# Paul Ayer

Paul Ayer (born April 6, 1998) is a Canadian ice dancer. With his skating partner, Alicia Fabbri, he is a two-time Canadian national bronze medalist (2024—25). At the junior level, he is the 2019 Canadian national junior silver medalist and the 2019 Bavarian Open junior silver medalist. They placed in the top nine at the 2019 World Junior Championships.

## Personal life

Ayer was born on April 6, 1998, in Calgary, Alberta. He is half Mexican-Canadian and speaks Spanish, French and English fluently. He has a younger brother named Alex. Ayer's father, who was a lawyer in Calgary, was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's disease. He has taken online courses and plans to enroll in a university in Montreal in the future. Ayer hopes to practice his French in Montreal.
Ayer enjoys playing other sports with friends like football and hockey on outdoor rinks or lakes during the winter. He also enjoys travelling.

## Career
### Early career

Ayer began skating around 2007. He competed in only domestic events with his first three partners: Taylor Yanke, Nicola Salimova, and Jolie Che. Ayer and Che split at the end of the summer in 2017, and he spent about a year trying out with various partners before teaming up with Fabbri. He relocated from Calgary to Montreal to train full-time with Fabbri.

### 2018–2019 season: New partnership

Fabbri/Ayer were assigned to two Junior Grand Prix events in their first season together. They placed fourth at 2018 JGP Slovakia and seventh at 2018 JGP Slovenia.
Fabbri/Ayer placed second at the 2019 Canadian Championships behind Marjorie Lajoie / Zachary Lagha. Together, they were named to the Canadian team for the 2019 World Junior Championships in Zagreb, Croatia. At a tune-up event, the 2019 Bavarian Open, Fabbri/Ayer again won silver behind Lajoie/Lagha.
Fabbri/Ayer were thirteenth after the rhythm dance segment at the 2019 World Junior Championships but rallied with an eighth-place showing in the free dance to place ninth overall. Combined with Lajoie/Lagha's placement (first place), their rank qualified three ice dance spots for Canada at the 2020 World Junior Championships in Tallinn, Estonia.

### 2019–2020 season: New coaches

In July 2019, Fabbri/Ayer left coach Julien Lalonde to train with Marie-France Dubreuil, Patrice Lauzon, and Romain Haguenauer in Montreal. They made their senior international debut at the 2019 CS Warsaw Cup, where they placed sixth with personal bests in all segments.

### 2020–2021 season

Fabbri/Ayer were assigned to make their Grand Prix debut at the 2020 Skate Canada International, but the event was cancelled as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
With the pandemic continuing to make it difficult to hold in-person events, Fabbri/Ayer competed at virtual domestic competitions, placing fifth at the 2021 Skate Canada Challenge. This result would have qualified them for the 2021 Canadian Championships, but they were cancelled due to the pandemic.

### 2021–2022 season

Fabbri/Ayer returned to international competition after almost two years at the 2021 CS Lombardia Trophy, placing twelfth. Given a second Challenger assignment, they were fifth at the 2021 CS Cup of Austria.
At the 2022 Canadian Championships, held in a bubble in Ottawa due to Omicron variant restrictions, Fabbri/Ayer finished in seventh place overall after being hampered by a fall in the closing seconds of their rhythm dance.

### 2022–2023 season

Skate Canada named Fabbri and Ayer to the senior national team for the first time in the lead-up to the new season. They ventured out internationally for the first time at the 2022 CS Budapest Trophy, where they finished in fourth place, 11.60 points behind bronze medalists Wolfkostin/Chen of the United States. Ayer assessed that they had given a "really strong performance in the rhythm dance and connected with the crowd," though faulting themselves for a free dance error. They were then invited to finally make the Grand Prix debut and came eighth at the 2022 MK John Wilson Trophy. Ayer dislocated his shoulder in the practice sessions at the Wilson Trophy and, while they were able to finish the event by making modifications to their program, it was subsequently determined that he required surgery. As a result, they withdrew from the 2023 Canadian Championships.

### 2023–2024 season

Following Ayer's recovery, Fabbri/Ayer started the season at the 2023 CS Nebelhorn Trophy, coming ninth. They were given one Grand Prix assignment, the 2023 Skate Canada International, where they placed seventh.
Fabbri/Ayer won the silver medal at the Skate Canada Challenge, the final qualifier to the 2024 Canadian Championships. In advance of the championships, defending silver medalists Lajoie/Lagha withdrew due to Lajoie entering concussion protocol, whilst reigning champions Fournier Beaudry/Sørensen withdrew after the latter was revealed to be under investigation for sexual assault. The ice dance podium was thus considered more open than in recent years. Fabbri/Ayer won the bronze medal, reaching the senior national podium for the first time. They would then end their season with a bronze medal at the 2024 International Challenge Cup.

### 2024–2025 season

Fabbri/Ayer started the season with a sixth-place finish at the 2024 Lake Placid Ice Dance International. They won the rhythm dance segment at the 2024 CS Denis Ten Memorial Challenge, before taking the bronze medal overall after a third-place free dance. This was the team's first-ever Challenger series medal. Fabbri said afterward that their "goal coming into the competition is always to focus on the competition, ourselves, and being better than what we were yesterday. When we're gifted with a medal at the end it’s even better, but it wasn't the main focus."
Going on to compete on the 2024–25 Grand Prix circuit, Fabbri/Ayer finished fourth in the rhythm dance at 2024 Skate America. In the free dance, Fabbri fell out of her twizzle sequence, as a result of which they finished tenth of ten teams in the segment and dropped to tenth overall. One week later, they competed at 2024 Skate Canada International where they finished eighth. In November, Fabbri/Ayer were given a second Challenger assignment, coming fourth at the 2024 CS Tallinn Trophy with new personal bests in all segments.
Fabbri and Ayer entered 2025 Canadian Championships as prospective contenders for the bronze medal. They were third in the rhythm dance with a score of 78.53, 0.44 points ahead of fellow Ice Academy of Montreal skaters Lauriault/Le Gac. They were third as well in the free dance, with a wider margin over fourth-place, reaching the senior national podium for the second time. Fabbri noted that compared with their first appearance, to medal with "nobody missing in front of us is just amazing."

## Programs
### Ice dance with Alicia Fabbri

| Season | Rhythm dance | Free dance | Exhibition |
| 2024–2025 | Jailhouse Rock Suspicious Minds Blue Suede Shoes by Elvis Presley choreo. by Zachary Donohue | It's a Man's Man's Man's World by James Brown You Don't Own Me performed by Brenna Whitaker choreo. by Marie-France Dubreuil | Barbie Girl by Aqua I'm Just Ken by Ryan Gosling Dance the Night by Dua Lipa |
| 2023–2024 | Back in Black Hells Bells You Shook Me All Night Long by AC/DC choreo. by Zachary Donohue | Someone You Loved by Lewis Capaldi You Who Will Fill My Life by Karl Hugo Someone You Loved by Lewis Capaldi choreo. by Marie-France Dubreuil | Burlesque Show Me How You Burlesque performed by Christina Aguilera Welcome to Burlesque performed by Cher choreo. by Romain Haguenauer |
| 2022–2023 | Salsa: Cuba 2012 by Latin Formation Rhumba: Represent, Cuba by Orishas ft. Heather Headley Salsa: Cuba 2012 by Latin Formation choreo. by Romain Haguenauer | Someone You Loved by Lewis Capaldi You Who Will Fill My Life by Karl Hugo Someone You Loved by Lewis Capaldi choreo. by Marie-France Dubreuil | |
| 2021–2022 | Reggae: Mi Gente by J Balvin, Willy William, & Beyoncé Blues: Partition by Beyoncé choreo. by Marie-France Dubreuil, Romain Haguenauer | Self Portrait The Floating Bed Alcoba Azul Solo Tu (from Frida) by Elliot Goldenthal choreo. by Romain Haguenauer | |
| 2020–2021 | Quickstep: Show Me How You Burlesque (from Burlesque) performed by Christina Aguilera Welcome to Burlesque (from Burlesque) performed by Cher choreo. by Romain Haguenauer | Self Portrait The Floating Bed Alcoba Azul Solo Tu (from Frida) by Elliot Goldenthal choreo. by Romain Haguenauer | |
| 2019–2020 | Big Spender If My Friends Could See Me Now from Sweet Charity choreo. by Romain Haguenauer | The Way I Do by Bishop Briggs Never Tear Us Apart by INXS performed by Bishop Briggs choreo. by Romain Haguenauer | |
| 2018–2019 | Tango: A Evaristo Carriego by Eduardo Rovira Tango: Obertuna performed by Forever Tango choreo. by Mylène Girard | Quand on n'a que l'amour by Jacques Brel Composition by Karl Hugo Quand on n'a que l'amour by Jacques Brel performed by Pierre Lapointe choreo. by Mylène Girard | |

## Competitive highlights

* GP – Event of the ISU Grand Prix Series
* JGP – Event of the ISU Junior Grand Prix Series
* CS – Event of the ISU Challenger Series

### Ice dance with Alicia Fabbri

Competition placements at senior level :
| Season | 2019–20 | 2020–21 | 2021–22 | 2022–23 | 2023–24 | 2024–25 |
| World Championships | | | | | | TBD |
| Four Continents Championships | | | | | | 9th |
| Canadian Championships | 6th | | 7th | | 3rd | 3rd |
| GP Skate America | | | | | | 10th |
| GP Skate Canada | | | | | 7th | 8th |
| GP Wilson Trophy | | | | 8th | | |
| CS Budapest Trophy | | | | 4th | | |
| CS Cup of Austria | | | 5th | | | |
| CS Denis Ten Memorial | | | | | | 3rd |
| CS Lombardia Trophy | | | 12th | | | |
| CS Nebelhorn Trophy | | | | | 9th | |
| CS Tallinn Trophy | | | | | | 4th |
| CS Warsaw Cup | 6th | | | | | |
| Challenge Cup | | | | | 3rd | |
| Lake Placid Ice Dance | | | | | | 6th |
| Skate Canada Challenge | 2nd | 5th | 1st | | 2nd | |
Competition placements at junior level :
| Season | 2018–19 |
| World Junior Championships | 9th |
| Canadian Championships | 2nd |
| JGP Slovakia | 4th |
| JGP Slovenia | 7th |
| Bavarian Open | 2nd |
| Skate Canada Challenge | 1st |

## Detailed results
### Ice dance with Alicia Fabbri

ISU personal best scores in the +5/-5 GOE System :
| Segment | Type | Score | Event |
| Total | TSS | 185.05 | 2024 CS Tallinn Trophy |
| Short program | TSS | 75.05 | 2024 CS Tallinn Trophy |
| Short program | TES | 42.73 | 2024 CS Tallinn Trophy |
| Short program | PCS | 32.32 | 2024 CS Tallinn Trophy |
| Free skating | TSS | 110.00 | 2024 CS Tallinn Trophy |
| Free skating | TES | 62.10 | 2024 CS Tallinn Trophy |
| Free skating | PCS | 49.36 | 2024 CS Denis Ten Memorial Challenge |

#### Senior level

Results in the 2024–25 season :
| Date | Event | SP | SP | FS | FS | Total | Total |
| Date | Event | P | Score | P | Score | P | Score |
| Jul 28-31, 2024 | 2024 Lake Placid Ice Dance International | 6 | 67.32 | 5 | 108.88 | 6 | 176.20 |
| Oct 3-6, 2024 | 2024 CS Denis Ten Memorial Challenge | 1 | 73.66 | 3 | 109.32 | 3 | 182.98 |
| Oct 18-20, 2024 | 2024 Skate America | 4 | 71.75 | 10 | 94.21 | 10 | 165.96 |
| Oct 25-27, 2025 | 2024 Skate Canada International | 9 | 70.10 | 8 | 104.35 | 8 | 174.45 |
| Nov 12-17, 2024 | 2024 CS Tallinn Trophy | 4 | 75.05 | 4 | 110.00 | 4 | 185.05 |
| Jan 14–19, 2025 | 2025 Canadian Championships | 3 | 78.53 | 3 | 117.35 | 3 | 195.88 |
| Feb 19–23, 2025 | 2025 Four Continents Championships | 10 | 60.06 | 8 | 106.43 | 9 | 166.49 |
2023–2024 season :
| Date | Event | RD | FD | Total |
| February 22–25, 2024 | 2024 Challenge Cup | 3 70.98 | 3 104.90 | 3 175.88 |
| January 8–14, 2024 | 2024 Canadian Championships | 3 77.75 | 3 117.86 | 3 195.61 |
| Nov. 30 – Dec. 3, 2023 | 2023 Skate Canada Challenge | 2 70.99 | 1 111.65 | 2 182.64 |
| October 27–29, 2023 | 2023 Skate Canada International | 7 68.31 | 8 105.03 | 7 173.34 |
| September 20–23, 2023 | 2023 CS Nebelhorn Trophy | 7 63.84 | 9 103.30 | 9 167.14 |
| 2022–2023 season |||||
| Date | Event | RD | FD | Total |
| November 11–13, 2022 | 2022 MK John Wilson Trophy | 8 67.45 | 9 98.33 | 8 165.78 |
| October 13–16, 2022 | 2022 CS Budapest Trophy | 4 70.48 | 5 98.38 | 4 168.86 |
| 2021–2022 season |||||
| Date | Event | RD | FD | Total |
| January 6–12, 2022 | 2022 Canadian Championships | 8 66.43 | 6 104.72 | 7 171.15 |
| November 11–14, 2021 | 2021 CS Cup of Austria | 6 68.24 | 5 103.39 | 5 171.63 |
| September 10–12, 2021 | 2021 CS Lombardia Trophy | 9 64.77 | 14 87.72 | 12 152.49 |
| 2020–2021 season |||||
| Date | Event | RD | FD | Total |
| January 8–17, 2021 | 2021 Skate Canada Challenge | 4 75.00 | 5 109.29 | 5 184.29 |
| 2019–2020 season |||||
| Date | Event | RD | FD | Total |
| January 13–19, 2020 | 2020 Canadian Championships | 4 68.26 | 6 97.15 | 6 165.41 |
| November 14–17, 2019 | 2019 CS Warsaw Cup | 6 62.14 | 6 93.63 | 6 155.77 |

#### Junior level

2018–2019 season :
| Date | Event | RD | FD | Total |
| March 4–10, 2019 | 2019 World Junior Championships | 13 55.58 | 8 87.46 | 9 143.04 |
| February 5–10, 2019 | 2019 Bavarian Open | 2 58.54 | 3 86.10 | 2 144.64 |
| January 14–20, 2019 | 2019 Canadian Junior Championships | 2 62.20 | 3 96.37 | 2 158.57 |
| October 3–6, 2018 | 2018 JGP Slovenia | 6 53.20 | 8 78.21 | 7 131.41 |
| August 22–25, 2018 | 2018 JGP Slovakia | 4 58.53 | 6 77.13 | 4 135.66 |