s always exciting to see as well.

Now is probably not the time to look at the future, but I do wonder about if they continue. Hard to top 2026. National champions, Olympians at long last and a world medal. If this is it, that’s quite a season.
 
With Lia and Trennt's bronze, Canada officially has its first Gen Z World medalists (and in the nick of time, considering that the last of the Millennial old guard, Piper and Paul, have one foot out the door).

Such a great payoff for this team. As I said in the event thread, I honestly did not think this was a realistic prospect for them, despite that I liked them a lot. They've broken through to a new level in scores in the past two events.
 
I am REALLY hoping that Trennt and Lia continue together into the next quad if not for all of it. They are just hitting their stride now and showing the potential many of us thought they had. I think there is even more upside for them if they are willing to invest some more time (and he doesn't plan to retire yet or is reconsidering).

I take what I read on X/Twitter with a grain of salt, but I saw some posts/tweets about Trennt alluding to considering staying in for the next quad through to the French Alps? If only!!
 
Funny how when a skater or team we all see has potential hits a rough spot, we all have suggestions. I suspect most often nobody spends more time thinking and talking about it than the skaters themselves and usually the best answer is time and hard work. Skating can be so humiliating and heartbreaking - see past performances of the current crop of Canadian skaters now at worlds - but that courage to keep going can pay huge dividends. Personal thanks to all the loyal Canadian skating fans who kept believing!! Good on you, Mike Slipchuck!
 
According to Rob Brodie, Lia and Trennt do plan to continue: Worlds 2026: How Canada found more pairs glory in Prague
But chalking that up, even in part, to a bit of historical lineage? Sure, that’s a line that is easily drawn, but it would also be vastly underselling what Pereira and Michaud delivered over the past two days at O2 Arena — a pair of career best skates that made it clear this is a team that will be a force to be reckoned with in the years ahead.

(and yes, they’ve confirmed, they’re coming back for more).
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