The Grand Prix figure skating season kicks off in France, marking the start of a new Olympic cycle with significant changes in the competitive landscape. Several top skaters have returned to the circuit, while others have retired or opted to take a break, paving the way for emerging contenders. The Grand Prix de France in Angers starts the six-event series, followed by competitions in Canada, China, the United States, Finland, and Japan. The top six skaters or pairs in each category will qualify for the Grand Prix Final in Chongqing, China in December.
Notably, Olympic champion Alysa Liu from the U.S. and silver medalist Kaori Sakamoto from Japan will be absent from this season. This shift in participation removes two key figures from the previous Games, where Liu claimed gold ahead of Sakamoto and Ami Nakai from Japan.
In the men’s competition, Yuma Kagiyama of Japan, the silver medalist in Milan and runner-up at the 2026 world championships, has decided to take a break from the season to rediscover his passion for skating. On the other hand, Ilia Malinin from the U.S., who rebounded from a disappointing eighth-place finish at the Games to win his third world title, will be competing. Olympic champion Mikhail Shaidorov from Kazakhstan, who surprised everyone by winning the men’s title in Milan, is also back on the ice.
In pairs skating, there has been a noticeable shift with the retirement of Japan’s Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara, the Olympic champions from Milan. This opens up opportunities for other pairs like Anastasiia Metelkina and Luka Berulava from Georgia, and Minerva Hase and Nikita Volodin from Germany. In ice dance, the reigning Olympic and world champions, Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron from France, will continue to lead the field, aiming to solidify their position as the top dance team in the new cycle.
