It’s getting hot in Halifax when reigning ISU World Champions Ilia Malinin (USA), Kaori Sakamoto (JPN) and Deanna Stellato-Dudek / Maxime Deschamps (CAN) take the ice at Skate Canada International, the second event of the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating series 2024/25. Malinin wants to become the first Skater to secure his spot in the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final while other stars enter the ISU Grand Prix race in Halifax at the Scotiabank Center. 

The Top Contenders 

2024 ISU World Champion Ilia Malinin comes fresh off his win at Skate America last week, however he had to fend off a challenge by Kevin Aymoz (FRA). Who is up to challenge the “Quad God” at Skate Canada? 2023 ISU World silver medalist Junhwan Cha (KOR), ISU Grand Prix Finalists Shun Sato (JPN) and Sota Yamamoto (JPN) top that list. Cha looked strong at the Shanghai Trophy earlier this month while Yamamoto won the ISU Challenger Nebelhorn Trophy in September. Other contenders include Jason Brown (USA) who returns on to the ISU Grand Prix circuit for the first time since 2021 after sitting it out voluntarily, Gabriele Frangipani (ITA) and Vladimir Litvintsev (AZE). 

Ilia Malinin (USA) - In the Kiss & Cry after the Men's Free Skating - ISU World Figure Skating Championships 2024 Montreal (CAN) - ©International Skating Union (ISU)

Malinin is getting ready for Skate Canada. “Having a few days in between the events, it's going to be pretty challenging to take all of this (experience from Skate America) and come up with a plan, but I think my goal is to just stick to what I've been training the past few weeks and to really just give my all next week,” he commented in Allen.

Three-time and reigning ISU World Champion Kaori Sakamoto (JPN) is back at Skate Canada! She is looking to defend her title from last year and do the first step towards the ISU Grand Prix Final. ISU Grand Prix Finalist Hana Yoshida (JPN), armed with a triple Axel, looks ready to challenge the champion. The 2023 ISU European bronze medalist Kimmy Repond (SUI) aims at her first ISU Grand Prix medal while Yelim Kim (KOR) wants to rebound after a subpar season. All eyes will be on Alysa Liu (USA), the 2022 ISU World bronze medalist, who came back out of retirement and started her season with a win at the ISU Challenger Budapest Trophy. Elyce-Lin Gracey (USA) is hoping to improve from her sixth-place finish at Skate America last week. 

Kaori Sakamoto (JPN)  - ISU World Figure Skating Championships 2024 Montreal (CAN) - ©International Skating Union (ISU)

Reigning ISU World Champions Deanna Stellato-Dudek/Maxime Deschamps (CAN) are the hot favorites in the Pairs event. The battle for the spots on the podium and precious points for the ISU Grand Prix standings look open with 2023 Skate America Champions Annika Hocke/Robert Kunkel (GER), two-time ISU World Junior silver medalists Anastasia Golubeva/Hektor Giotopoulos-Moore (AUS) and two-time ISU Four Continents silver medalist Emily Chan/Akira Spencer-Howe (USA). The dark horse in the race are Ekaterina Geynish/Dmitrii Chigirev (UZB), who debut at the ISU Grand Prix.
Ioulia Chtchetinina/Michal Wozniak (POL) came in as a late replacement for ISU European Champions Lucrezia Beccari/Matteo Guarise (ITA) who withdrew due to injury.

Deanna Stellato-Dudek/Maxime Deschamps (CAN) - ISU World Figure Skating Championships 2024 Montreal (CAN) - ©International Skating Union (ISU)

“We are very excited to get our season officially started,” Stellato-Dudek shared. “We worked a lot on the Short Program, we made a lot of changes in the transitions and tried to just make it more dynamic, more polished, and the same with the free as well. We’re hoping to give a more dynamic performance, more polished performance and a cleaner technical performance (than at Nebelhorn Trophy)”, she continued.

Being in Halifax is extra interesting for Stellato-Dudek: “I’m studying for my (Canadian) citizenship exam and there’s a lot of questions where Halifax is the answer, so it’s rich in history.”

Reigning ISU World silver medalists Piper Gilles/Paul Poirier (CAN) start into their season at Skate Canada International and face a challenge by their teammates and ISU Grand Prix Finalists Marjorie Lajoie/Zachary Lagha right away. The fight for the podium will be intense with Natalie Taschlerova/Filip Taschler (CZE), three-time ISU Grand Prix bronze medalists Evgeniia Lopareva/Geoffry Brissaud (FRA), 2022 ISU World Junior Champions Oona Brown/Gage Brown (USA) and Hannah Lim/Ye Quan (KOR) in the mix. And don’t count out Emilea Zingas/Vadym Kolesnik (USA).

Piper Gilles/Paul Poirier (CAN)  - ISU World Figure Skating Championships 2024 Montreal (CAN) - ©International Skating Union (ISU)

A total of 60 Skaters/Couples representing 15 countries will compete in the Scotiabank Center. For full entries, schedules & results, see the ISU Grand Prix Event Page & ISU GP Skate Canada Event Page & Official Skate Canada Event Website. Skate Canada International celebrates its 50^th anniversary this season. The event comes to Halifax for the fourth time and returns to the city for the first time since 2004.

Check out the ISU Grand Prix Standings to find out who is on their way to qualify for the Final:

Men       Women            Pair Skating      Ice Dance

What & When

The schedule of Skate Canada International is as follows

Friday, Oct 25: Pairs & Women’s Short Programs

Saturday, Oct 26: Rhythm Dance, Men’s Short Program, Pairs & Women’s Free Skating

Sunday, Oct 27: Men’s Free Skating & Free Dance

Follow the ISU Grand Prix events:

The schedules of each ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating event are available below:

1. 18 - 20 Oct 2024                       Skate America in Allen, TX (USA)
2. 25 - 27 Oct 2024                       Skate Canada International in Halifax (CAN)
3. 01 - 03 Nov 2024                      Grand Prix de France in Angers (FRA)
4. 08 - 10 Nov 2024                      NHK Trophy in Tokyo (JPN)
5. 15- 17 Nov 2024                       Finlandia Trophy in Helsinki (FIN)  
6. 22 - 24 Nov 2024                      Cup of China in Chongqing (CHN)

The ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final: 

1. 05 - 08 Dec 2024                        Grenoble (FRA)