With the 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Milano and Cortina looming on the horizon, the world of winter sports is buzzing with anticipation and fierce competition. Athletes from across the globe are making their final preparations, and the latest results and previews from both ski jumping and figure skating promise a thrilling Olympic season ahead. Canadian ski jumper Abigail Strate and a host of figure skating superstars are already making headlines as they set their sights on Olympic glory.
Abigail Strate, the 24-year-old sensation from Calgary, is entering the 2025-26 season with a newfound confidence and a record of recent success that has the Canadian ski jumping community abuzz. This summer, Strate enjoyed the best Grand Prix season of her career, landing in the top three in five different events throughout August and September. Her victories at the Olympic venue in Predazzo, Italy, and in Courcheval, France, have not only boosted her standing but also provided invaluable experience on the very hill where Olympic medals will be decided next February.
"It really feels like everything is coming together," Strate shared after her win in Predazzo, according to the Canadian Press. "Getting to jump at the Olympic venue with the best in the world—it’s a huge confidence boost." The summer Grand Prix, where jumpers land on plastic-coated turf instead of snow, may not draw every top competitor to every event, but Predazzo was different. The world’s best made the trip to Italy in September, eager for a sneak preview of the Olympic battleground and the chance to measure themselves against the competition. Strate’s triumph there, against a stacked field, signals she’s a legitimate contender for the podium come February.
Yet, as Strate herself admits, there’s a sense of something missing as she transitions from the summer circuit to the World Cup season. "I feel dialled in, but there’s always more to work on," she said. The adjustment from summer’s turf to winter’s snow is no small feat, and the pressure of Olympic qualification adds another layer of complexity. Still, with her results and mindset, Strate is poised to make a splash as the World Cup season unfolds and the Olympic Games draw near.
Meanwhile, the figure skating world is also heating up as the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating series for 2025-26 gets underway. The six-stop series, which culminates in the Grand Prix Final in Nagoya, Japan, from December 4 to 7, 2025, is a critical proving ground for skaters hoping to secure their spots at the upcoming Olympic Games. The Grand Prix de France kicks off the action from October 17 to 19, with the Cup of China, Skate Canada International in Saskatoon, NHK Trophy in Kadoma, Skate America in Lake Placid, and Finlandia Trophy in Helsinki rounding out the calendar before the decisive Final in Nagoya.
This year’s Grand Prix series is stacked with talent. Reigning world champions Ilia Malinin, Alysa Liu, Miura Riku and Kihara Ryuichi, as well as the dynamic ice dance duo Madison Chock and Evan Bates, are all in the mix and eyeing December’s Final as a key milestone on the road to Milano. The stakes are high, with each skater typically assigned two Grand Prix events and needing strong results to qualify for the Final—and ultimately, to build momentum heading into the Olympics.
Ilia Malinin, the 20-year-old American phenom, stands as the man to beat in men’s singles. Undefeated for the past two years and coming off his second consecutive world title in Boston earlier this year, Malinin has set a blistering pace for his rivals. In Boston, he outscored silver medalist Mikhail Shaidorov by a staggering 31 points, and his technical prowess continues to set him apart. Yet, the field is deep: Shaidorov has shown marked improvement, while names like Kagiyama Yuma (the Beijing 2022 silver medalist), Adam Siao Him Fa, Kevin Aymoz, and Cha Jun-hwan are all expected to challenge Malinin at every turn. Fan favorite Jason Brown, now 30, is chasing a third Olympic berth and brings a sense of history and artistry to the competition, especially with his new short program paying homage to his iconic Sochi 2014 free skate.
On the women’s side, the battle is just as fierce. Alysa Liu’s victory at the 2025 World Championships in Boston marked the first time an American woman has claimed the title since 2006. However, Japan’s Kaori Sakamoto, who won three consecutive world titles from 2022 to 2024, is eager to reclaim her spot at the top. The Japanese contingent is stacked, with Chiba Mone (2025 World bronze medalist), Higuchi Wakaba, Matsuike Rino, Watanabe Rinka, and Yoshida Hana all vying for Olympic berths. Liu faces stiff domestic competition as well, with Amber Glenn, Isabeau Levito, and Bradie Tennell all in contention for the American team.
Pairs and ice dance events are equally unpredictable this season. Miura and Kihara reclaimed their world title in 2023 and are headlining the pairs events at both the Grand Prix de France and Skate America. Germany’s Minerva Fabienne Hase and Nikita Volodin, fresh off a silver medal at Worlds in 2025, are pushing hard, while Italy’s Sara Conti and Niccolo Macii are carrying home hopes into Milano. The surprise return of Olympic champions Sui Wenjing and Han Cong, who haven’t competed in over three years, adds another layer of intrigue to the pairs competition.
Ice dance is bursting with comebacks and rivalries. Olympic champion Guillaume Cizeron has teamed up with Laurence Fournier-Beaudry, though her eligibility for the Olympics hinges on obtaining French citizenship. The American duo of Chock and Bates, three-time and reigning world champions, remain the standard-bearers, but they’re being pushed by Canada’s Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier, Italy’s Charlene Guignard and Marco Fabbri, and Great Britain’s Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson, who claimed bronze at Worlds in 2025. The return of Maia and Alex Shibutani, seven years after their last competitive appearance, is one of the most talked-about stories in ice dance.
For fans eager to catch the action, the International Skating Union has secured TV partnerships across the globe, making it easier than ever to follow the Grand Prix series and Final. From CBC in Canada to NBC and Peacock in the United States, and TV Asahi in Japan, coverage will be extensive and accessible.
As the winter sports season ramps up, athletes like Abigail Strate and the world’s best figure skaters are not just chasing medals—they’re chasing history. With the Olympic Games just months away, every jump, spin, and routine carries extra weight. The coming weeks promise drama, surprises, and unforgettable moments as these athletes push the limits of their sports and their own potential. Stay tuned—the road to Milano is just getting started, and anything can happen.
