Canadian Skaters Head to Czech Republic for Sixth Stop on ISU Junior Grand Prix Circuit

OTTAWA, ON: Canada will be sending 9 skaters to Ostrava, Czech Republic, from October 2-5, 2013, for the second last ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating event of the season. Canada will have a total of six entries: one each in men’s and pair, and two entries in both ladies and ice dance.

Mitchell Gordon, 17, Vancouver, B.C., is the entry in men’s for Canada. Last season, Gordon competed at two ISU Junior Grand Prix events, placing eighth in Linz, Austria, and 12th in Zagreb, Croatia. He also placed seventh at the Canadian championships, competing as a senior, and 16th at the 2013 ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships. Gordon is coached by Eileen Murphy and Keegan Murphy at the Connaught Figure Skating Club in Richmond, B.C.

Julianne Séguin, 16, Longueuil, Que., will be one of the two Canadian entries in ladies. Séguin placed sixth at her first ISU Junior Grand Prix assignment this season in Mexico. Last season, she competed at two ISU Junior Grand Prix events, finishing tenth in Slovenia, and seventh in France. She also made her senior international debut at the ISU Four Continents Championships, finishing 11th. Julianne is coached by Josée Picard and Marc-André Craig at CPA Brossard.

Kelsey Wong, 15, Burnaby, B.C., will also represent Canada in ladies. This will be her first ISU Junior Grand Prix assignment. Wong placed fourth at the 2013 Canadian championships in the novice category. She is coached by Joanne McLeod and Neil Wilson at the BC Centre of Excellence.

Julianne Séguin will also represent Canada in pair, with partner Charlie Bilodeau, 20, Trois-Pistoles, Que. Séguin and Bilodeau placed fifth at their first ISU Junior Grand Prix assignment in Minsk, Belarus. They are coached by Josée Picard and Patrice Archetto in Chambly, Que.

Madeline Edwards, 17, Port Moody, B.C. and ZhaoKai Pang, 18, Burnaby, B.C., are the first of two teams representing Canada in ice dance. Edwards and Pang won silver at the ISU Junior Grand Prix in Mexico earlier this season. Last year, they competed at two ISU Junior Grand Prix events, winning bronze in both France and Turkey. The 2013 Canadian junior champions also placed 12th at the 2013 ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships. They are coached by Megan Wing and Aaron Lowe at the BC Centre of Excellence.

Danielle Wu, 15, Burnaby, B.C., and Spencer Soo, 16, Burnaby, B.C., will also represent Canada in ice dance. This will be the first international assignment for Wu and Soo, the 2013 Canadian novice ice dance champions. They are also coached by Megan Wing and Aaron Lowe at the BC Centre of Excellence.

Carolyn Allwright of Kitchener, Ont., will act as the team leader and Dr. Erika Persson of Edmonton, Alta., will be the Canadian team doctor. André-Marc Allain of Gatineau, Que., and Debbie Islam of Barrie, Ont., are the Canadian officials at the event.

For results and full entries please visit www.isu.org.