2026-27 Canadian Figure Skating

[4everchan]

Well, there were 5 U.S. pairs teams on the GP last season who are now missing on the assignments list due to rules changes, plus 4 splits (several repairings) and 1 probable retirement. Those developments opened up spots.

Can you elaborate on which pairs are being affected by rule changes ?

Also, it's not just the US but pairs all over the world who have retired or split. I won't list them because the list is so long that it would burden this thread. I am just curious about which US pairs though, are apparently not able to compete because of the new rules...

 

[Colonel Green]

I am glad that Korea have finally released Minsol fully. Let's hope that they aren't as difficult with Hannah Lim...

Skate Canada is tagged in Lim and Lagha's announcement video.

 

[4everchan]

Skate Canada is tagged in Lim and Lagha's announcement video.

That doesn't mean she's yet released. In any case, they cannot compete this season.

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

Can you elaborate on which pairs are being affected by rule changes ?

Also, it's not just the US but pairs all over the world who have retired or split. I won't list them because the list is so long that it would burden this thread. I am just curious about which US pairs though, are apparently not able to compete because of the new rules...

Umm, it's not that the new U.S. pairs teams can't compete internationally. They were just unable to be selected for GP assignments outright and must rely on possible host assignments. It's the changed ruling from top 12 placement to top 10 placement at Worlds over the last three years that impacts them.

Kam/ O'Shea and Efimova/ Mitrofanov do fit into the top 10 category, so E/M have two GP spots. K/O are out and may be retiring, but haven't said. (K/O are scheduled to perform in a big pairs show in Japan, headlined by Miura/ Kihara, later this year).

Last year, Flores/Wang, K/O, E/M, Shin/Nagy, McBeath/ Parkman, and Chan/Howe all competed on the GP. Only E/M out of these six teams, are currently assigned to 2 GPs.

New pairings: Andrews/ Parkman, Shin/Howe, and McBeath/ Nagy, are split/ returning teams. All three would have benefited from the top 12 ruling, but not the new top ten rule. So, they will have to rely on getting one of the two SA host spots. I think that under the top 12 ruling, Shin/Howe might have gotten 2 GP spots, and the other two new teams, at least one each. They will all need Challenger events to get more competitions under their belts this season.

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

That doesn't mean she's yet released. I'm any case, they cannot compete this season.

You mean they can only compete domestically, not internationally.

 

[4everchan]

Umm, it's not that the new U.S. pairs teams can't compete internationally. They were just unable to be selected for GP assignments outright and must rely on possible host assignments. It's the changed ruling from top 12 placement to top 10 placement at Worlds over the last three years that impacts them.

Kam/ O'Shea and Efimova/ Mitrofanov do fit into the top 10 category, so E/M have two GP spots. K/O are out and may be retiring, but haven't said. (K/O are scheduled to perform in a big pairs show in Japan, headlined by Miura/ Kihara, later this year).

Last year, Flores/Wang, K/O, E/M, Shin/Nagy, McBeath/ Parkman, and Chan/Howe all competed on the GP. Only E/M out of these six teams, are currently assigned to 2 GPs.

New pairings: Andrews/ Parkman, Shin/Howe, and McBeath/ Nagy, are split/ returning teams. All three would have benefited from the top 12 ruling, but not the new top ten rule. So, they will have to rely on getting one of the two SA host spots. I think that under the top 12 ruling, Shin/Howe might have gotten 2 GP spots, and the other two new teams, at least one each. They will all need Challenger events to get more competitions under their belts this season.

Thanks for clarifying which rule you were talking about. It affects everyone though. Canadian pairs too. For instance, Bombardier and Éthier. New teams may not be GP ready anyway. Not too worried about the teams you've listed up there. They need to gel first. Have to end this post now. Hail is falling down so my plants need me

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

Thanks for clarifying which rule you were talking about. It affects everyone though. Canadian pairs too. For instance, Bombardier and Éthier. New teams may not be GP ready anyway. Not too worried about the teams you've listed up there. They need to gel first. Have to end this post now. Hail is falling down so my plants need me

Yep, of course. There have been international splits and retirements that also opened up spots on the GP, which is a good thing for younger teams. Still, that's a lot of U.S. teams missing from the GP, obviously for a number of reasons, as I said in my initial post. I think I left out another U.S. team, Plazas/ Fernandez, who may have had one GP assignment last year, which would make them the second U.S. team returning from last season (Efi/Mit is the other), and another team, Liu/ Bedard, are debuting this season on the GP. ETA: Also, Williams/Lewer are debuting on the senior GP this season with one assignment.

I was only pointing out how things have opened up on the GP with all the off-season developments. I wasn't complaining about U.S. pairs teams being adversely affected, as the rule was not made to specifically hurt them. It is what it is. Plus, I agree with you that not competing on the GP first season out is not necessarily a hardship for new teams. One or two of the new U.S. teams might get SA, in any case.

Take good care of your plants @4everchan, and enjoy their blooming season.

 

[4everchan]

Take good care of your plants @4everchan, and enjoy their blooming season.

thanks... the plants are safe... there wasn't much to worry about after all. I just need my frangipani to blossom this year, the one on the rooftop and the one on the ice

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

thanks... the plants are safe... there wasn't much to worry about after all. I just need my frangipani to blossom this year, the one on the rooftop and the one on the ice

Oh wow, I looked up the frangipani flower. It's so gorgeous! Good luck with it this season.

If you enjoy Italy's Frangipani (Gabriele, that is), hopefully he will do better this season, too, with his recent coaching adjustment.

 

[4everchan]

You mean they can only compete domestically, not internationally.

yup. so for that, they don't need yet the release to be granted and they can still tag Skate Canada because their intention is to represent Canada. they are not registered for CQE. So I am guessing we will see them at Quebec sectionals, then Challenge and Nationals. I think they tagged patinage Québec too.

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

LiLa and Bakerie. Yum, I can hardly wait. Are LiLa the flowers you referenced in the other thread? Are Sandrine and Paul, the Spa? Alicia's nose needs no explaining. I look forward to seeing Alicia/ Marko, too.

Canada has experienced major upheaval in ice dance. And, the U.S. has experienced major upheaval in pairs. Good luck to both of these separate federation disciplines.

 

[4everchan]

Oh wow, I looked up the frangipani flower. It's so gorgeous! Good luck with it this season.

If you enjoy Italy's Frangipani (Gabriele, that is), hopefully he will do better this season, too, with his recent coaching adjustment.

yes... I enjoy both the plant and the skater... both are off-axis and blooming season is tricky. It is what it is... you cannot choose what you fall for... literally and metaphorically.

 

[4everchan]

LiLa and Bakerie. Yum, I can hardly wait. Are LiLa the flowers you referenced in the other thread? Are Sandrine and Paul, the Spa? Alicia's nose needs no explaining. I look forward to seeing Alicia/ Marko, too.

Canada has experienced major upheaval in ice dance. And, the U.S. has experienced major upheaval in pairs. Good luck to both of these separate federation disciplines.

Lilas are lilacs. Pronounced Leelah
Sandrine and Paul are indeed Spa since I need a spa too, not just a bakerie.

Alicia and I decided could be called AlMa for soul. I feel we will get lots of soul from them.

 

[RatedPG]

Robert Brodie interviews Mike Slipchuk about Grand Prix assignments.

Has this about Minsol:

Very interesting article.

Men
I think Aleksa will get the TBD and a second spot. However, we have so many talented Juniors moving up to Seniors. I hope one of them capitalizes in one of the domestic competitions. Let the best skater get this spot.

Women
It is clear in this interview that they want Minsol to compete for the TBD Skate Canada spot. In Juniors, we were supposed to only have 4 spots. Now, with 5 spots for JGP. Lia will grab two of these spots due to Nationals and age. It doesn’t seem like Canada will just give two spots to Minsol. Their criteria for Junior spots is easier and targeted for non-Senior eligible entries. They will want to spread the wealth and give the remaining girls one spot each. Viktoria, Reese, Lulu and Quinn need experience and are only eligible for Juniors. Hence, why they want Minsol for Seniors. Seniors will be tough too for the TBD spot. Right now, Uliana has it with her 158 score at BC domestic event.

Pairs
Our baby pairs Ava/Yohnathan and Kiernan/Jazzy dominated Junior Worlds. It will be interesting to see how they transition to Seniors. I think it will be a challenge for them. But, they just need to improve little by little as we hit the Olympics.

The clear favourites for TBD spot is Loucas and Fiona. I would love to see Tristan and Miyu get two Challenger events though.

As for JGP, we have the maximum 12 spots. I hope we use them. Looking to Etienne to lead the field for us. But, looking forward to David S’s debut the most

Dance
Wide open. But, Bakerie should nab the TBD spot. I’m going to be looking forward to the domestic competitions though to see what team Skate Canada gets behind. I think it will be Bakerie because they need to push them internationally. This is our potential top ten standing teams for Worlds.

 

[CWSkating]

I've missed how we ended up with 5 JGP spots for women? I thought we only had 3 because of Megan's placement?

IIRC Reese is senior eligible as well as she's 17 already. But as she's on Next Gen, SC seems happy to keep her junior internationally for the coming season.

 

[saine]

I've missed how we ended up with 5 JGP spots for women? I thought we only had 3 because of Megan's placement?

In this document for JGP/Junior International Selection criteria for 2026-27, they list the JGP spots - https://skatecanada.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/2026-Selection-to-JGP-and-Jr-Int-Comp-EN.pdf

They have Men as being 5 spots and Women as 5 spots when it should be 6 and 4 respectively based on the placements, according to the 2025-26 announcement. The ISU hasn't published the 2026-27 JGP announcement that would have the spot allocations yet, so I have no idea if this is Skate Canada making a mistake or the ISU changed the rules.

 

[4everchan]

In this document for JGP/Junior International Selection criteria for 2026-27, they list the JGP spots - https://skatecanada.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/2026-Selection-to-JGP-and-Jr-Int-Comp-EN.pdf

They have Men as being 5 spots and Women as 5 spots when it should be 6 and 4 respectively based on the placements, according to the 2025-26 announcement. The ISU hasn't published the 2026-27 JGP announcement that would have the spot allocations yet, so I have no idea if this is Skate Canada making a mistake or the ISU changed the rules.

both of these things are possible
Skate Canada does make typos
the ISU keeps changing rules

 

[4everchan]

Pairs
Our baby pairs Ava/Yohnathan and Kiernan/Jazzy dominated Junior Worlds. It will be interesting to see how they transition to Seniors. I think it will be a challenge for them. But, they just need to improve little by little as we hit the Olympics.

His name is Kieran. Or you can do like me and call them Jazzy and Kiki .

 

[RatedPG]

His name is Kieran. Or you can do like me and call them Jazzy and Kiki .

Lol

Nicknames are the reason I forget the real names of the athletes

I will use Kiki moving forward

 

[NanaPat]

Lol

Nicknames are the reason I forget the real names of the athletes

I will use Kiki moving forward

Jazzy and Kiki are the names they use. In one of Anthony Paradis's YouTube videos, Jazmine introduced herself as Jazzy and someone called Kiernan Kiki. Jazzy and Kiki is better than anything fans could make up.