The air inside the Slush Puppie Centre in Gatineau this past January was thick. Not just with the usual smell of Zamboni exhaust and overpriced coffee, but with the kind of tension you only get when Olympic dreams are literally three minutes of footwork away. Watching the 2026 Canadian National Skating Championships felt different this year.
Skate Canada figure skating isn’t just about the glitter and the perfect landings anymore. It’s in the middle of a massive identity shift. We’re seeing legends like Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier basically defy time, while the organization itself is drawing hard lines in the sand over provincial laws. If you haven't been paying attention since the last Olympics, you've missed a lot. Honestly, the sport is undergoing a total makeover, from who gets to compete to how we even measure a "good" skate.
The Big Shakeup: Gatineau and the Road to Milano Cortina
Most people think Nationals is just a victory lap for the favorites. Not this time. The 2026 championships were a wild ride that basically decided who gets on the plane to Italy for the Milano Cortina Olympics.
Stephen Gogolev finally did it. After years of being the "next big thing" and struggling with growth spurts and injuries, he captured his first senior national title. It was a long time coming. On the flip side, we saw Madeline Schizas lock down her fourth title, proving she’s the undisputed queen of Canadian women’s singles right now. But the real drama? That was in the pairs and ice dance.
The Results That Mattered
- Ice Dance: Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier grabbed their fifth title. They’re skating with a kind of freedom now that’s honestly scary for their international rivals.
- Pairs: It was a shocker. Lia Pereira and Trennt Michaud took gold after the heavy favorites, Deanna Stellato-Dudek and Maxime Deschamps, had a rough free skate.
- The Comeback: Gabrielle Daleman, a 2018 Olympic medalist, pushed Schizas to the limit. It was vintage Daleman—powerful and gritty.
Why Skate Canada is Boycotting Alberta
This is the part that isn't just about triple axels. In December 2025, Skate Canada made a massive announcement: they are officially pulling all national and international events out of Alberta.
Why? It’s all down to the province’s "Fairness and Safety in Sport Act." This law restricts transgender athletes from participating in female-only sports. Skate Canada didn't blink. They stated they can't host events in a place that contradicts their national standards for inclusive sport.
It’s a huge deal. The 2025-26 Skate Canada Challenge was just held in Calgary, but now, Alberta is a "no-go zone." This has sparked a massive feud between the organization and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith. Whether you agree with the move or not, it shows that Skate Canada is willing to take a massive financial hit—losing major venues and tourism revenue—to stick to its "Safe Sport" guns.
The Aging Curve: Why 40 is the New 20
For decades, figure skating was a sport for teenagers. If you were 21, you were "old."
Look at Deanna Stellato-Dudek. She’s out here winning World titles and competing for Olympic spots in her 40s. It’s unheard of. This shift is partly because of better sports science, but also because Skate Canada has leaned into the "exploration era" of their veteran athletes.
Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier are another example. After Piper’s battle with ovarian cancer, they didn't just come back; they got better. They’ve spoken openly about taking a "season-by-season" approach. This lack of pressure has actually made them more creative. They aren't just checking boxes for judges anymore; they’re making art.
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The Technical Grind: It’s Not Just About Jumping
The 2025-2026 season brought some specific technical tweaks that changed the game for Canadian skaters. For the Rhythm Dance this year, the theme was the 1990s. We’re talking grunge, techno, and hip-hop on ice. It sounds cool, but it’s a nightmare to judge.
Skate Canada has been pushing their skaters to focus more on "Skating Skills" and "Composition" because the international judging system (IJS) is now factoring these more heavily.
Modern Judging Breakdown
In the past, you could fall on a quad and still win because the "base value" was so high. Now? The "trimmed mean" calculation for program components is more punishing. If your edges are shallow or your choreography is hollow, the judges in 2026 will bury you. Canadian skaters like Marjorie Lajoie and Zachary Lagha have climbed into the world top five specifically because they focused on these "invisible" details rather than just chasing the highest-level twizzles.
Grassroots: The "CanSkate" Refresh
If you have a kid starting out, the Skate Canada you remember is gone. They’ve overhauled the CanSkate and STARSkate programs recently.
The focus now is on "Long Term Development" (LTD). Basically, they’ve realized that burning out 10-year-olds with three-hour morning sessions is a bad idea. The new "First & Fast Strides" program, launched in late 2024, is designed to be more accessible. They’ve even changed the terminology—moving away from just "Skills" to "Elements"—to help kids understand the mechanics of what they’re doing on the ice.
Realities of the 2026 Olympic Team
Canada is sending a powerhouse team to Milano Cortina, but the depth isn't the same across all disciplines.
- Ice Dance: We are stacked. Three teams (Gilles/Poirier, Lajoie/Lagha, and Lauriault/Le Gac) are all legitimate threats for the top 10 or better.
- Pairs: Two spots. Pereira/Michaud and Stellato-Dudek/Deschamps are the anchors.
- Singles: This is the weak point. Canada only earned one spot each for men and women. That means Stephen Gogolev and Madeline Schizas are carrying the entire weight of the country on their shoulders.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Skaters
If you’re following Skate Canada figure skating or getting involved yourself, here is how to navigate the current landscape:
- Watch the Challenger Series: If you only watch the Olympics, you’re missing the real story. Follow the ISU Challenger events in early January to see how the "B-team" is developing.
- Focus on the "Edge": If you're a skater, stop obsessing over the triple loop. The 2026 judging focus is on power and speed. The new "no outer circuit templates" rule in CanSkate stages 3-4 is specifically there to force skaters to use the full width of the ice.
- Support Local Clubs: With the Alberta ban and rising ice costs, local clubs are struggling. Volunteer boards run most of these, and they are the only reason we have an Olympic team at all.
- Know the Rules: Keep an eye on the "Safe Sport" updates. Skate Canada is currently one of the most aggressive organizations in the world regarding athlete safety and inclusion policies. This affects everything from how coaches can interact with skaters to which provinces can host the next Nationals.
The 2026 season is proving that Canadian figure skating isn't just surviving the post-Virtue/Moir era—it's finally finding a new way to win. It’s grittier, older, and a lot more political than it used to be, but the talent on the ice is undeniable.
To stay updated on the latest competition schedules and National Team assignments, you should regularly check the Skate Canada Notice Board for high-performance bulletins. If you are planning to attend an event like the upcoming Skate Canada Trophy in Dartmouth, ensure you review the updated spectator camera policies, as professional-grade lenses over 200mm are now strictly prohibited to ensure athlete safety. For those looking to start skating, the most direct path remains finding a sanctioned club that offers the refreshed CanSkate Stage 1-6 curriculum, which is now the mandatory prerequisite for all STARSkate competitive streams.