The Grand Prix circuit in France marks the beginning of the figure skating season, signaling the start of a new Olympic cycle. With retirements and breaks post-Milano Cortina Games, there are notable changes in the field. Some familiar faces return, while others have chosen to step back, paving the way for emerging contenders.
The Grand Prix de France in Angers kicks off the six-event circuit, followed by competitions in Canada, China, the United States, Finland, and Japan. The top six skaters or couples in each category will qualify for the Grand Prix Final in Chongqing, China in December.
Changes are evident just eight months after the Milano-Cortina Games. U.S. Olympic women’s champion Alysa Liu will be absent this season, and Japanese silver medalist Kaori Sakamoto has retired. This shift removes the top two performers from the recent Games, where Liu clinched gold ahead of Sakamoto and Ami Nakai from Japan.
In the men’s competition, Yuma Kagiyama from Japan, the silver medalist in Milan and 2026 world championships runner-up, has decided to take a season off. Conversely, Ilia Malinin of the U.S., who recovered from an eighth-place finish at the Olympics to win his third world title, is back along with Olympic champion Mikhail Shaidorov from Kazakhstan.
Pairs skating sees a significant shift as Japan’s Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara, the Olympic champions in Milan, have retired. This opens the field for pairs like Anastasiia Metelkina and Luka Berulava from Georgia and Minerva Hase and Nikita Volodin from Germany. In ice dance, Olympic and world champions Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron of France lead the pack, aiming to solidify their position in the new cycle.
American duo Madison Chock and Evan Bates have opted out of this season, while Canadians Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier are sitting out the Grand Prix circuit. This gives an early advantage to Fournier Beaudry and Cizeron, who seized the Olympic title in their inaugural season together. Additionally, Britain’s Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson, bronze medalists at the 2025 world championships, are set to make their mark.