She is a little dynamo on the ice: France’s Stefania Gladki makes sure you won’t forget her when you have seen her skating, and she is working her way up. Gladki, who just celebrated her 15th birthday at the end of May, was the only female single skater from Europe to qualify for the ISU Grand Prix Final—junior or senior. The skater is hungry to challenge again as she prepares for the 2025-26 season.

Looking back, Gladki is still excited about the past season.

“It was an unforgettable season,” she shared. “My results exceeded even our own expectations, which was incredibly motivating.”

The young skater credits her coaching team of Svetlana Panova, Cedric Tour, and Tatiana Moiseeva, as well as her choreographers Maria Kasumova, Ilona Protasenia, and Nadezhda Kanaeva, for her success.

“Their belief in me, their relentless support, and the hours they poured into perfecting every detail—this is truly our collective achievement and shared joy,” said Gladki.

A season beyond expectations

Gladki made it to her first ISU Junior Grand Prix (JGP) Final after claiming medals in her two individual JGP events in Ostrava, Czech Republic, and Ankara, Türkiye. She was overjoyed about being on the podium in her two events.

“But the highlight was qualifying for the final in France in my home country,” she shared. “I still remember jumping up and down out of happiness when I learned I made it to the final. Competing on home ice in this event felt like a fairy tale.”

Her toughest moment was the preparation for her first JGP event in Ostrava when she doubted herself and was nervous to start the season. However, the young skater feels that she gained a lot of experience in the past season that will serve her well in the future.

“One of the most important things I’ve learned is how to thrive in front of a packed audience,” she pointed out. “Earlier in my career, I’d feel nervous when crowds were large, but now it’s almost the opposite! The more people there are, the more energized I feel. I’ve realized their presence creates this ‘visual energy’ that actually helps me perform better.”

With more and more experience, Gladki feels that she has learned how to really present a program and not just execute the elements one by one. She connects to the audience and shares her joy of skating.

“It’s been transformative to learn that a competition isn’t just about showing your skills; it’s about sharing a moment with everyone watching,” she noted.

This is the kind of experience that the French Champion—she competed in seniors at Nationals—will take into the next season.

A taste of showbiz and back to the grind

Following the ISU World Junior Championships where she finished fifth and was the top-ranked European junior lady, Gladki had the opportunity to perform in the Holiday on Ice shows in Grenoble and Marseille.

“I loved every aspect of the experience—the program’s creativity, the seamless organization, the stunning decorations, and the electric atmosphere,” she said, adding that she was very impressed by the supportive atmosphere and how she was welcomed by the other skaters. So a successful season ended with one more highlight.

Following her vacation in Oman with her family that she enjoyed very much, Gladki returned to training.

“I’m working on improving my triple jumps, refining jump combinations, and perfecting entries and exits into and out of jumps,” she explained.

The 15-year-old continues working on quads and currently focuses on the quadruple toe.

“It’s starting to click, though it’s still inconsistent,” she admitted. “I’m working toward landing it cleanly next season. I’ve also practiced the quad Salchow and triple Axel, but the toe loop is definitely my strongest so far.”

Gladki knows about the risk of injury when training quads and tries to minimize it.

“The physical demands are totally different,” she explained. “You’re dealing with aches in your legs, back…everything. To minimize that, you need tons of off-ice prep: strength training, stretching, conditioning. I’m also following a special physical program. We drill quads on the floor, use harnesses for support, and gradually build up to full jumps. Once your body adapts to the workload, the risk drops. Fingers crossed I’ll be ready to debut the (quad) toe next season.”

Gladki hopes to get a quad consistent enough to include it into her program. However, knowing that it’s not just quads that count, the Frenchwoman wants to improve the height and precision of all of her jumps, as well as enhance the spins, step sequences, and the overall quality of her presentation.

“The recipe is simple: work harder, set clear goals, and strive to meet them,” she said. “Every detail matters. I want my performances to resonate even more powerfully with audiences this year.”

Creating new magic

Gladki and her team are working on two new programs for the upcoming season.

“My coaches and I both feel that new programs should be done every year and it’s a way to honor my fans and push myself creatively,” she said. “It keeps things exciting and lets me grow as an athlete.”

Maria Kasumova, who choreographed Gladki’s “Moulin Rouge” free skate, is choreographing the new long program again.

“I absolutely love working with her,” said the French Champion. “She brings so many fresh, modern concepts to the table, and that energy makes the whole process fun.”

The short program will be choreographed a little later and by a different choreographer.

The skater is keeping the music under wraps for now but revealed that they chose contemporary music for the free skate while the short program will be classical.

“We chose the music together with the whole coaching team and it’s been a challenging process,” Gladki said. “But I think it worked out and I hope everyone will love the result.”

A tale of two cities

Gladki, whose father is Russian-French, trains in Nice with Cédric Tour and in Moscow with Svetlana Panova and Tatiana Moiseeva. She doesn’t feel that the training in Nice and Moscow is much different, but she loves the practice rink in Nice, which is on the fifth floor.

“The vibe in France is unique,” she shared. The rink has these floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the mountains, so the view is kind of epic! In Russia, the energy’s more intense, like everyone’s dialed in to win and this is amazing. The coaches in both countries are awesome and next-level. I love training in both places. Each has its own magic.”

In Nice, Gladki also has a great sparring partner on the ice with two-time European Champion Adam Siao Him Fa.

“Training in Nice with Adam is so cool!” the teenager said as her eyes lit up. “His jumps are so beautiful and effortless, which inspires me to do the same. At first, I was a bit shy to approach him, but he turned out to be super chill and supportive and a good friend. He is always happy to help, both with advice and by participating personally. Sometimes we even compete in the same events, like at the Masters or the Nice Trophy Metropolitaine. We have lots of photos together—the three of us with our coach, Cédric Tour, all of us medal-clad!”

While Gladki will split her training time in the summer between Nice and Moscow, she will most likely attend training camps in other places, but does not yet know when or where. The season will start with the Masters, a national competition to kick off the season where the French skaters traditionally show their programs to the audience for the first time.

Eyes on the horizon

Gladki hopes to be assigned to the JGP events in Varese, Italy and Ankara, Türkiye. The ambitious skater has set clear goals for herself for the season.

“My goals are podium finishes at the Junior Grand Prix and, of course, to give my absolute best effort to qualify for the Final next season,” said Gladki. “Especially since it will be held in Japan. I’ve always dreamed of visiting Japan, and this would be such a great opportunity.”

Gladki can’t wait for the new season to start.

“I hope the new season will be even brighter,” she said. “More new experiences, challenges, and competitions, new meetings and new friends. I’m looking forward to new achievements and victories, and unforgettable emotions. Most importantly, I don’t want to let down my coaches or disappoint my fans. “

“I’d also like to once again thank everyone for their support—not only my amazing coaches and fans, but also my club in Nice and its president, Jannick Stute, as well as the Federation Française de Sport de Glace and the city of Nice! Their help and support mean the world to me.”

With talent, determination, and a vibrant spirit both on and off the ice, Gladki is not just a skater to watch—she’s a force shaping the future of French figure skating. As she steps into the new season with bold goals and a heart full of gratitude, one thing is certain: her journey is only just beginning.

Related Info:

• ISU Bio
• GS Fan Fest

Tatjana Flade

Tatjana is a freelance sportswriter from Germany specializing in figure skating. She has covered the sport since 1992 and attended Olympic Games, World and European Championships as well as many other events. When not sitting in an ice rink, she enjoys writing fiction, cooking, travelling and spending time at home with her cat. Tatjana is a published fiction author in Germany.