Ilia Malinin breaks his own free skate record at Skate Canada
Ilia Malinin continued his unbeaten run through the figure skating season by winning the men's competition at Skate Canada with a historic free skate score. The American star earned 228.97 points for his free skate, surpassing his own world record of 227.79 set at the 2024 World Championships. His total competition score of 333.81 left him an eye-watering 76 points ahead of the rest of the field. The performance further cemented his status as the sport's dominant male singles skater and the clear favorite for the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Games.
Malinin, known as the Quad God, is a two-time world champion, a two-time Grand Prix Final champion and a three-time U.S. national champion. He has not lost a competition since the 2023 Grand Prix de France. At Skate Canada, he achieved his record-breaking score without attempting his signature quadruple Axel, the most difficult jump in figure skating and one that he remains the only athlete to land in competition. He also made some errors across the short program and the free skate, which makes his margin of victory even more remarkable and has reframed the possibilities of what can be achieved in men's singles skating.
Malinin said after the event: 'It was one of the best programs I've done so far this season. After the third jump, I felt that it was really coming together, and it felt almost like autopilot. Of course, in my personal opinion, it wasn't perfect, and there's always more to add to the program, so I know that hopefully that record can be even higher.'
A Voice: The story behind the record free skate
The free skate program that produced the record is titled 'A Voice.' Malinin explained that its story is about fighting to become a better version of yourself. The program was designed to carry emotional weight in an Olympic year, and Malinin said he wanted something that everyone could understand and connect to their own perspective.
He added: 'It's my passion to not only just become a skater but also to move and change the world of skating. So, especially in an Olympic year, I wanted something emotional, something that everyone could understand, and connect to their own perspective.'
Malinin is coached by his parents, former figure skaters Tatiana Malinina and Roman Skorniakov, as well as veteran coach Rafael Arutunian, who previously guided Nathan Chen. With the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Games approaching, Malinin is the favorite to win gold in what will be his first Olympic appearance. His ability to set records while leaving room for improvement suggests that his ceiling may still be higher than what the sport has already seen.
Men's podium: Selevko rises, Miura rebounds, Tomono slips
Behind Malinin, Estonian Aleksandr Selevko moved up to second place overall after entering the free skate in third following the short program. It was a career-best result at a Grand Prix event for Selevko, who took advantage of the opportunity to stand on a major international podium.
Japan's Kao Miura rounded out the top three. Miura had been fighting for a podium place after a disappointing 10th-place finish at the Grand Prix de France, and his response at Skate Canada showed resilience. His teammate Kazuki Tomono, however, fell from second after the short program to fifth in the free skate, which resulted in a fourth-place overall finish.
France's Kevin Aymoz was unable to build on a solid short program. An 11th-place free skate placement dropped him to 10th overall, a frustrating outcome for a skater capable of challenging for medals when at his best. The men's event underscored both Malinin's extraordinary separation from the field and the volatility that can affect the rest of the competitors.
Ice dance: Gilles and Poirier clinch victory in a tight finish
The ice dance competition at Skate Canada concluded with the free dance, and Lithuania's Allison Reed and Saulius Ambrulevicius won the free dance segment in what is proving to be a game-changing season for the duo. However, the overall title went to Canada's Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier, who overcame an error on the curve lift and the second set of twizzles to clinch first place with a total score of 202.89 points. Reed and Ambrulevicius finished close behind with 200.92 points.
The veteran Canadian team made a return to their fan-favorite 'Vincent' free dance this year. They will be looking to tighten the program at their second Grand Prix assignment in Finland, where they will face off against 2018 Olympic bronze medalists Maia and Alex Shibutani, who are returning after a seven-year hiatus. The matchup adds a layer of intrigue to the Grand Prix season and gives Gilles and Poirier a clear benchmark before the Olympic Games.
For Reed and Ambrulevicius, a third-place finish at the Grand Prix de France and now second place in Canada have given them a possible, if slim, chance to qualify for the Grand Prix Final in Japan. Their free dance victory at Skate Canada signals that they are a team to watch as the season progresses.
Lajoie and Lagha rally for bronze on home ice
Rounding out the ice dance podium at the 2025 Skate Canada International was the Canadian team of Marjorie Lajoie and Zachary Lagha. They rallied from fourth place after the rhythm dance to finish with the bronze medal. Their free-dance score of 116.46 points is far from their personal best of 125.71, but in a stacked ice dance roster heading into the Olympic Games in February, the duo made a strong statement in front of a home crowd.
American two-time national runners-up Christina Carreira and Anthony Ponomarenko finished just off the podium in fourth place. It was a disappointing result for the pair, who had hoped to challenge for a medal. Ponomarenko said: 'We really went for it today. We love this program, and I think we showed that. There were a lot of technical points on the table that we lost, but overall, I'm happy with the attack we had today.'
Two-time Olympic champion Scott Moir, who coaches the pair, also choreographed their free dance. Ponomarenko said he felt there was a lot more room for growing the program as the Olympic season continues. He described the choreographic process as a unique build, largely because the team changed their free dance shortly before the start of the season. Carreira and Ponomarenko next compete at Skate America, Nov. 14-16 in Lake Placid, New York.
U.S. teammates Emily Bratti and Ian Somerville finished ninth, while Leah Neset and Artem Markelov finished 10th. The results give the American ice dance contingent several areas to address before the second half of the Grand Prix season and the push toward the Olympic Games.
What Skate Canada means for the Olympic season
Malinin's record-breaking performance at Skate Canada arrived with a blend of technical mastery and artistic growth. By scoring 228.97 in the free skate without attempting the quadruple Axel, he demonstrated that his baseline is already higher than many competitors' best. The fact that he did so with errors in both programs makes the score even more intimidating for the rest of the field. If he can clean up those mistakes and add the quadruple Axel back into his layout, the record could rise again before the season is over.
His comments about the program and his desire to change the world of skating reflect a broader ambition. Malinin is not only chasing medals; he is chasing a legacy that could reshape how men's singles skating is judged and appreciated. The 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Games will be his first Olympics, and he will arrive as the most talked-about figure skater in the men's event.
In ice dance, the margin between Gilles and Poirier and Reed and Ambrulevicius was less than two points, showing how competitive the discipline has become. Gilles and Poirier's experience and their return to 'Vincent' give them a familiar vehicle, but the errors at Skate Canada leave room for improvement. Reed and Ambrulevicius, meanwhile, have established themselves as serious contenders with their free dance victory.
The Olympic season is still unfolding, and Skate Canada provided several important clues. Malinin remains in a class of his own, but the men's field behind him is unpredictable. The ice dance competition is tightly packed, with established champions, returning Olympians and rising teams all in the mix. The next ISU Figure Skating Grand Prix will be NHK Trophy, scheduled for Nov. 7-9.
Source:NBC Olympics News