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Mao Shimada, of Japan, acknowledges the crowd after performing her women's free program during the Skate Canada International figure skating competition, in Kelowna, B.C., on Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Japan’s Mao Shimada wins gold at Skate Canada International

Nov 1, 2026 | 5:25 PM

KELOWNA — Four-time junior world champion Mao Shimada of Japan has won women’s singles gold at Skate Canada International.

Estonia’s Niina Petrokina earned silver and Isabeau Levito of the United States took bronze at Prospera Place in Kelowna, B.C.

Shimada’s short program earned her 82.11 points and her free skate gave her 153.33 points as she was first all weekend.

She finished with a total of 235.44 points, well ahead of Petrokina (221.07) and Levito (212.22).

Madeline Schizas (177.38) of Oakville, Ont., was the top Canadian, finishing eighth.

“Yesterday was one big error,” Schizas said after the free program. “I made two big errors today, but this happens and I think I came back and I showed mental strength today and character.”

Fee Ann Landry (171.18) of Gatineau, Que., was ninth and Montreal’s Sara-Maude Dupuis (158.63) was 11th.

“Practice this morning was more solid,” Landry said. “I felt more at my place this morning in this performance, so I’m really happy with what I put out today.

“I think this (Sunday) performance sort of establishes what I’m capable of and that I’m able to do these elements in the program, so I’m excited to see what’s next and for the rest of the season.”

Great Britain’s Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson captured ice dance gold with 201.17 points. France’s Evgeniia Lopareva and Geoffrey Brissaud won silver with 192.95 points, while Americans Caroline Green and Michael Parsons claimed bronze with 186.02 points.

Canadians Marie-Jade Lauriault (Ste-Anne-Des-Plaines, Que.) and Romain Le Gac (Laval, Que.) placed fifth overall with 107.70 points in the free dance for a total of 179.80 points.

“It was one of the best performances we did so far in the season,” Le Gac said. “So, that’s really what we’re going to bring forward because I think we were really fully present in the performance. It’s such a crescendo, our free dance, and the feeling at the end, that’s really what we wanted to do with this free dance, is to have different feelings.”

Teammates Layla Veillon and Alexander Brandys, both of London, Ont., placed ninth with 90.90 points in the free dance for a total of 150.62 points. Alyssa Robinson and Jacob Portz, both of Calgary, finished 10th overall with 89.83 points in the free dance and a total of 150.05 points.

The ISU Grand Prix series continues with the Cup of China, Nov. 6-8, in Shenzhen, China.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 1, 2026.

The Canadian Press