Team Canada qualifies seven Olympic spots at World Figure Skating Championships
At the conclusion of the 2025 ISU World Figure Skating Championships, Team Canada has qualified seven Olympic spots for a total of 12 figure skaters at Milano Cortina 2026.
That total includes three ice dance teams, two pairs, and one entry each in women’s singles and men’s singles.
Earning three spots in ice dance, Canada qualified the maximum number of entries possible in a discipline. Two criteria had to be met for that to be achieved at the end of the world championships. Firstly, the second-place finish by Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier and the seventh-place finish by Marjorie Lajoie and Zachary Lagha added up to less than 13 points. Secondly, Canada’s third entry, Alicia Fabbri and Paul Ayer, qualified for the free dance, placing them in the top 20 in their world championship debut.
READ: Gilles and Poirier skate to second straight ice dance silver at world championships
“We’re so proud of ourselves!” said Gilles after winning their second straight silver and fourth career world championship medal. “We wanted to be at the top of the podium, so it’s a bit of a disappointment, but we can’t be that disappointed because we skated two wonderful programs. We skated with joy and with our hearts. The Olympic Games are approaching and our eyes will still be on the top step of the podium.”
“We’ve been working on these routines for a year, and everything fell into place and developed just as we wanted it to,” added Poirier. “It’s incredible! We’re proud of what we’ve accomplished and can’t wait to build on this momentum going into the Olympic Games.”
Two Canadian pairs will compete at Milano Cortina 2026, thanks to the final placements of Canada’s top two teams at the worlds. Deanna Stellato-Dudek and Maxime Deschamps finished fifth while Lia Pereira and Trennt Michaud finished 11th, adding up to 16 points. Though they collectively came short of the goal of retaining three pairs spots for the Olympic Games, a points total between 14 and 28 got Canada two spots. The third Canadian team in Boston, Kelly Ann Laurin and Loucas Ethier, finished 16th but their result did not factor into Olympic qualification.
READ: How Team Canada can qualify for Milano Cortina 2026
In the women’s event, Madeline Schizas earned a career-best 11th-place finish at the worlds. That was one spot shy of getting Canada the opportunity to qualify a second Olympic spot in the event. In her fifth world championship appearance, Schizas gave one of the best short program performances of her career, putting her in sixth place and the final flight for the free skate. Though she was unable to hold onto a spot in the top 10, she came very close to her personal best score.
“I’m a little disappointed, but these things happen,” said the three-time Canadian champion. “There was a lot of pressure today and I’m still satisfied with the way I skated.”
“I am generally happy with what I have shown and I am proud to have been able to skate in the last group today,” she added.
In the final event of the world championships, Roman Sadovsky finished 14th in the men’s event. He moved up five spots from his placement last year with a season’s best score in the free skate.
No Canadian athletes have yet been nominated to those Olympic spots. That won’t happen until after the Canadian National Skating Championships in January 2026.
Qualification for the Olympic team event will continue through the ISU Grand Prix Series and Final this coming fall. The 10 qualified countries will be announced in December 2025.