2026 Grand Prix Power Rankings: Shaidorov and Malinin Lead a Reshaped Men's Field

The 2026-27 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating series opens Friday at the Angers IceParc in France, marking the sport's first major circuit since the Milano Cortina Winter Games. The six-event series will determine who qualifies for December's Grand Prix Final in Chongqing, China.[1]

The competitive landscape looks radically different than it did eight months ago in Italy. Olympic women's champion Alysa Liu of the United States is sitting out the season, while Olympic silver medalist Kaori Sakamoto of Japan has officially retired from competition.[1]

The men's field is also missing a major draw, as Olympic silver medalist Yuma Kagiyama announced he is taking the year off to rediscover his enjoyment of the sport. That absence leaves the door wide open for a reshuffled hierarchy to establish itself over the next six weeks.[1]

The Men's Contenders

Kazakhstan's Mikhail Shaidorov enters the Grand Prix de France as the man to beat. Shaidorov produced one of the biggest surprises of the Milano Cortina Games when he captured the men's Olympic title, and he now carries the weight of being the reigning champion into a new quadrennial.[1]

American star Ilia Malinin remains the sport's technical standard-bearer and a heavy favorite for the Grand Prix Final. After a disastrous eighth-place finish at the Olympics, the 21-year-old bounced back immediately to win his third consecutive world title.[1]

"Medals don't define a person," Malinin told Dazed magazine recently. "It's not about winning medals any more. I want to change the sport. I want to push figure skating to a new level of attention."[1]

Malinin will make his Grand Prix debut at Skate America in Everett, Washington, from November 13 to 15. He recently revealed his new short program, set to "Cantata Memoria," which honors the 28 members of the U.S. figure skating community killed in the 2025 American Airlines Flight 5342 helicopter collision.[3]

Estonia's Aleksandr Selevko arrives in France carrying the best early-season momentum. Selevko dominated the Nebelhorn Trophy Challenger event in Germany late last month, posting a winning total of 246.24 points to comfortably clear the field.[4][5]

Selevko will face Shaidorov directly in Angers this weekend. They will also have to contend with French favorite Adam Siao Him Fa and Francois Pitot, who recently scored 224.19 points to take bronze at the Nebelhorn Trophy.[4]

A Wide-Open Women's Field

With Liu and Sakamoto absent, the women's discipline is searching for a new dominant force. Japanese teenager Ami Nakai, who took bronze at the Milano Cortina Games, is positioned to capitalize on the vacuum at the top of the standings.[1]

The United States will send Sarah Everhardt to the Grand Prix de France to test the new international waters. The 2025 Four Continents bronze medalist is entering her third season on the Grand Prix circuit and is aiming for her highest finish yet.[2]

Everhardt returns to the French event for the first time since 2024, when she clinched a fifth-place result. She will need to post a strong score in Angers to position herself for a run at the Grand Prix Final.[2]

Norway's Mia Risa Gomez also established herself as an early-season name to watch. Gomez captured gold at the Nebelhorn Trophy with 175.80 points, finishing comfortably ahead of Italy's Marina Piredda.[4][5]

Early Form in Pairs and Dance

In the ice dance discipline, the American duo of Christina Carreira and Anthony Ponomarenko look sharp heading into the Grand Prix schedule. The pair secured gold at the Nebelhorn Trophy with 188.83 points, establishing themselves as the top U.S. contenders.[2][4]

Carreira and Ponomarenko will lead the American charge in France this weekend. They are aiming to capitalize on their international momentum and lock down the top ice dance spot in the United States following a wave of post-Olympic transitions.[2]

Canadian pair Lia Pereira and Trennt Michaud also established themselves as early-season favorites in the pairs event. The duo posted 194.48 points to win their Challenger Series event in Oberstdorf, Germany, giving them a solid baseline ahead of their Grand Prix assignments.[4][5]

The American pairs team of Audrey Shin and Spencer Akira Howe also showed promise in Germany, taking silver behind the Canadians with 177.83 points. They will look to build on that performance as the premier Grand Prix circuit gets underway.[4]

Competitors earn points on a sliding scale based on their placements at each of their two assigned events. A gold medal secures 15 points, making an early victory in France or Canada crucial for skaters hoping to book their ticket to Chongqing.

The Grand Prix de France competition kicks off Friday at noon local time with the rhythm dance and women's short programs. Skaters are guaranteed two Grand Prix assignments each, with the top six point-earners in each discipline advancing to the December Final.[2]