Stephen Gogolev clinched his inaugural Grand Prix medal on Saturday, but Roman Sadovsky indicated that securing Canada’s single men’s figure skating spot for the 2026 Winter Olympics will be fiercely contested. Gogolev, hailing from Toronto, achieved a third-place finish in the men’s event at the 2025 Finlandia Trophy in Helsinki, showcasing his impressive form this season. Additionally, ice dancers Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier added to Canada’s medal tally by claiming silver in ice dance and securing a spot in December’s Grand Prix Final.
Gogolev, aged 20, entered the men’s free skate in second place following a flawless short program on Friday. Despite finishing third in the free skate with a score of 164.26, he narrowly missed the silver by only .22 points behind Adam Siao Him Fa of France, the European champion and world bronze medalist. Reflecting on his performance, Gogolev expressed satisfaction, acknowledging a few errors that need correction while highlighting his fighting spirit and mental focus throughout the competition.
In contrast, Sadovsky, who initially stood in sixth place after the short program, made a strong comeback in the free skate, securing fourth place overall with a total of 243.29 points, trailing Gogolev by 10.32 points for the final podium position. Yuma Kagiyama of Japan dominated the free skate, claiming first place 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 captivating free dance performance to “Vincent” by Govardo earned them 122.55 points, leading to an overall total of 202.11.
Elsewhere, Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron of France excelled, securing first place in both dances and totaling 204.18 points. Fournier Beaudry, previously representing Canada, partnered with Cizeron, the 2022 Olympic champion, winning gold at the Grand Prix de France earlier in the season.
In other Canadian results, Madeline Schizas of Oakville, Ont., finished fifth in the women’s competition, while Lia Pereira of Milton, Ont., and Trennt Michaud of Trenton, Ont., also claimed fifth place in pairs.
The Finlandia Trophy marks the final event in the Grand Prix series and serves as 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 streamed on CBCSports.ca and CBC Gem, with a detailed streaming schedule available for viewers.
[Source](https://www.cbc.ca/sports/olympics/winter/figure-skating/finlandia-cup-figure-skating-isu-grand-prix-9.6989027)