Canada Ranks Top Five After Day One of Olympic Figure Skating Event
Team Canada made a strong impression on the first day of the figure skating team event at the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games, securing a fifth-place standing. This position allows them to advance to the final round, pending the results of the men’s short programs scheduled for Saturday.
Canada’s Performance Overview
After Day One, Canada earned a total of 19 points. This score puts them one point behind Georgia and three points behind Italy. The United States leads with 25 points, closely followed by Japan at 23 points.
Rhythm Dance Highlights
- Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier represented Canada in the rhythm dance segment, achieving a season-best score of 85.79.
- They finished fourth, just behind Great Britain’s Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson.
- Their technical score included a level two for their pattern step sequence and levels three and two for their midline step sequence.
Despite some technical challenges, Gilles expressed satisfaction with their performance, emphasizing the importance of team dynamics: “Everybody has a role and everybody contributes.” Poirier echoed similar sentiments, proud of their skate and anticipated performance in the individual event.
Pairs Short Program Insights
Lia Pereira and Trennt Michaud competed in the pairs short program, stepping in for injured 2024 World Champions Deanna Stellato-Dudek and Maxime Deschamps. They placed fourth with a score of 68.24 points, just shy of their season best.
- Pereira and Michaud faced some issues on their triple twist and side-by-side spins.
- Despite this, the duo expressed pride in their response to the competition’s pressures and their unity in spirit for their injured teammates.
Women’s Short Program Performance
Closing the day, Madeline Schizas secured sixth place among the women. Her performance included a deduction for a quarter turn short on her opening triple lutz-triple toe combination.
Schizas demonstrated resilience by successfully restarting her program after an initial music failure, showcasing her experience and composure during high-stakes moments.
Looking Ahead to the Men’s Short Program
As the competition moves forward, Stephen Gogolev will represent Canada in the men’s short program, aiming to solidify Canada’s position among the top teams in the free skate segment.
