Episode notes
In Episode 12 of The Skating Session, Tony Wheeler and Thomas Vu continue their analysis of the 2025–2026 Grand Prix assignments, this time focusing on pairs and ice dance. They examine the impact of high-profile comebacks from Olympic champions Sui & Han, as well as the Shibutanis and Fournier-Beaudry & Cizeron, and what those returns mean for the current competitive hierarchy.
They walk through each Grand Prix event, noting how assignments reflect federation strategy, Olympic positioning, and emerging rivalries. The discussion covers everything from internal national battles in the U.S. and Canada to the evolving dance field now disrupted by returning legends. They also highlight logistical quirks, like the scarcity of spots in pairs and the underassignment of several championship medallist teams.
Tony and Thomas unpack what ...
Keywords
figure skatingISUUSFSice skatingice danceMadison ChockEvan BatesCizeronPapadakis & CizeronFournier-BeaudryOlympicsGrand PrixISU Grand PrixSkate AmericaSkate CanadaGrand Prix FranceCup of ChinaNHK TrophyFinlandia TrophyGrand Prix Final