By Hiro Yoshida
For the past decade, Montreal has become the capital of ice dance and this week the city plays host to the World Championships. Madison Chock and Evan Bates (USA) are back to defend the title they won last year in Saitama, Japan and close out their season on a high.
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Four years on from being cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Montreal, Canada finally gets its opportunity to host the cream of the world’s figure skating talent.
When is it on?
The World Championships begin Wednesday, 20 March with the pairs short programme and conclude Sunday, 24 March with the exhibition gala.
Who is skating?
Two-time defending champion Shoma Uno (JPN) is back to try to retain the men’s title, but he will have his work cut out. Ilia Malinin (USA) took top honours at the Grand Prix Final last December, while Yuma Kagiyama (JPN) has been making steady progress back to peak form and captured the Four Continents title last month. Adam Siao Him Fa (FRA) is the top European contender and vanquished all three of the aforementioned men on the Grand Prix circuit this season.
Kaori Sakamoto (JPN) has been in a league of her own again in 2023-2024 remaining undefeated. If she is to win her third consecutive World title, she will the first female skater to do so since Peggy Fleming (USA) in the 1960s. If Sakamoto is not on top form, Loena Hendrickx (BEL) may perhaps be poised to add to the European title she won in January. Four Continents champion Mone China (JPN) should be in the hunt for the medals, while Isabeau Levito (USA) will seek to step onto the podium after finishing fourth last year in Saitama, Japan.
Deanna Stellato-Dudek and Maxime Deschamps (CAN) will be hoping to use the home advantage to pick up a first World medal. The Canadians have already beaten reigning World pairs champions Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara (JPN) at last month’s Four Continents. The Japanese have had a season plagued with injury and it will be interesting to see if they can turn things around in Montreal. Minerva Fabienne Hase and Nikita Volodin (GER) spectacularly won the Grand Prix Final in December, although they then missed the podium at Europeans. Lucrezia Beccari and Matteo Guarise (ITA) rose to the occasion in Kaunas and will be joined in Montreal by teammates and 2023 European champions Sara Conti and Niccolo Macii (ITA).
Ice dance comes to its capital city this week. Madison Chock and Evan Bates (USA) nabbed their first World title last year in Japan and are undefeated this season. The home fans will be cheering on Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier (CAN) who have momentum following their first ISU Championship title at last month’s Four Continents. Charlene Guignard and Marco Fabbri (ITA) were crowned European champions for the second time this season and will pressing the Americans and Canadians hard.
Everything you need to know (and some things you did not) about the skaters, the competition schedule and results can be viewed here.
When is the skating on?
Lunchtime till the evening in North America, evening till early morning in Europe and morning till lunchtime in Asia. The times listed for the World Championships are local and if you want to know what the time difference is between where you are and Montreal then this link is your friend.
Where can I watch the pretty skaters?
This season’s World Championships can be viewed on the Skating ISU YouTube channel. Geographic restrictions may apply.
What are the hashtags?
#WorldFigure #FigureSkating
By Hiro Yoshida
Carolane Soucisse and Shane Firus surprised the skating world last May when their names appeared on the entry list for the 2023 Irish National Figure Skating Championships. Their whirlwind first season culminates this week with the ice dancers representing Ireland at the World Championships in Montreal, Canada.
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By Hiro Yoshida
In Europe, Adam Siao Him Fa stands head and shoulders above his competitors. This month he gets to test his mettle against the rest of the world in Montreal, Canada.
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By Hiro Yoshida
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By Hiro Yoshida
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By Hiro Yoshida
While Aleksandr Selevko and Mihhail Selevko were born just 18 months apart and have skated together almost their whole lives, the Estonian brothers have each forged their own separate paths throughout their careers.
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By Hiro Yoshida
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