MONTREAL, QC (March 12, 2024) – Skate Canada is excited to welcome the world to the Bell Centre in Montreal, Que., from March 18-24 for the 2024 ISU World Figure Skating Championships. Marking the culmination of the 2023-2024 figure skating season, the event features the 200 best figure skaters from over 40 countries in men’s, women’s, pair, and ice dance. 

All of last year’s World Champions are back to contend for the podium once again including men’s champion Shoma Uno, women’s champion Kaori Sakamoto, and pair champions Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara – all from Japan, as well as ice dance champions Madison Chock and Evan Bates from the USA.  

Canadian athletes will also be vying for spots on the podium in front of family and friends. Deanna Stellato-Dudek and Maxime Deschamps have their sights set on a gold medal in the pair competition after a very successful international season that sees them currently ranked second in the world. Last year’s bronze medallists, Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier, are coming off a gold medal at the ISU Four Continents FIgure Skating Championships and a bronze medal at the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final.  

“For our athletes, competing at a home Worlds may only happen once in their career and will be an experience they will never forget,” said Mike Slipchuk, High Performance Director for Skate Canada. “We are excited to have a team that is ready to take on the best in the world and who are also among the best.”  

The Opening Ceremony will kick off the event on Wednesday, March 20, and will feature performances by Quebec-based synchronized skating teams Les Suprêmes and Nova, and by former National Team member and social media sensation, Elladj Baldé. The Montreal-based chamber choir Seraphim will also perform the national anthem to officially open the week-long event. 

Fans will also get to experience a one-of-a-kind Fan Festival at the Cour Rio Tinto right beside the Bell Centre, where food trucks, booths, and family-friendly activities will be held throughout the week. Competitions will also be streamed on a giant screen so as not to miss any of the action.  

The week will close out with the Exhibition Gala on Sunday, March 24. A fan favourite event, the Gala will feature the event’s medallists, as well as performances by Patrick Chan, Canada’s most decorated male figure skater and an ambassador for the event, three-time World Champion Elvis Stojko, and recently retired two-time Olympian Keegan Messing. They will be joined once again by Elladj Baldé and Les Suprêmes, with special entertainment from the Montreal Symphony Orchestra and Cirque Éloize. 

Tickets for the event are still available via ticketmaster.ca. Fans can also watch the action via CBC Sports.