Send in the Clowns

Send in the Clowns

Olympic Men's Podium, 2026

Every year, around October, something happens that I am sure the general population finds quite incomprehensible. The small minority of humanity that is unhinged enough to have an affection, or, I daresay, a love for the sport of figure skating, starts getting…excited. Some might even mistake this feeling for happiness, but let me assure you, the more correct terminology might be “anxious,” “apprehensive,” and “living in a constant state of dread.”

However, “anxious,” “apprehensive,” and “living in a constant state of dread” is precisely what passes for happiness with figure skating fans—perhaps those who term it thus are not that mistaken after all.

The reason should be obvious: it is time for the figure skating season to begin.

Technically, it began two months ago with the Junior Grand Prix in Xi'an, China, and kicked into gear with Challenger Series events happening in Japan, Georgia, Germany, Kazakhstan, and elsewhere.

But we are now getting to the real meat of the season, as it were—the Grand Prix series. And it kicks off, as usual, in France, with the aptly titled Grand Prix de France (or as some call it, the Trophée Éric Bompard).

So let’s take a little primer of where the various figure skating disciplines stand, shall we, as a way to get started?

I’m going to use the results of the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics as the base for this list, since that’s the best way to get a sense of who the main players on this sparkly, dazzling stage are.

The Men’s Field

Mikhail Shaidorov

• Nickname: Misha
• Country: Kazakhstan
• Personal Best: 291.58
• The Lowdown: Misha is endearing, Misha is a game trier, and when things go right for him, Misha places on the World podium (as he did in 2025). But no one thought Misha would be Olympic Champion… until he was. Shaidorov is now essentially royalty in his home country and has already competed this year. We will see him in France and China in the Grand Prix series.

Yuma Kagiyama

• Status: Will not be competing this season to focus on his burgeoning photography career. (We expect stunning framing from the boards, at least!)

Shun Sato

• Nickname: None
• Country: Japan
• Personal Best: 292.08
• The Lowdown: Shun Sato spent much of his career so far in the shadow of Yuma Kagiyama, and this season will give him the perfect opportunity to grow into his own. Sato is a flamboyant skater who traditionally struggles with consistency, but he spent the 2025–26 season putting out a series of very steady performances, leading him to finish in the bronze medal position at both the Olympics and Worlds. He has already competed this year, and we will see him in China and his home country of Japan for the Grand Prix.

Cha Jun-whan

• Status: Will not be competing this season to focus on his acting career. (Cue the dramatic k-drama soundtrack.)

Stephen Gogolev

• Nickname: Gogo
• Country: Canada
• Personal Best: 281.04
• The Lowdown: Gogo was one of the finest junior skaters in the world not that long ago. With his height, his clean jumps, and his lines, he seemed destined for senior success. And then injuries and inconsistency relegated him to the back of the pecking order—until the 2025–26 season brought us the Gogo-ssance. Putting out strong skate after strong skate, Gogo seemed to get better with every competition. Since Canada hasn’t really had a top-class marquee skater in the men’s draw since Patrick Chan hung up his boots, a lot of eyes will be on Gogolev as he competes in his home Grand Prix in Canada and then in Finland.

Petr Gumennik

• Nickname: Petya
• Country: AIN (Russia)
• Personal Best: 271.21
• The Lowdown: While Russian skaters like Petr have been re-admitted to international competition, there has been much confusion over who gets slots at Grand Prix events. Despite his high finish at the Olympics and a personal best of 271.21, Petr has had to wait on withdrawals to secure a spot. Currently, he is on the alternate list. Gumennik has some delightfully clean jumps and is, in his own way, quite musical.

Adam Siao Him Fa

• Nickname: Adam SHF
• Country: France
• Personal Best: 306.78
• The Lowdown: When Adam is good, there is no one quite like him. His jumps are powerful, his musicality is extraordinary, and his performances can utterly blow an audience away. There are times when he truly seems to be the answer to the prayers of figure skating fans who yearn for someone to balance the technical and artistic aspects of the sport. But most of the time, Adam is… not good. Famous for combining a stunning Short Program with a horrendous Free Skate (or vice versa), we really never know which version of him we are going to get. But we’ll know soon enough as he competes on home soil in France and then in Finland.

Ilia Malinin

• Nickname: QuadGod
• Country: USA
• Personal Best: 333.81
• The Lowdown: By all rights, this should have been the name at the very top of the list. Going into the Olympics, he had not been defeated in two seasons and was routinely winning competitions by over 30 points. He even delivered two excellent performances in the team event to lead Team USA to gold. And then came one of the most infamous meltdowns in Olympic history as Malinin popped jump after jump in a performance that ended in tears.

Malinin returned with a roar at the World Championships not long after, showing that he is still the sheer mountain that every other man needs to scale. The closest comparison to Ilia is probably Simone Biles, which is saying something. He can do things no one else can, or ever has before. Malinin will be seen at Skate America and the NHK Trophy in Japan.

Daniel Grassl

• Nickname: The Pope
• Country: Italy
• Personal Best: 288.72
• The Lowdown: The Pope (so called for his iconic Conclave program from last year) isn’t the best out there when it comes to basic skating skills, and his jumps tend to leave fans with their hearts in their mouths due to their sheer wildness. As for his spins, they can look a bit like a frog in a blender. But there is one thing Grassl never is, and that is boring. When he stays on his feet, the Pope can pull off some seriously impressive results. He will be at Skate America and Japan, going head-to-head against Malinin.

Nika Egadze

• Nickname: None
• Country: Georgia
• Personal Best: 273.00
• The Lowdown: Nika Egadze can win a championship one week and barely make the top 10 the next. There are times when he can make skating look remarkably easy, and times when he can’t keep his skates on the ice for love or money. The reigning European champion has started this season well, however, and will be at China and Canada to try and rack up some silverware leading into his title defense.

Other Names to Watch

• Vladislav Dikidzhi & Evgeni Semenenko: Both competing under neutral status, they will definitely be challenging for top spots wherever they take the ice.
• The Selevko Brothers (Mikhail and Aleksander): Representing Estonia, this dynamic duo has been improving at a breakneck pace over the past season.

That rounds out the men’s field—and while it leaves open the very likely possibility that someone out of left field (which in figure skating means a terrifyingly talented teenager coming up from the junior ranks) will make an impact, it’s a great place to get started as you prepare your nerves for the months ahead.

Grab your comfort blankets, stock up on stress-snacks, and let the games begin!