2025-2026 Canadian Figure Skating | Page 76 | Golden Skate

2025-2026 Canadian Figure Skating

At this point I don't think even changing their Free Dance would make a difference. Think the judges have already made their choice and that is how it will be no matter what. In fact I feel Piper and Paul will end up in 5th place. Can see the Italians getting 4th... with the backing of the home crowd swaying the judges.
 
At this point I don't think even changing their Free Dance would make a difference. Think the judges have already made their choice and that is how it will be no matter what. In fact I feel Piper and Paul will end up in 5th place. Can see the Italians getting 4th... with the backing of the home crowd swaying the judges.
Well, let's certainly hope not! Neither the Italians nor Fear/Gib are better than Piper/ Paul! And that's the truth!

Plus, even C/B's FD is not better than P&P's Vincent. C/B simply have greater political backing. But yeah, I'd have rather seen Evita or Wuthering Hts., if PiPa absolutely felt the need to repurpose a former program.
 
Because I'm the Grinch and it's Xmas Day, I'll tell you this : the judges decided in 2024, at worlds, that Piper and Paul would not win the Olympics. They decided that when they allowed chock and Bates to win worlds in Canada with only the second ranked free dance. Piper and Paul skated extremely well in the RD but the judges placed them so far away to make sure they wouldn't be world champions.. it worked. in Boston, it looked certain that Piper and Paul were the chosen silver. But then, Cizeron came back, the saviour of a lukewarm Ice dance quad... So Piper and Paul lost all of their support... And now became just vying for the last podium spot... The issue is that the few judges who like gimmicks are sticking by the Brits and now Piper and Paul may end up even lower than fourth

This is not conspiracy theory. It's just my own disappointment of a complete quad cycle in ice dance combined with six days of having the flu and being isolated at home watching series.

I think Piper and Paul deserve a medal at the games. I think FBC are the best dancers out there though I hate their Rd. I know the judges don't care about what I think ;)
 
Last edited:
Canada has some amazing skaters / dancers. Not always the best in the world but competitive and very entertaining. I don't like to believe that the judging at the Olympics is not about who skates best on the day, but also not surprised. I am gong to try very hard to ignore the Olympics this winter but I will enjoy watching Cdn nationals next week. That is my Christmas gift to me.

BTW - CBC doesn't even seem to recognize that figure skating is an Olympic sport in their reporting. Their pundits focus on our chances in hockey, skiing, short and long-track speed skating and - of course - curling. But figure skating isn't even mentioned in their reports. I don't blame them, they are reading the interests of their audience. My biggest worry is that another figure skating controversy at the Olympics will be the final death knell of audience interest in the sport - which is already critically low. I really hope I am wrong.
 
My biggest worry is that another figure skating controversy at the Olympics will be the final death knell of audience interest in the sport - which is already critically low. I really hope I am wrong.
I say bring on the next long ignored controversy that blows up in scandal during the Olympics due to the powers-that-be purposely having had their heads stuck in the sand for far too long! Let it blow up in a way that they can't hide from or cover up with p.r.-driven rules changes intended to smooth things over instead of actually addressing the deep-seated problems that never get fully resolved in figure skating.
 
Was wondering if the choice for which lady to send might partly come down to world rankings. At the moment Maddie is the only one who might have a good start. Gabby with her world ranking would be one of the 1st to skate. And the judges haven't yet taken to SMD so even with a good skate early on she could get buried and not make the free.
 
I have a feeling that Skate Canada will manipulated the score with PCS to make sure that Maddie win.
I would not be surprised to see a clean skate from Sara-Maude Dupuis with the triple axel and finish 2nd or 3rd overall with the same fate as Rinka Watanabe. I have a feeling that no matter what Sara-Maude Dupuis does, they will do everything to make sure Maddie wins.
 
I have a feeling that Skate Canada will manipulated the score with PCS to make sure that Maddie win.
I would not be surprised to see a clean skate from Sara-Maude Dupuis with the triple axel and finish 2nd or 3rd overall with the same fate as Rinka Watanabe. I have a feeling that no matter what Sara-Maude Dupuis does, they will do everything to make sure Maddie wins.
I actually think that Sara-Maude could win Nationals and they would send Maddie.

The only one scenario where Maddie is not going is if she does really really really badly and the winner is Gabby who skates perfectly. I think because of her experience and ability to score higher PCS and GOE than SMD, Gabby could get the nudge.

I love SMD. I just don't think she's managed yet to convince the judges that she is the real deal. Until then, it's easy to send her when there are more spots (4CC, WTT) because she is great... but to send her when all the team event counts on her placement in the SP, it's tricky.

Whoever gets sent will have a lot of pressure to skate a clean SP.

I would think that the odds are
Maddie 80%. (winning nationals = 100%, finishing 2nd = 85%, finishing 3rd = 70% finishing lower, 50%)
Gabby 15% if winning Nationals : she hasn't competed in two years so she has no body of work. Her selection would rest entirely on Nationals and she would need the other leaders to do badly.
SMD 5% if winning Nationals (winning Nationals with a 3a while Gabby and Maddie falter severely and perhaps are not even on the podium would raise this percentage perhaps up to 20% )
 
I think the short will play a big part for selection since whichever woman goes will have to do the short in the team event. That's where they need to nail it.

Right now, we don't know what short program Maddie will have for Nationals since she wasn't able to clear Black Swan and may not want to pay for the rights for the Lion King. She could be competing a completely new short for Nationals. If it doesn't go well, that could take her out of the Olympics.
 
I think the short will play a big part for selection since whichever woman goes will have to do the short in the team event. That's where they need to nail it.

Right now, we don't know what short program Maddie will have for Nationals since she wasn't able to clear Black Swan and may not want to pay for the rights for the Lion King. She could be competing a completely new short for Nationals. If it doesn't go well, that could take her out of the Olympics.
totally agree... and not only the short but the TES in the short. The skaters need to land their 3-3.
 
Well the pressure certainly got to Maddie last time. She skated great in the team event but didn't do will in the singles. Really too bad she didn't gain the 2nd spot last year. Cause they might push each other and also we wouldn't have to have 1 lady skate all 4 programs.
 
totally agree... and not only the short but the TES in the short. The skaters need to land their 3-3.
This is where I'm more optimistic for SMD since she's gone clean with her short at her international competitions so far this season. I think the spot is Maddie's to lose, but the short would have SMD over Gabby in the selection pool right now.
 
Anyone know how much the Lion King rights are? I've heard a lot about music not clearing, rights being expensive, etc.

Are they the same thing? I.e, is it that the Black Swan is just too expensive to pay for? Or is it a case of it being impossible to get approval at all? Same question for lion king.

If it is a case of her having access to the Lion King but having to pay more than she wants - what number are we talking about? $1,000 to skate to it at the Olympics? 2000? 10,000? What is it?
 
Last edited:
Canada has some amazing skaters / dancers. I am gong to try very hard to ignore the Olympics this winter but I will enjoy watching Cdn nationals next week. That is my Christmas gift to me.
I also echo this sentiment. I will applaud the hard work of the Canadian athletes at Nationals. I will salute Piper and Paul and Deanna and Maxime for their many years of beautiful skating and accomplishments. I will enjoy the battleground of determining who our Men’s and Ladies champions will be. I look forward to seeing the potential of the new talent. However, the Grand Prix Final has taught me to have no Olympic expectations. None. Zero. I have family plans during the Olympics that would limit my viewing choices anyway. At first this disappointed me. But now I will enjoy that time away and make up my own mind on who I would crown the winner in the replays. A lifetime of following this sport has sadly taught me that my choices seldom match the podium.
 
Just for making it easier for Skate Canada to choose a girl for the Olympics.

I would like the podium to be one of those scenario :
1- Sara-Maude Dupuis (Gold), Minsol Kwon (Silver) and Uliana Shiryaeva (Bronze) , Gabby Daleman and Madeline Schizas off the podium.
or
2- Gabby Daleman (Gold), Minsol Kwon (Silver) and Uliana Shiryaeva (Bronze), Sara-Maude Dupuis and Madeline Schizas off the podium
or
3- Madeline Schizas (Gold), Minsol Kwon (Silver) and Uliana Shiryaeva (Bronze), Sara-Maude Dupuis and Gabby Daleman off the podium

Because I like all 3 girls (Sara-Maude, Gabby and Madeline).
In these 3 scenarios, it would be easy to choose the one who wins gold simply for the Olympic Games.
 
Back
Top