In 2018, Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir performed their final Olympic ice dance at the Gangneung Ice Arena in Pyeongchang. The Canadian pair delivered an exceptional “Moulin Rouge” routine to clinch gold with a world-record score. CBC Sports analyst Brenda Irving hailed them as the greatest ice dancers of their time. This victory marked Canada’s most recent Olympic gold in figure skating.
Virtue and Moir’s success was part of Canada’s impressive showing at Pyeongchang, with four podium finishes. They also contributed to Canada’s team gold, alongside Kaetlyn Osmond and Meagan Duhamel/Eric Radford’s bronze medals. Looking ahead to Milano Cortina 2026, Canada aims for at least one medal, recognizing the challenge of following such a stellar generation.
After the 2018 gold rush, Canadian figure skating saw retirements from Virtue/Moir, Duhamel/Radford, Osmond, and Patrick Chan, marking a significant transition. The 2022 Olympics, overshadowed by the Kamila Valieva scandal, saw Canada miss the podium. Piper Gilles/Paul Poirier carry the weight of past successes but focus on their unique path.
The upcoming senior nationals in Gatineau will finalize the Milan team. Skate Canada’s Mike Slipchuk draws on 2018 experiences to prepare the current roster. Despite challenges, Canada eyes three potential medals, with an emphasis on rebuilding and supporting the new generation of figure skaters.