As the calendar flips to 2025, the countdown to the 2026 Olympics begins for Canada91裸聊视频檚 top figure skaters.

The Canadians hope to build on a strong 2024 in ice dancing and pairs heading into a 91裸聊视频渕assive91裸聊视频� year.

91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檙e one year from the Olympics 91裸聊视频� I look at it that way,91裸聊视频� said Skate Canada high-performance director Mike Slipchuk. 91裸聊视频淎 year from now all we have left is nationals, and then we91裸聊视频檙e in Italy.91裸聊视频�

The 2024-25 figure skating season, culminating with the world championships this March in Boston, will give Slipchuk and the Canadian team 91裸聊视频渁 sense of where we91裸聊视频檙e at.91裸聊视频�

After that comes an intense and shortened off-season as athletes prepare for the Milan-Cortina Games, beginning Feb. 6, 2026.

91裸聊视频淭he clock is ticking,91裸聊视频� Slipchuk said. 91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檒l be about ensuring they have the right plan in place to be at their best when they get to Milan.91裸聊视频�

Here are five Canadian storylines to watch over the next 12 months.

GOING FOR GOLD, AGAIN

Will Deanna Stellato-Dudek and Maxime Deschamps repeat as world champions? They91裸聊视频檒l aim to become the first Canadian pair to achieve the feat since Meagan Duhamel and Eric Radford went back-to-back in 2015 and 2016.

Stellato-Dudek and Deschamps struck gold in both Grand Prix assignments after their triumph in Montreal last year, but four teams posted higher scores during the GP season.

They also withdrew from the Grand Prix Final 91裸聊视频� the top competition of the first half of the season 91裸聊视频� while Deschamps recovered from an illness.

Slipchuk is confident they91裸聊视频檒l return to their best with the Canadian championship in Laval, Que., approaching on Jan. 14-19.

The pair can finally focus on throws, lifts and jumps instead of immigration after American-born Stellato-Dudek gained Canadian citizenship in December. The 41-year-old is now eligible to represent Canada at the Olympics.

91裸聊视频淓very year they become a bit stronger, they refine certain elements,91裸聊视频� Slipchuk said. 91裸聊视频淭hey need to use the next two months 91裸聊视频� to build up that trajectory so that when they get to Boston, they feel they91裸聊视频檙e at the peak of their game.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频楢 ONE-OFF91裸聊视频�

Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier posted the best free dance score in a silver-medal finish at worlds last March, signalling the 2025 edition could be theirs for the taking.

The decorated ice dancers, however, stumbled at the end of 2024.

After dominating at Skate Canada International, they fell from first to second at the Finlandia Trophy when Poirier slipped during their twizzles in the free dance.

A few weeks later at the GP Final, Poirier dropped to the ice from catching his foot on the boards in the rhythm dance.

Gilles and Poirier bounced back with the second-best score of the free, giving Slipchuk confidence they91裸聊视频檙e leaving those mistakes in 2024 and contending through the Olympics.

91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 a one-off,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淭hey came back the next day, they put up by far the second-highest free dance score, so it shows that they91裸聊视频檙e going to be pushing for the top.91裸聊视频�

UP NEXT?

Marjorie Lajoie and Zachary Lagha should pressure Gilles and Poirier at nationals after taking another significant step forward last year.

Lajoie and Lagha finished fifth at worlds and earned two silver medals on the GP circuit before placing fourth in the final, one spot ahead of Gilles and Poirier.

The 2019 world junior champions are proving they could eventually take the reins as Canada91裸聊视频檚 top ice dancers. Can they evolve into Olympic podium contenders over the next 12 months?

91裸聊视频淭hey91裸聊视频檝e definitely moved themselves into the top echelon of dance,91裸聊视频� Slipchuk said.

WHO STEPS UP?

In singles, the Canadian men and women each have just one entry at this year91裸聊视频檚 worlds. They91裸聊视频檒l need a top-10 finish in Boston to secure a second Olympic quota spot, and seeing that in the men91裸聊视频檚 event is unlikely.

91裸聊视频淭o get into the top 10 is going to be a tough climb,91裸聊视频� Slipchuk said.

Top 10 or not, something to watch for in 2025 is who steps up as the leading Canadian man, because the national title feels wide open.

The first half of the season featured three Grand Prix withdrawals due to injury: 2022 Olympian Roman Sadovsky at Skate Canada, reigning national champion Wesley Chiu at Cup of China and Stephen Gogolev at NHK Trophy.

Aleksa Rakic showed promise at Skate Canada with a seventh-place result, finishing a hair outside the top five.

91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檙e optimistic that someone91裸聊视频檚 going to step forward and grab the horns here and move forward with it,91裸聊视频� Slipchuk said. 91裸聊视频淏ut definitely at this point there91裸聊视频檚 no one really leading the pack.91裸聊视频�

STEADY SCHIZAS

There is some hope for a top-10 finish in the women91裸聊视频檚 event with two-time Canadian champion Madeline Schizas having 91裸聊视频渙ne of her stronger seasons since 2022,91裸聊视频� according to Slipchuk.

Schizas has placed 13th (2021, 2023) and 12th (2022) at worlds. Last year, however, the 21-year-old from Oakville, Ont., finished a disappointing 18th on home soil and lost the national title.

This season, she finished just over one point off the podium at Skate Canada with a near personal best, which bodes well for 2025 with the Olympics on the horizon.

91裸聊视频淲ith the women, we feel a lot better of where they91裸聊视频檝e been tracking,91裸聊视频� Slipchuk said. 91裸聊视频淲ith the scores that Maddie has put up this year, she91裸聊视频檚 in the game with those in the top 10.91裸聊视频�