Wolseley figure skater Tristan Taylor back at Canadian nationals with new partner

Tristan Taylor isn’t new to the Canadian figure skating scene, but he’s looking to reach new heights with a new skating partner.

The Wolseley, Sask., skater reached the world stage in the junior circuit, but now, after moving his training to Colorado, he’s been paired with Japanese skater Miyu Yunoki for about a year.

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“It’s been really, really awesome,” Taylor said.

“Being with my previous partner for so long, trying this new experience was really interesting. It was a lot to learn. Being in a new training environment as well was really interesting and a lot of fun. It’s just been really, really enjoyable. Of course all the competitions have been great as well.”

The pair made a splash in Canada when they claimed gold in the 2025-26 Skate Canada Challenge in Calgary in their senior pairs division.

“We had some injuries leading into this competition. To win it in senior and to qualify again for nationals is a really special experience. Kind of a coming home moment for me,” the 23-year-old said.

Up next for the pair will is the 2026 Canadian National Skating Championships in Gatineau, Que., which run from Monday through to January 11.

For Taylor, it’s the product of some risk taking and plenty of hard work.

He and his former skating partner, Ashlyn Schmitz, had worked together for years, but Taylor said they ultimately felt it was time for something new.

“We just kind of felt like it had run its course. We’d been with each other six years, kind of grew up together, and obviously we had a lot of success, but at that point, we sort of felt like we had just kind of run our course and just felt it was time,” Taylor said.

Saskatchewan’s Tristan Taylor (right) and Japan’s Miyu Yunoki (left) have been skating partners since 2024.(Tristan Taylor/Submitted)

Another change for Taylor was finding a new place to train.

“I visited Colorado in May of 2024. I had a tryout and didn’t feel like it was what I wanted. Took a couple other tryouts in Vancouver and in Toronto, but just kind of decided to move (to Colorado Springs). I felt like I just got to make a change in my career, so I moved here in July of 2024 and I’ve been here ever since,” Taylor said.

While he was training in the U.S., one of his coaches thought he and Osaka, Japan’s Yunoki would make a good pairing.

“I came down, did a tryout, and then when I was back in Canada, they had reached out to Miyu as well, because they knew she was looking for a partner,” Taylor explained.

“It just kind of worked out that we both came here at the same time and did a little tryout and then decided that we both really enjoyed it, so we decided to skate together. It was sort of a coincidental that we both decided to come here at the same time, but a bit of orchestration with that.”

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Things moved quickly for the pair, as they went on to participate in events in Japan.

“We went to Japan twice in 2024, and that was a super, super interesting experience. A lot of fun. I love being in Japan. There’s a lot to learn on that end. She’d been to Canada before, but out in Oakville, around Toronto, so coming to Saskatchewan was a totally different game for her,” Taylor said.

“I taught her quite a few things about Canada… she really enjoyed it.”

Taylor said the new partnership has led to experiences he never expected.

“It’s been amazing. I’d lived in Saskatchewan my whole life. Probably had never been outside of Saskatchewan for more than a few weeks. Really taking that big step to move to another country and then travel to all these places, it’s just been crazy and amazing and scary and I’ve got nothing but good things to say about it,” Taylor said.

Throughout everything, Taylor has received a lot of support from his home province.

“Saskatchewan is very unique place, and I feel the support and the love from everyone back home every time I’m competing. Even when I’m across the Pacific Ocean in Japan, I still was getting messages and support from everyone back there, so I really appreciated that. I’m really proud to be from Saskatchewan. It’s been fantastic,” Taylor said.

When the two skaters were looking for their next challenge, they decided they would skate in Canada and make a run at nationals.

“It it moved pretty quickly. It sort of depends on where you are in your in your skating career. I’m in far enough now that making nationals is sort of a foregone conclusion. It’s more so ‘How do we get beyond this?’ For a team, the first year is just ‘Let’s try it out. Let’s see kind of what we’re capable of.’ We felt really good with our first season in Japan and decided we wanted to take it further, so the question now more so is ‘How do we take this beyond?’ We want to go internationally for continent championships (and) world championships. That’s our goal,” Taylor said.

So after getting Yunoki registered through Skate Saskatchewan and into the Canadian system, they will now get a chance to take part in the national event.

“It’s really proving our ability in this new partnership,” Taylor said.

“Skate Canada is aware of what I’ve done in the past, and obviously that does factor into it somewhat, but really it’s showcasing that we are that calibre of team at the national level.”