Stephen Gogolev clinched his inaugural Grand Prix medal on Saturday, but Roman Sadovsky demonstrated a fierce challenge for Canada’s single men’s figure skating spot at the 2026 Winter Olympics. Gogolev, hailing from Toronto, secured third place in the men’s event at the 2025 Finlandia Trophy in Helsinki, marking a successful season resurgence. Additionally, ice dancers Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier contributed to Canada’s medal tally with a silver in ice dance, solidifying their spot in December’s Grand Prix Final.
Gogolev, aged 20, entered the men’s free skate in second position after a flawless short program on Friday. Despite finishing third in the free skate with a score of 164.26, he trailed European champion Adam Siao Him Fa of France by only .22 points.
Reflecting on his performance, Gogolev expressed satisfaction, stating, “Overall, I’m pretty happy with how I skated. Obviously, there are a few mistakes to correct, but I fought hard.” He acknowledged the mental impact of being in a podium position for the first time in a Grand Prix but emphasized his focus on the present and giving his best effort.
Sadovsky, initially in sixth place after the short program, narrowed the gap on the medalists during the free skate. The 26-year-old from Vaughan, Ont., delivered the fourth-best free skate to secure a fourth-place finish overall with a total of 243.29 points, trailing Gogolev by 10.32 points for the final podium position.
Yuma Kagiyama of Japan, who held third place going into the free skate, dominated the competition and claimed the top spot with 270.45 total points, followed by Siao Him Fa (256.98) and Gogolev (253.61).
Gilles from Toronto and Poirier from Unionville, Ont., maintained their second-place position after the rhythm dance on Friday. Their performance in the free dance to “Vincent” by Govardo earned them 122.55 points, resulting in a total score of 202.11.
In other Canadian results, Madeline Schizas of Oakville, Ont., secured fifth place in the women’s competition, while Lia Pereira of Milton, Ont., and Trennt Michaud of Trenton, Ont., also finished fifth in pairs.
The Finlandia Trophy serves as the final event in the Grand Prix series and the last opportunity to qualify for the Grand Prix Final, scheduled for December 5-8 in Nagoya, Japan. Live coverage of the Grand Prix Final can be watched on CBCSports.ca and CBC Gem.
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