You think you know French figure skating? Most people picture a quiet, polite crowd and some nice classical music. Honestly, that’s not what the Grand Prix of France figure skating is about anymore. It’s gotten loud. It’s gotten fast. And if you weren't watching the 2025 edition in Angers, you missed the moment the "Quad God" Ilia Malinin basically turned the rink into a personal laboratory.
He didn't just win. He won by forty points.
That is not a typo. 40.
The Grand Prix of France has this weird, electric history of being the place where the "unthinkable" happens. It’s the event where local favorite Adam Siao Him Fa pulled off a backflip while it was still illegal (and got fined for it), only for the ISU to look at the crowd's reaction and decide, "Yeah, maybe we should unban that." It's a vibe you don't get at Skate America or the NHK Trophy.
Why the Grand Prix of France figure skating is the "Chaotic Neutral" of the Circuit
The event has moved around a lot. From Paris to Bordeaux to Grenoble and now Angers. It’s had more names than a witness protection program. You might remember it as the Trophée Eric Bompard or the Internationaux de France. But since 2022, it’s been the Grand Prix of France figure skating, and it has settled into its role as the high-drama opener or early-season pivot point.
Why does it feel different? Maybe it’s the French Federation of Ice Sports’ willingness to embrace the showmanship.
🔗 Read more: New Zealand Breakers vs Illawarra Hawks: What Most People Get Wrong
In October 2025, the Angers IceParc was packed. We saw the return of Guillaume Cizeron. Most people thought he was done after the Beijing Olympics, but no. He showed up with a new partner, Laurence Fournier-Beaudry, and they just... took gold. It was like he never left, yet everything was different. That’s the thing about this specific Grand Prix stop—it’s where the veterans come to prove they still have "it" and the juniors come to ruin everyone’s predictions.
The 2025 Shocker: The Japanese Sweep
If you’re a betting person, you probably put your money on Kaori Sakamoto in the women's event. She’s a legend. A three-time World Champion. But Ami Nakai, a senior debutant, had other plans.
Nakai didn't just skate; she attacked.
She landed a score of 227.08, leaving Sakamoto in second place. It was the first time in two seasons that Sakamoto had been beaten at a Grand Prix event. Rion Sumiyoshi took the bronze, completing an all-Japanese podium that left the French crowd stunned but appreciative. It’s this kind of unpredictability that keeps the Grand Prix of France figure skating at the top of the "must-watch" list for die-hard fans.
The Technical Madness of the "Quad God"
We have to talk about Ilia Malinin. People call him a robot, but if you saw him in Angers, you know that’s a lie. He’s a scientist.
💡 You might also like: New Jersey Giants Football Explained: Why Most People Still Get the "Home Team" Wrong
In his free skate to a medley including "The Ball" and "Code Duello," he didn't even bother with the Quad Axel—the jump he’s famous for—because he didn't need it. He landed five other quads instead. Three of them were in combinations. He ended with a Quad Salchow-Triple Axel sequence that was so high it looked like he was trying to leave the atmosphere.
- Total Score: 321.00
- Margin of Victory: 40+ points over Adam Siao Him Fa
- The "Raspberry Twist": He’s now inventing movements mid-spin.
Malinin said afterward that he wasn't even in his "best shape" yet. That’s terrifying for the rest of the field as they head toward the 2026 Olympics in Milano Cortina. The Grand Prix of France figure skating served as his warning shot. He’s not just competing against the other skaters; he’s competing against the limits of physics.
Pairs and Ice Dance: The Comeback Kids
The pairs event was a bit more "standard," if you can call a 20-point victory standard. Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara were just on another level. They erased the mistakes they made at the Kinoshita Group Cup and skated a nearly perfect program to finish with 219.15.
But the real heart-tugger? Deanna Stellato-Dudek.
At 42 years old, she is still out there winning silver medals at the highest level of sport. Think about that. Most figure skaters are "retired" by 25. She’s out here landing throw triples and showing the kids how it’s done. She and Maxime Deschamps are the grit that the Grand Prix of France figure skating thrives on.
📖 Related: Nebraska Cornhuskers Women's Basketball: What Really Happened This Season
In Ice Dance, the Cizeron/Fournier-Beaudry win was a masterpiece of "90s feel," which was the theme for the rhythm dance this season. They hit 200+ points and looked like they’d been skating together for a decade, not a few months. It was a reminder that in France, ice dance isn't just a sport—it's an art form that the locals take very, very seriously.
How to Actually Watch and Enjoy the Grand Prix
If you’re trying to follow the Grand Prix of France figure skating from home, it can be a bit of a headache with the time zones. Since it’s usually held in late October, you’re looking at early morning starts if you’re in North America.
- Check the ISU YouTube Channel: If you’re in a "dark zone" (a country without a primary broadcaster), they stream the whole thing live for free.
- Peacock (USA) or CBC (Canada): These are usually your best bets for high-quality commentary.
- Don't skip the Gala: The French Gala is notorious for being weird. In a good way. It’s where you see the backflips, the costumes that wouldn't pass the "official" rules, and the skaters actually having fun.
The Grand Prix of France figure skating isn't just another stop on the road to the Final. It’s the event that sets the tone. It’s where we saw that Malinin is untouchable, that Nakai is the future, and that Cizeron is still the king of the ice.
As we look toward the rest of the season, the results from Angers are going to be the benchmark. If you want to understand who has a shot at Olympic gold in 2026, you start by looking at what happened on the ice in France.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Aspiring Skaters:
- Analyze the Protocols: Don't just look at the total score. Look at the Grade of Execution (GOE). Malinin’s win wasn't just about the jumps; it was about the +4s and +5s he got for the quality of those jumps.
- Follow the Challenger Series: Many of the "surprises" in France, like Ami Nakai, showed flashes of brilliance in smaller events earlier in the summer.
- Watch the Warm-ups: Often, the psychological battle of the Grand Prix of France figure skating is won in the six-minute warm-up. Pay attention to who is landing their combos and who is "popping" their jumps. It usually predicts the final result better than the short program rankings.