Anthony Paradis
For Canada’s Anthony Paradis, the 2024-25 figure skating season wasn’t just about landing jumps or winning medals—it was a year of growth, pressure, and profound self-expression. Coming off a successful year, Paradis didn’t shy away from setting big goals—and met them head-on.
“I really wanted to medal at nationals again,” Paradis shared. “I did that, so I was really happy.”
But it wasn’t without emotional weight.
“Going into it was really difficult, because I had the pressure of having a medal last year and wanting to medal again,” he admitted. “But I think I managed it really well.”
Performing at nationals in front of family and friends only added to the pressure—but also made success even sweeter.
“So many emotions happened there,” he recalled. “It was just a beautiful moment seeing everyone in the crowd standing up and feeling so accomplished.”
He also secured a spot on the Junior World team, another personal milestone achieved.
Evolving as an athlete
Comparing the 2024-25 season to the one before, Paradis pointed to a major leap in consistency. The athlete, who considered himself a “messy skater” when it came to jumping, feels much more secure now.
“I think my technique is a lot better now,” he said. “My confidence with my jumps is way better. I mean, you know, hiccups happen here and there, but that’s normal. You can’t be perfect all the time.”
But development wasn’t only technical. Paradis learned to handle nerves with more grace.
“I used to not sleep before competitions because I was so nervous,” he admitted. “Now I see it as an exciting thing,” he said, a shift that’s allowed for more joy in the process. “I feel like I’m a lot more capable of handling nervousness and anxiety when it comes to competition.”
That mindset is especially helpful as Paradis looks ahead.
“I keep telling myself: at the end of the day, I’m doing this because I’m having so much fun doing it,” he said. “If it was too much, I would have stopped years ago. Right now, it’s not the time to stop. It’s still a work in progress, but it’s a lot better than when I first started as a junior.”
Summer training and new collaborations
This summer, Paradis trained extensively and had the opportunity to work with the legendary Rafael Arutyunyan in Montreal as well as Keegan Murphy in Vancouver.
“It was a cool experience,” he said of the week-long training session with Arutyunyan. “He’s a lot different from what I’m used to… but it was interesting to see how he thinks about skating. It was a lot of fun!”
Training focused heavily on improving jump quality and confidence, especially the elusive triple Axel.
“I’ve landed it a couple of times last season, but never in competition,” Paradis noted. “We’re getting there… I see the light at the end of the tunnel.”
Paradis felt that he lacked confidence in part, due to jumps.
“When I was younger, I got nice compliments like, ‘Oh, you’re such an artistic skater’ and that my ‘expressions were good,'” he recalled. “But I feel like no one was acknowledging my jumps. So, I always felt insecure about them. Not because they were necessarily bad, but because you know, my second score was always better than my first. But I think this has improved and I’m a lot more confident.”
2025-26 Programs
His programs this season reflect a deepening sense of artistry. His short program from last season to “The Citrine Cross” and “The Demand of Man” remains unchanged. However, his new free skate—set to Dvorak’s Symphony No. 9 “From the New World”—tells a more conceptual story.
“I wanted to use a thunderstorm as a metaphor for life,” Paradis explained. “It starts with the sounds of birds and light rain, then it switches to a big thunderstorm in the end. I feel like this represents life. You start as a child and you’re so happy—even if it rains, you smile. But as you grow older, you face heartbreak, challenges… and finally, you start to remember all the good memories, but also see the end coming. That’s what I’m trying to show.”
Creative control is something Paradis values deeply. From the design of his new costume—intended to look “wet” like a rain cloud—to the choreography itself, he is hands-on. He worked with David Wilson on the choreography for the free skate. His costume will transition from a “cloud” to a “thunderstorm” as the season progresses.
“I always think about the costume and the music because I think it’s a way more authentic,” said the skater. “And I’m not really good at letting people tell me what to do. That’s a problem that I have. So I found the best way for me to be comfortable on the ice is to think about my own costume and what I want to wear.”
For the short program, choreographed in collaboration with coach Vanessa Sauriol, Paradis portrays a character haunted by internal voices—a concept that hasn’t changed since its inception. The emotional arc is powerful—and personal.
“Some voices are good, some are funny, and some are bad,” he described. “It closes with all the voices coming together at once, overwhelming and taking full control of the character.”
Balancing training, life, and dreams
Outside the rink, Paradis embraces his creative side—enjoying fashion, nail-painting, and reading.
“I love experimenting with clothes,” he said. “You can learn so much about a person by what or how they wear their clothes. It’s so fun! There is no gender to clothes. I have so many friends that dress completely different, which is so fun. Clothes tell a story, and I love telling stories.”
While the skater doesn’t participate in any other sports, he likes to play tennis with his sisters when their schedules align.
“We all suck, but it’s so fun because we get to laugh at one another!” he said.
While he has no pets, he would love to own a Dalmation one day.
“I’ve been begging my parents to have one for years because I think they’re so pretty,” he said. “I’ve been obsessed with them since I was a kid. I don’t know why. I think they’re so cool. They’re so different from other dogs and I love the spots.”
His idols in figure skating include Jason Brown, Yuzuru Hanyu and Rika Kihira.
“Jason has the best skating skills,” said Paradis. “It’s a once in a lifetime talent. Also, his determination. Like he’s getting older, but he’s still there and still performing as much as he did when he was younger. It’s so impressive to be putting yourself out there after all those years. It’s so inspiring!”
Paradis pointed out the Hanyu has pushed many boundaries and that there’s “no one like him and never will be again.”
“He made everything look so easy all the time, which I think is incredible,” he said of the two-time Olympic champion. “Rika was the same in that she made everything look so easy. Everything flowed and her jumps just came out of nowhere.”
Season start and goals
Paradis, who is competing as both a junior and senior this season, placed third in the junior division at Cranberry Cup last week. While he finished third in the free skate, he still had the highest program component scores of the men.
“I am definitely so happy and so proud of myself,” he said. “It’s my first international medal, so that’s a big achievement! I was a bit disappointed after the short, not going to lie, but I mean, it’s all right. We can’t be perfect all the time.”
The skater admitted he was a bit nervous going into the free skate, especially after seeing his teammate David Bondar do so well in his free skate.
“When the music started, I forget all of those things and I just tried to focus on my skate,” said Paradis. “I think I did that pretty well. While I’m skating, I’m just trying to have fun and concentrate on the things I want to do. Although not perfect, it was a lot better than at Nextgen.”
He will compete again at JGP Bangkok next month, but has no plans to change the layout of his programs.
One of his goals for the season has already been met: to break 200 points internationally. While landing a clean triple Axel is next, Paradis emphasized that he just wants to enjoy the journey.
“I also want to work on improving my flow and speed throughout my programs,” said the 18-year-old. “As this is my last junior year, I also want to have fun.”
A peek into the future
Long term, Paradis sees a life in the sport.
“Even if I try to stop, I’ll never be able to,” he said. “I mean, even when I take a week off, I can’t wait to come back. Skating will always be a big part of my life. Maybe as a coach and/or choreographer.”
The path ahead includes new challenges, particularly the transition to senior skating. But Paradis is ready. With confidence built over seasons, support from coaches and peers, and a clear artistic voice, he is skating into the future on his own terms—storm or shine.
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