World champion figure skater Deanna Stellato-Dudek has decided to return to the United States after spending seven seasons competing for Canada. She will now be partnering with Danil Siianytsia in a new pairs collaboration.
Having previously represented the United States in women’s singles over 25 years ago, the 43-year-old athlete moved to Canada in 2019 to skate alongside Maxime Deschamps. However, Deschamps announced his retirement from competitive figure skating in July.
Stellato-Dudek, at the age of 40, made history by becoming the oldest woman to clinch a world figure skating title when she and Deschamps secured gold for Canada in 2024. Additionally, the duo claimed the 2024 Four Continents title and three Canadian championships. Subsequently, she obtained Canadian citizenship, which allowed her to compete for Canada at the Olympics.
Expressing her enthusiasm for the new partnership, Stellato-Dudek stated, “I’m thrilled to embark on this new journey with Danil, and I am grateful for the unwavering support from my fans. I am committed to giving my all to make you proud and represent the USA to the best of my abilities.”
Reflecting on her skating career, she added, “My path in this sport has taken me to unexpected places, but it all began in the United States. I appreciate every moment of my career and look forward to the possibilities that lie ahead with Danil.”
Following a challenging lead-up to her long-awaited Olympic debut, Stellato-Dudek and Deschamps finished 11th at the Milan Cortina 2026 Olympics. A training mishap less than three weeks before the pairs event resulted in Stellato-Dudek hitting her head on the ice. Despite receiving medical clearance just days before competing, a fall during the short program dashed their medal hopes.
On the other hand, Siianytsia, aged 25 and originally from Dnipro, Ukraine, has competed for the United States in pairs since 2017, previously skating with Anastasiia Smirnova.
Stellato-Dudek and Siianytsia will be based in Colorado Springs, training under Olympic coach Drew Meekins in preparation for the qualifying season leading up to the 2027 U.S. Figure Skating Championships.