Official retirement announcements by figure skaters in 2025-2026

[Sylvia]

Wakaba Higuchi announced her retirement with this Instagram post earlier today (March 9, 2026):

樋口新葉 / WAKABA HIGUCHI on Instagram: "【ご報告】 この度22年間続けたフィギュアスケート競技を引退いたしました。 今日は3月9日、サンキューの日です。 これまで関わってくださった全ての方々へ感謝を込めて。 本当にたくさんのサポート、応援をありがとうございました。 これからはプロスケーターとして、社会人として新しい人生を進んでいきます。 引き続きアイスショーではこれまで以上におもしろいスケートをお見せできるように頑張っていきたいと思います。 そして、新しいことに

19K likes, 519 comments - wakababy_sk8r on March 8, 2026: "【ご報告】 この度22年間続けたフィギュアスケート競技を引退いたしました。 今日は3月9日、サンキューの日です。 これまで関わってくださった全ての方々へ感謝を込めて。 本当にたくさんのサポート、応援をありがとうございました。 これからはプロスケーターとして、社会人として新しい人生を進んでいきます。 引き続きアイスショーではこれまで以上におもしろいスケートをお見せできるように頑張っていきたいと思います。...

www.instagram.com

Google translation:

I have retired from competitive figure skating after 22 years.
Today, March 9th, is Thank You Day.
I would like to express my gratitude to everyone who has been involved with me up until now.
Thank you so much for all your support and encouragement.
From now on, I will embark on a new life as a professional skater and a member of society.
I will continue to work hard to present even more exciting skating in ice shows.
I also want to continue to take on new challenges, so I hope you will continue to support me!

 

[BittyBug]

Her Lion King program will remain one of my favorite women’s free skates.

 

[Sylvia]

Carolane Soucisse and Shane Firus (IRL/CAN) announced their retirement yesterday, March 14:

Shane Firus on Instagram: "After many incredible years on the ice, Caro and I are officially stepping away from competitive ice dance. Sharing this journey together has been the honor of a lifetime. The early morning practices and competitions have

1,022 likes, 82 comments - shanefirus on March 14, 2026: "After many incredible years on the ice, Caro and I are officially stepping away from competitive ice dance. Sharing this journey together has been the honor of a lifetime. The early morning practices and competitions have completely...

www.instagram.com

After many incredible years on the ice, Caro and I are officially stepping away from competitive ice dance.
Sharing this journey together has been the honor of a lifetime.

The early morning practices and competitions have completely shaped who we are today. We could never have reached our goals without our amazing coaches, teammates, friends, family, and the ISAI.

To the fans and the entire skating community: your constant support means the absolute world to us. We are leaving competitive skating behind, but Caro and I are taking all the memories and lifelong friendships with us. Thank you for everything.

 

[SkateFanBerlin]

Saw on IG that Leona is selling her skates. She won`t even be doing show skating? I think she`d be really good at it.

 

[kwanette]

https://www.instagram.com/p/DWiicVAE6I2/?hl=en&img_index=1 Hanna Yoshida has retired. She is going to study abroad.

 

[starbucks]

Maurizio Zandron announced his retirement. https://www.instagram.com/p/DWd8QBKCKpB/

 

[her grace]

Best wishes to Higuchi and Yoshida as they embark on the next stage of their lives.

I just loved Higuchi's Skyfall FS that got her a world medal, and Yoshida had unique and quirky programs that I'll remember as well.

 

[BittyBug]

Maurizio Zandron announced his retirement. https://www.instagram.com/p/DWd8QBKCKpB/

I always liked Zandron.

 

[MacMadame]

Saw on IG that Leona is selling her skates. She won`t even be doing show skating? I think she`d be really good at it.

Maybe she needs new ones.

 

[SkateFanBerlin]

Maybe she needs new ones.

Maybe, but she makes a point to saying they are less than 4 months old?

 

[Karen-W]

Maybe, but she makes a point to saying they are less than 4 months old?

She may be switching boot manufacturers because the boots she has are causing her pain or contributed to her injury issues.

 

[Aussie Willy]

Saw on IG that Leona is selling her skates. She won`t even be doing show skating? I think she`d be really good at it.

Maybe they jinxed her and she wants to get rid of the bad juju?

 

[Karen-W]

Linnea Ceder has retired.

Linnea Ceder on Instagram: "2006-2026 Pieni Linnea olisi ylpeä tästä matkasta🤍 Monta maata, monta kisaa, sekä EM ja MM-edustus. Paljon iloa ja onnistumisia, kuten myös pettymyksiä ja vaikeita hetkiä. Olen todella kiitollinen kaikista kokemuksista

1,883 likes, 111 comments - cederlinnea on April 2, 2026: "2006-2026 Pieni Linnea olisi ylpeä tästä matkasta🤍 Monta maata, monta kisaa, sekä EM ja MM-edustus. Paljon iloa ja onnistumisia, kuten myös pettymyksiä ja vaikeita hetkiä. Olen todella kiitollinen kaikista kokemuksista ja siitä, mitä...

www.instagram.com

 

[Aceon6]

Can we pin this thread? At least until September.

 

[Wyliefan]

Deniss is taking a "Should I stay or go?" poll (probably tongue in cheek, I would imagine!). https://www.instagram.com/p/DWrUqv7iBhl/?igsh=MTNld25rOGYxdW1s

 

[Karen-W]

Deniss is taking a "Should I stay or go?" poll (probably tongue in cheek, I would imagine!). https://www.instagram.com/p/DWrUqv7iBhl/?igsh=MTNld25rOGYxdW1s

I've got zero respect for engagement farming like this to feed his fragile ego.

 

[Vagabond]

Deniss is taking a "Should I stay or go?" poll

This indecision's buggin' me.

 

[Rob]

Deniss is taking a "Should I stay or go?" poll (probably tongue in cheek, I would imagine!). https://www.instagram.com/p/DWrUqv7iBhl/?igsh=MTNld25rOGYxdW1s

He and Jason should go the Art on Ice route.

 

[starbucks]

Luke Digby has retired. https://www.instagram.com/p/DWwLoGjjIDZ/

Anastasia Vaipan-Law is thinking about future possibilities but hasn't shared specifics. https://www.instagram.com/p/DWwLqn0CNn4/

 

[clairecloutier]

I’m sad to see Luke go, but what a lovely retirement post from him!

 

[Private Citizen]

Luke Digby has retired. https://www.instagram.com/p/DWwLoGjjIDZ/

Anastasia Vaipan-Law is thinking about future possibilities but hasn't shared specifics. https://www.instagram.com/p/DWwLqn0CNn4/

Darn. I really liked V-L&D, thought they had improved tremendously, and had room to continue to grow. But, yes, what a lovely post.

 

[Lanie]

I really, really liked them and was so impressed in the improvements they made.

It must be hard when you meet your goals and don't feel there's much left and so you want to move on, rightly, with your life!

 

[Kateri]

Sad to see him go, but reading his post, it sounds like the right call - he achieved his Olympic dream, while his fiancée has been waiting for him while he trained away from home for 6 years and they want to finally get married and start a life! As others have said, it's a lovely post, thanking everyone, and he's still supportive friends with Ana. As retirements go, what more can you want?

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

Luke Digby has retired. https://www.instagram.com/p/DWwLoGjjIDZ/

Anastasia Vaipan-Law is thinking about future possibilities but hasn't shared specifics. https://www.instagram.com/p/DWwLqn0CNn4/

This one is a shocker……

And yet still no fax?…

 

[BittyBug]

V-L / D represented the best of this crazy sport that I so love. They were not vying for the podium but they consistently put out beautiful programs that they skated with joy and polish and sincerity, and for these reasons they were always a highlight of competitions for me. As a fan, I’m grateful for what they brought to the ice and wish both of them the best in whatever comes next in life.

 

[clairecloutier]

Another nice thing about VL/D was they really did progress & improve throughout their career. In the beginning, they were obviously just learning pairs together; by the end, they were a quality team that I looked forward to watching (as @BittyBug said). Always great to see that! With pairs, so much is about time & perseverance.

 

[tony]

I posted a little something on Instagram about them. They improved so much, I was shocked when I saw them at 2024 Skate America. I’ve probably talked about it 10 times since. In the early years, especially just after Zoe & Chris, I was almost terrified of watching everything they did.

The work they put in was obvious and she had amazing distance and a perfect back on their throws when they got them right. Such a feel-good team who accomplished their goals without needing any of the medals.

And they are both so friendly. She saw me first from across the bar at Worlds this year and had a big smile on her face. Lovely people.

 

[Aaron MB Fan]

I posted a little something on Instagram about them. They improved so much, I was shocked when I saw them at 2024 Skate America. I’ve probably talked about it 10 times since. In the early years, especially just after Zoe & Chris, I was almost terrified of watching everything they did.

The work they put in was obvious and she had amazing distance and a perfect back on their throws when they got them right. Such a feel-good team who accomplished their goals without needing any of the medals.

And they are both so friendly. She saw me first from across the bar at Worlds this year and had a big smile on her face. Lovely people.

I remember seeing them live at Skate America 2024 too - they showed such improvement. Even when I saw them live at Skate Canada 2025 and they had the horrible SP, they bounced right back and re-bounded with a stronger LP finishing 4th in that segment showing great grit/determination. Will miss seeing them in competition!