Pre-competition news/press releases

[victorskid]

Skate Canada's "guide" to Worlds: https://skatecanada.ca/2026/03/19/your-guide-to-the-figure-skating-world-championships/

 

[Sylvia]

From the official event website:

Fan Village with a rich accompanying program, opening ceremony on the first competition day from 6 PM - ISU World Figure Skating Championships® 2026 24.-29.3. 2026, Prague, Czech Republic

ISU World Figure Skating Championships® 2026 24.-29.3. 2026, Prague, Czech Republic

www.prague2026.org

 

[Sylvia]

Olympics.com's preview by Lena Smirnova (March 20): https://www.olympics.com/en/news/20...s-prague-top-stars-schedule-how-to-watch-live

 

[Sylvia]

Skate Canada had pre-Worlds media calls on Wednesday, March 18 - re-posting article links here.

Gilles/Poirier:
By The Canadian Press' Daniel Rainbird: https://www.ctvnews.ca/sports/artic...r-treat-world-championships-as-a-celebration/
By CBC Sports' Doug Harrison: https://www.cbc.ca/sports/olympics/...-medals-world-championships-outlook-9.7133727
By Beverley Smith: https://bevsmithwrites.com/gilles-and-poirier-peace-at-last/
By Rob Brodie: https://rwbrodiewrites.substack.com/p/worlds-2026-a-celebration-of-our

Gogolev by Beverley Smith:

Gogolev: Finding his Spot in the Sun - Bev Smith Writes

Suddenly, Stephen Gogolev was just there. Tall, lanky, a master of understatement, a greater master of quick rotation, Gogolev emerged during the Olympic season like a bursting bud that had been buried for a long demoralizing winter. He’ll be going to his first world championship in Prague next...

bevsmithwrites.com

Pereira/Michaud by Bev Smith:

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

 

[Sylvia]

Rocker Skater Podcast video interviews before Worlds:

Smart/Dieck: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLug4s0ExYI

Gilles/Poirier: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1kJ0BNDj1w

Green/Parsons: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBuKrYh_2E4

Pereira/Michaud: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9pczucxF5s

In case anyone is interested in playing Rocker Fantasy Skating and/or making Worlds predictions: https://live.rockerskating.com/
Fantasy Skating explainer: https://x.com/rockerskating/status/2034812027772817429
There will be prizes.

 

[Sylvia]

Live preview by Jackie Wong & Michelle Ellis will be in 3 hours: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ULQNVX3SyF0

Team Great Park Ice group (McBeath/Parkman, Sofia, Reshtenko, Torgashev) photo shared by Sofia Samodelkina:

SOFYA SAMODELKINA on Instagram: "Next stop: Czech Republic 🇨🇿 See you at Worlds!😉"

5,332 likes, 68 comments - sofyasamodelkina on March 21, 2026: "Next stop: Czech Republic 🇨🇿 See you at Worlds!😉".

www.instagram.com

 

[victorskid]

Canada Builds on Olympic Momentum Heading into ISU Figure Skating World Championships

Ottawa, ON (March 23, 2026) – Canada’s top figure skaters are set to [...]

skatecanada.ca

I understand that Don Jackson, mentioned in this press release, will be in Prague. He will turn 86 on April 2nd.

 

[Sylvia]

Canadian Olympic Committee's Worlds preview article by Paula Nichols:

Olympic medallists Gilles & Poirier lead Canada into figure skating world championships - Team Canada

Whether you were already a super fan or became a new one after watching Canadian figure skaters at Milano Cortina 2026, the 2026 ISU Figure Skating World Championships are sure to be intriguing.

olympic.ca

McBeath/Parkman article by Kama Stigall for USFS:

McBeath and Parkman Embrace First Worlds Together - U.S. Figure Skating

Post-Olympic World Championships are a rare kind of chaos — a reshuffling of the deck where new stars can rise overnight. With many of the top pairs teams in the

usfigureskating.org

 

[Sylvia]

Airport arrivals:

ISU Figure Skating World Championships 2026 on Instagram: "ISU Worlds kicks off at @pragueairport ✈️ Monday = the day with the highest number of figure skaters arriving. ⛸️💃🕺🏆 And right from stepping into the airport hall, smiles from ear to ear. 😁 A

132 likes, 0 comments - isuprague2026 on March 23, 2026: "ISU Worlds kicks off at @pragueairport ✈️ Monday = the day with the highest number of figure skaters arriving. ⛸️💃🕺🏆 And right from stepping into the airport hall, smiles from ear to ear. 😁 And we were there! 👌 Světový šampionát začíná...

www.instagram.com

 

[Sylvia]

BBC Sport's Worlds review by Emma Smith:

World Figure Skating Championships: Alysa Liu, Ilia Malinin plus Fear and Gibson

After lighting up Milan at the Winter Olympics, the world's best figure skaters conclude the 2025-26 season at the World Championships in Prague.

www.bbc.com

Alternate link: https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/five-things-watch-world-figure-092005126.html

 

[Sylvia]

Reuters' preview by Lori Ewing (March 23):

American Ilia Malinin seeks post-Olympics redemption at world figure skating championships in Prague

On the heels of Ilia Malinin's shocking collapse at the Olympic Games that he said was caused by pressure and the magnitude of the moment, the American heads to the world figure skating championships with one mission in mind: redemption.

www.reuters.com

ETA - IDC's preview by Matteo Morelli:

Preview: 2026 World Championships – Ice-dance.com

www.ice-dance.com

Matteo Morelli

 

[Wyliefan]

AnythingGOE is reporting that Gilles/Poirier have gone back to Wuthering Heights for their FD.

AnythingGOEs - Figure Skating (@anythinggoe.com)

🇨🇦 Piper Gilles / Paul Poirier have returned to their Wuthering Heights free dance

bsky.app

 

[BlueRidge]

AnythingGOE is reporting that Gilles/Poirier have gone back to Wuthering Heights for their FD.

AnythingGOEs - Figure Skating (@anythinggoe.com)

🇨🇦 Piper Gilles / Paul Poirier have returned to their Wuthering Heights free dance

bsky.app

wow, great!

 

[Rukia]

g/p wuthering heights ubers stay winning

 

[Sylvia]

"Bill Spaulding will handle play-by-play alongside 1998 Nagano Olympic gold medalist Tara Lipinski, three-time U.S. champion Johnny Weir, and 2006 Torino Olympic ice dance silver medalist Tanith Belbin as analysts, with Sports Broadcasting Hall of Famer Andrea Joyce serving as reporter." - from NBC Sports' 3/24 press release:

ILIA MALININ AND AMBER GLENN HEADLINE 2026 ISU WORLD FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS THIS WEEK ON PEACOCK, USA NETWORK AND NBC

NBC Sports Presents Live Figure Skating Coverage from Prague, Czechia, Beginning Tomorrow, Wed., March 25 with the Women’s Short Program at 6:30 a.m. ET on Peacock

www.nbcsports.com

ETA: - USFS' team press release (March 24):

U.S. Sends Full Slate of Skaters to World Championships - U.S. Figure Skating

For the first time since 2023, the maximum roster of 18 athletes will travel to the ISU Figure Skating World Championships to represent the United States.

usfigureskating.org