Canadians Continue on ISU Grand Prix Circuit in Japan

OTTAWA, ON: Canada will send four athletes to the fourth stop on the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating. The 2013 NHK Trophy will take place from November 8-10, 2013, at the Yoyogi National Stadium in Tokyo, Japan. The event will feature all four disciplines, and Canada will have two entries: one in pair, and one in ice dance.

Paige Lawrence, 23, Kennedy, Sask., and Rudi Swiegers, 26, Kipling, Sask., will represent Canada in the pair category. Lawrence and Swiegers previously competed at this event in 2009, placing seventh. This will be their second event of the season, having placed fifth at the 2013 U.S. International Figure Skating Classic. Representing Wawota FSC, they are the 2013 Canadian bronze medallists. Lawrence and Swiegers train in Melville, Sask., and Virden, Man., and are coached by Patricia Hole and Lyndon Johnston.

Canadian silver medallists Piper Gilles, 21, Toronto, Ont., and Paul Poirier, 21, Unionville, Ont., will be the Canadian entry in ice dance. This will be the first event of the season for the duo representing Scarboro FSC. Last season on the ISU Grand Prix circuit, Gilles and Poirier placed fourth at Skate Canada International and sixth at Trophée Eric Bompard. They are coached by Carol Lane and Juris Razgulajevs at Ice Dance Elite in Scarborough, Ont.

Petra Burka of Toronto, Ont., will be the Canadian team leader at the event, and physiotherapist Siobhan Karam of Ottawa, Ont., will be the Canadian medical staff onsite. Jeff Lukasik of Calgary, Alta., and Sally Rehorick of Vancouver, B.C., will be the Canadian officials at the event.