World Figure Skating Championships: 5 things we learned in Montreal
Ilia Malinin keeps raising the bar, Sakamoto Kaori is at her best under pressure, and Deanna Stellato-Dudek defies the rules of age on the ice. We discuss those topics and more after a memorable week at the Bell Centre.
Figure Skating
Deanna Stellato-Dudek looked at partner Maxime Deschamps with a shocked expression on her face and said the first thing that came to her mind: "Oh my God!"
It was the most honest reaction to what she and Deschamps had just achieved in their long program, performing the skate of their lives in front of the home Canadian crowd in Montreal at the World Figure Skating Championships to capture a maiden world title in pair skating.
Theirs was just one of many memorable moments inside Bell Centre as the 2023-24 season came to a close, which marks the halfway point to the coming Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 in Italy.
"We will celebrate the rest of this week and then it's immediately back to work," revealed Stellato-Dudek about the demands of the Olympic figure skating cycle.
But before we move on to the season to come, we examine those aforementioned standout stories from the Worlds week that was. Perhaps none are bigger than the 40-year-old Stellato-Dudek becoming the oldest woman ever to win a world championship title, but the accomplishments of first-time world champ Ilia Malinin in men's singles, and three-peat women's winner Sakamoto Kaori - among others - were history-making themselves, too.
Men's singles: 'Quad God' Ilia Malinin reigns supreme
Malinin was among the favourites coming into Montreal, with two-time Olympic medallist Uno Shoma of Japan the two-time and reigning world champion, as well, having won back-to-back titles in 2022 and 2023.
But it was the 19-year-old American who had beaten Uno, his fellow Japanese skater Kagiyama Yuma and rising French star Adam Siao Him Fa at the Grand Prix Final in December, setting up a battle royale at Worlds.
A chilling Uno, now 26, was at his brilliant best in the short program, taking a - albeit slim - lead over Kagiyama and Malinin, who sat in second and third, respectively. Siao Him Fa had a nightmore short, falling (literally) to 19th.
But the fireworks were saved for the free skate, where Malinin - skating last - would land six clean quads, including his one-of-a-king quadruple Axel in what will go down as one of the most impressive men's programs of all time. As the Bell Centre roared at the conclusion of his program, Malinin fell for the first time all day: Onto his back in emotional disbelief.
“I couldn’t even hold myself up, it was that emotional to me,” Malinin told reporters later, his 227.79 free skate score a new record. “I’m still in shock. I still can’t believe I did this."
Kagiyama held firm in his own free skate, locking up a third world silver in four years, while Siao Him Fa launched the most unlikely of comebacks, rising from 19th to claim the bronze medal, his first at a Worlds.
Uno finished fourth, a fall early in his program disrupting his podium chances. It's just the fourth time he finished off the podium in eight world appearances.
What comes next for him and fellow veteran Jason Brown remains to be seen. Brown, 29, had a more upbeat finish to his Worlds, his fifth-place effort all the more impressive via his exquisite skating in a Worlds that marked just his third time skating internationally in the last two seasons.
Women's singles: Sakamoto Kaori snaps 56-year streak
While Uno couldn't pull off a three-for-three feat, his compatriot Sakamoto did just that, albeit from the fourth-place position after the short program. Her victory in Montreal marked the first time that a female singles skater had won three straight world titles since the great Peggy Fleming in 1966-68 - some 56 years.
It was two-time world medallist Loena Hendrickx of Belgium who led after the short program, where a tentative Sakamoto also finished behind American teen Isabeau Levito and 2023 world silver medallist Lee Haein, who surprised many with her short program performance.
Sakamoto saved her best for last - literally - delivering a decisive, mature performance in the free skate that was both at once redemptive and victorious. Having skated before the final three, she watched and none of Lee, Levito or Hendrickx could pass her, with Loena, in particular, struggling - and ending pu in fourth place.
"At the end, after my [final] spin, I could let it all out and say, 'Yes! I did it,'" Sakamoto said via an interpreter.
Watch out for the up-and-comers, however, as 17-year-old Levito was joined on the podium by fellow teen Kim Chae-yeon of the Republic of Korea.
"I was in a state of shock that I did that," Levito explained, expressing it had been her goal to land on the world podium. "I work so hard for this moment... it took everything of me [to do] it."
Pair skating: Stellato-Dudek's age-defying greatness
There has never been a story quite like Deanna's in the sport, her absence for 16 years after a successful junior career in singles brought to a whole new level with her world title, which came 24 years after she won silver at the World Junior Championships in 2000.
It wasn't clear-cut, however, with Stellato-Dudek and Deschamps having to fight through both of their programs to deliver their best - and the title. 2023 world champions Miura Riku and Kihara Ryuichi of Japan pushed them throughout, winning the free skate, though only doubling their side-by-side triple Salchow attempts (an error that cost them some three points).
Stellato-Dudek's history-making effort in terms of age is not something she's been fixated on, but the accomplishment - she hopes, speaks for itself.
"I mean it's not it's that I ever set out to do when I came back to skating," she said of being the oldest female champion. "But I knew that if I were to accomplish my dreams, it would inevitably occur because I'm the oldest [competitor] everywhere.
"It's something I carry with pride. I'm very proud of it. I hope a lot of other athletes stay around a lot longer."
There was pride in the accomplishment for Miura/Kihara, who struggled with a back injury for Kihara and missed most of the first half of the season.
Germany's Minerva Fabienne Hase and Nikita Volodin, in their first season together, won the bronze medal, making them a team to watch for seasons to come as well.
Ice dance: Chock/ Bates lead veteran podium
Six 30-somethings on the world podium for a second straight year? Yes, you've got that right.
The ice dance field continues to be one that rewards longevity and consistency, led by the top three teams in the world. Americans Madison Chock and Evan Bates are the top of that trio, with the Montreal-based U.S. duo having won gold at the past two world championships.
They did it with their own unique style, their Queen rhythm dance and Pink Floyd free two of the most revered programs in ice dance for the season.
Canada's Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier had a performance for the ages in front of their home crowd, too, the Toronto-based team marking its best-ever finish at a worlds with a third medal, but first silver.
Italy's Charlene Guignard and Marco Fabbri flip-flopped with the Canadians to claim bronze, aptly avoiding a costume disaster at the end of their free dance when Guignard's dress caught on her toe pick.
Will we see any - all?! - of these teams at the 2026 Olympics?
Bates said what many of the others could be thinking: "I think as long as we're in this state of mind and healthy, we're going to keep going as long as we can."
Figure skating: Milano Cortina 2026 looms...
Worlds had an extra special layer: Skaters were aiming to finish as high as they could in their respective disciplines in part to earn quota spots for their respective countries for next year's Worlds, which will take place in Boston.
Those 2025 World Championships will, in turn, offer quota spots for the 2026 Winter Olympics.
It also marked a turning of the corner in the Olympic quad... two years down, two to go.
This is about the time when figure skating fans ask the looming question: Will any champions be making a comeback?
You could inquire as much with reigning Olympic champs Nathan Chen (men's singles) and Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron (ice dance), though at present moment it feels like a more likely outcome for the French duo than the American singles skater.
Regardless, the 2024-25 season promises to be an action-filled one as Milano Cortina ticks closer and closer.