By: Pj Kwong

Ontario’s next generation of figure skating talent made a powerful statement last weekend in Gatineau, Quebec, as the country’s top emerging skaters gathered for the Skate Canada NextGen Competition.

Featuring athletes selected to the 2026-27 Skate Canada NextGen Team, the event provided an important early-season opportunity for skaters to assess their progress, measure themselves against their peers from across the country and establish priorities for the months ahead.

For Ontario skaters, the results were especially impressive.

In Junior Men, Grayson Long captured gold, with Colton Moness earning bronze. Fellow Ontario skaters also finished in fourth through seventh as well as 12th place. Ontario entries accounted for six of the top 10 results in the event.

The Junior Women’s event was equally strong for Team Ontario where Reese Rose claimed silver while Victoria Barakhtina earned bronze. In an impressive showing, other Ontario skaters also earned fifth and eighth through 10th places. In total, seven Ontario skaters finished among the top 10.

Ontario also celebrated a silver medal in Junior Pairs, with Alia Tang and William Bocskay finishing second and Brianna Dion and Jacob Cote adding a fourth-place result.

In Junior Ice Dance, Summer Homick and Nicholas Buelow claimed the gold medal, while other Ontario teams also finished in fourth and 12th place.

For the gold-medal-winning ice dance team, the result was another significant milestone in a partnership guided by the father-and-son Islam coaching team. David and Mitchell Islam are behind the success of Homick and Buelow, with Mitchell bringing his own experience as an Olympian and serving as Director of Dance at the Mariposa School of Skating.

For Mitch, the significance of the result goes beyond the medal itself.

“Winning gold at the NextGen Competition is an important step for Summer and Nick because it gives them confirmation that the work they have been putting in is moving them in the right direction. But the real value of an event like this is the opportunity to learn, adjust and continue building as a team. At this stage of their careers, every competition is

part of the process of understanding what they do well and what they need to develop next.”

That process of development is at the heart of the NextGen program.

“Skaters who have taken part in the NextGen program have indicated that it gives younger talented skaters a greater sense of identity, purpose and direction,” says Andre Bourgeois, Skate Canada NextGen Director. “Via the yearly planning meeting and monitoring, skaters have a better idea of the possible development and competitive opportunities ahead, and Skate Canada has a better idea of the skater’s goals for the upcoming season and any potential challenges they may face.” The program is designed to ensure skaters are learning about themselves irrelevant of the result, as they compete at various international events.

That support has helped create a pathway to the highest levels of the sport. Many members of Canada’s 2026 Olympic Figure Skating Team like Ontario skaters Stephen Gogolev, Madeline Schizas, and Lia Pereira and Trennt Michaud, were all former members of the NextGen Team. During the 2025-26 season, NextGen Team members also achieved the most medals from the Junior Grand Prix Series since 2005.

Clearly, the proof is in the pudding.

Along with a stronger sense of identity, purpose, and direction, the program also provides athletes greater accountability between them and Skate Canada. Those yearly planning meetings, monitoring and post-competition debriefs, encourage athletes to learn from every experience, regardless of the result.

For Lisa Alexander, Executive Director of Skate Ontario, Ontario’s success in Gatineau reflects both the depth of talent in the province and the strength of the development environment supporting these athletes.

“The results in Gatineau are a wonderful reflection of the depth and quality of talent developing across Ontario. These skaters are not only achieving strong competitive results; they are building the skills, relationships and resilience that will help them continue progressing through the sport. We are incredibly proud of their performances and of the coaches, clubs and families who support them every step of the way.”

The NextGen Competition offered more than a medal opportunity. It gave young skaters the chance to connect with peers on a similar pathway, build friendships and leave Gatineau with a clearer understanding of what comes next.

For Ontario, the message was clear: the future of Canadian figure skating continues to be exceptionally bright with Skate Ontario athletes leading the way.

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