By: Pj Kwong

I am excited to be headed to the 2026 Canadian National Skating Championships in Gatineau, QC not just because the skating is going to be of the highest quality, but also because it comes a month before the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympic Games and it will give us a final glimpse on home ice of the skaters who will be wearing the Maple Leaf.

I am not only obsessed with the upcoming Olympic Games in Italy but also the recent announcement that Synchronized Skating will appear for the first time at an Olympic event with its inclusion at the Youth Olympic Games in 2028.

Overall, Skate Ontario skaters are expected to play a significant role across all five junior and senior disciplines at the 2026 National Championships, combining medal contenders, international veterans, and emerging athletes whose performances could meaningfully shape podium outcomes and future selection pathways.

“Seeing Team Ontario take the ice at Nationals fills us with pride. Each skater carries not just their own dreams, but the support and spirit of the entire Ontario skating community. Like you, I am #SkateOntarioProud,” said Lisa Alexander, Skate Ontario Executive Director.

My personal prediction includes Skate Ontario athletes on a majority of Junior and Senior podiums and hopefully in all disciplines representing Canada in Italy in February.

To be considered for nomination to Canada’s 2026 Olympic figure skating team, athletes must first meet all eligibility requirements set by Skate Canada, the ISU, and the Canadian Olympic Committee, including age, membership, and anti-doping compliance, and they must also achieve the ISU minimum Technical Element Scores at approved international competitions within the qualification period. Meeting these requirements does not guarantee selection, but it makes an athlete eligible to be considered by Skate Canada’s High Performance Development Committee (HPDC). The HPDC then evaluates eligible athletes using competitive results, international scores, consistency, and medal potential to decide who will be nominated to fill Canada’s available Olympic quota spots.

Canada’s best hope for an Olympic medal in Ice Dance will come from four-time World medallists Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier who earlier this season collected a record-setting six consecutive Golds at Skate Canada International. They are on track for a fifth Canadian title.

It’s all well and good to talk from the comfort of your seat about the Olympic season Nationals being important, but from an athlete’s perspective what does it really mean? To answer this question, I turned to three-time Olympic Ice Dance champion and two-time

Olympic silver medallist Scott Moir. He and partner and fellow Ontario skater Tessa Virtue know better than anyone the pressure that can come from an event like Nationals.

Scott now sees himself as a proud coach and will be overseeing seven teams in Gatineau with 3 Junior and 4 Senior. When asked if the competition and the prep for Nationals is any different in an Olympic year? Scott said: “Absofrickinlutely! The whole season is different: the anxiety of September is different and everything that comes after. Nationals is huge! Piper and Paul know they are going to the Olympics, but they also know that they need to have a great performance in Gatineau. I remember at Nationals (coach) Marina said, ‘don’t think it’s going to be an easy -event – it is a huge competition and is taken seriously by all skaters in every event!’”

From both sides of the boards, Scott would know.

At the end of the day and outside of Olympic berths, how will the results at Nationals play into our #SkateOntarioProud hashtag? “Competing at the National Championships is monumental, especially in an Olympic year, and the results will showcase the hard work and dedication of our athletes on the biggest stage,” said Christopher Mabee, Skate Ontario’s Director of Sport. “No matter the placements, striving for personal-best performances that our skaters can be proud of truly embodies the spirit of #SkateOntarioProud.”

Follow @skateontario on your favourite social media platform and use the #SkateOntarioProud hashtag to show your support. If you want to follow along during the event taking place January 5 – 11, 2026, check out Skate Canada’s page here for more information.