November 2016 – Skate Canada

Canadian skaters headed to Montreal for 2017 Skate Canada Challenge

November 29, 2016/0 Comments/in /by Skate Canada

OTTAWA, ON: Over 500 skaters from across Canada are headed to Montreal, Que., for the 2017 Skate Canada Challenge. This year’s event will be taking place from November 30-December 4, 2016, at the Sportplexe Pierrefonds.

Skate Canada Challenge is the sole qualifying event for novice, junior, and senior skaters to earn entries to the 2017 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships taking place in Ottawa, Ont., from January 16-22, 2017. Skaters qualified for the 2017 Skate Canada Challenge by advancing through their local sectional championships.

The 2017 Skate Canada Challenge will also see the crowning of the 2017 Canadian Pre-Novice Champions in men, women, pairs, and ice dance.

Many national team members are entered in the senior competition including: 2016 Canadian silver medallist Liam Firus, 24, North Vancouver, B.C. (senior men), 2015 Canadian champion Nam Nguyen, 18, Toronto, Ont. (senior men), 2015 Canadian champion Gabrielle Daleman, 18, Newmarket, Ont. (senior women), Michelle Long, 24, Newmarket, Ont. (senior women), 2016 Canadian silver medallists Julianne Séguin, 20, Longueuil, Que., and Charlie Bilodeau, 23, Trois-Pistoles, Que. (senior pair), Kirsten Moore-Towers, 23, St. Catharines, Ont., and Michael Marinaro, 24, Sarnia, Ont. (senior pair), and Piper Gilles, 24, Toronto, Ont., and Paul Poirier, 25, Unionville, Ont. (senior ice dance).

Local Montreal skating clubs will have a large contingent at the event with a total of 28 entries across all categories and disciplines, including three senior entries, seven junior entries, eight novice entries and 10 pre-novice entries.

For schedule, entries and start orders please click here.

General admission tickets will be available for purchase at the Sportplexe Pierrefonds throughout the event. All-event tickets are $50, and day tickets will be available for purchase for $20. Admission is free for children ages 12 and under.

Media who have not already applied for accreditation are asked to contact Allan Gordon, Communications Coordinator. He will be the media contact at the event and can be reached onsite at 613.697.1354 or at [email protected].

Skate Canada qualifies five entries for ISU Grand Prix Final

November 29, 2016/0 Comments/in /by Skate Canada

OTTAWA, ON: Skate Canada has qualified five entries for a total of eight skaters for the ISU Grand Prix Final taking place in Marseille, France, from December 8-11, 2016. This is the first time that Canada has qualified a skater in every discipline and will be the biggest team Skate Canada has ever sent to the Final. The ISU Senior Grand Prix Final will be held jointly with the ISU Junior Grand Prix Final.

In senior men, Patrick Chan, 25, Toronto, Ont., qualified in second. Chan won the gold medal at Skate Canada International and at the Cup of China.

Kaetlyn Osmond, 20, Marystown, Nfld./Edmonton, Alta., qualified fourth in senior ladies, having earned the silver medal at both Skate Canada International and the Cup of China.

Meagan Duhamel, 30, Lively, Ont., and Eric Radford, 31, Balmertown, Ont., qualified in first in the senior pairs discipline. Duhamel and Radford won gold at both Skate Canada International and the NHK Trophy.

Also in senior pairs, Julianne Séguin, 20, Longueuil, Que., and Charlie Bilodeau, 23, Trois-Pistoles, Que., qualified sixth. Séguin and Bilodeau won gold at Skate America and placed fifth at the Rostelecom Cup.

Senior ice dancers Tessa Virtue, 27, London, Ont., and Scott Moir, 29, Ilderton, Ont., qualified in first place. Virtue and Moir won gold at Skate Canada International and at the NHK Trophy.

The ISU Senior Grand Prix Final is the concluding event of the ISU Senior Grand Prix of Figure Skating circuit. The series hosts six stops: United States (Skate America), Canada (Skate Canada International), Russia (Rostelecom Cup), France (Trophée de France), China (Cup of China), and Japan (NHK Trophy). Skaters are awarded points based on their placements at their assigned events and the top six in each of the four disciplines advance to the final.

Canada did not qualify any entries for the ISU Junior Grand Prix Final.

For results and full entries please click here.

CANADIAN ENTRIES AT THE 2016 ISU GRAND PRIX FINAL

Discipline	Name	Age	Hometown	Club	Coach
Senior Men	Patrick Chan	25	Toronto, Ont.	Granite Club	Marina Zoueva / Oleg Epstein / Johnny Johns
Senior Ladies	Kaetlyn Osmond	20	Marystown, Nfld. & Edmonton, Alta.	Ice Palace FSC	Ravi Walia
Senior Pairs	Meagan Duhamel / Eric Radford	30/31	Lively, Ont. / Balmertown, Ont.	CPA Saint-Léonard / CPA Saint-Léonard	Richard Gauthier / Bruno Marcotte / Sylvie Fullum
Senior Pairs	Julianne Séguin / Charlie Bilodeau	20/23	Longueuil, Que. / Trois-Pistoles, Que.	CPA Longueuil / CPA Chambly	Josée Picard
Senior Ice Dance	Tessa Virtue / Scott Moir	27/29	London, Ont. / Ilderton, Ont.	Regroupement élite de patinage artistique de Montréal / Regroupement élite de patinage artistique de Montréal	Marie-France Dubreuil / Patrice Lauzon

Virtue and Moir win gold medal at NHK Trophy

November 27, 2016/0 Comments/in /by Skate Canada

SAPPORO, Japan – Tessa Virtue of London, Ont., and Scott Moir of Ilderton, Ont., won the gold medal in ice dancing on Sunday at the NHK Trophy to conclude the sixth stop on the ISU Grand Prix figure skating circuit.

Virtue and Moir, two-time world champions and the 2010 Olympic champs, totalled a personal best 195.84 points for the victory. Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron of France were second at 186.66 and Anna Cappellini and Luca Lanotte of Italy were third at 180.42.

‘’We are very pleased with our performance today,’’ said Virtue. ‘’It’s always a pleasure skating in front of a Japanese crowd. We’re excited to build off this momentum towards the Grand Prix final.’’

It was Canada’s second victory of the competition. On Saturday, Meagan Duhamel of Lively, Ont., and Eric Radford of Balmertown, Ont., took the pairs title.

The ISU Grand Prix Final featuring the top-six in each of the four events from this season takes place December 8-11 in Marseilles, France. Skate Canada will announce the team later this week.

Full results: ISU GP NHK Trophy 2016.

Gold for Duhamel and Radford; World record for Virtue and Moir

November 26, 2016/0 Comments/in News & Press Releases /by Skate Canada

SAPPORO, Japan – Canadian two-time world champions Meagan Duhamel and Eric Radford won the gold medal in pairs while Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir set a world record in the short dance at the NHK Trophy, the sixth stop on the ISU Grand Prix figure skating circuit.

In pairs, Duhamel and Radford moved from second spot after the short to win their second gold medal this season on the circuit with 204.56 points. Cheng Peng and Yang Jin of China were second at 196.87 and their compatriots Xuehan Wang and Lei Wang were third at 185.32.

“There were some strong elements and there were some unfortunate mistakes,” said Radford from Balmertown, Ont. “But sometimes we have to make these mistakes throughout the season so we can learn from them and they don’t happen again.”

The Canadians’ program featured a great triple twist, side-by-side triple Lutz and throw quad Salchow. They mistimed their first side-by-side jump and final lift.

“I don’t know what happened with the lift,” he said. “My body felt very tight and tired and we mismatched the timing on that last lift and it was a bit of a struggle.”

In the short dance, Virtue and Moir produced a 79.47 score which eclipsed the previous world mark of 78.89 set by Meryl Davis and Charlie White of the U.S. at the 2014 Winter Olympics. Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron of France are second at 75.60 and Anna Cappellini and Luca Lanotte of Italy third at 72.00.

“We had some work to do to bring our levels up for this competition and it was nice to get a couple of level fours,” said Moir from Ilderton, Ont. “It felt pretty similar to what we’ve been doing in training and it is exactly what we wanted to accomplish with our performance.”

Other Canadian results: Nam Nguyen of Toronto, Ont., and Elladj Baldé of Montreal, Que., were eighth and 10^th in the men’s competition and Alaine Chartrand of Prescott, Ont., was 10^th in the women’s competition.

The free dance is scheduled for 9:45 p.m. (EST) tonight and will be streamed live on cbc.ca.

Full results: ISU GP NHK Trophy 2016.

Duhamel and Radford stand second after short program at NHK Trophy

November 25, 2016/0 Comments/in /by Skate Canada

SAPPORO, Japan – Two-time world champions Meagan Duhamel of Lively, Ont., and Eric Radford of Balmertown, Ont., are in second place after Friday’s short program in pairs at the NHK Trophy, the sixth stop on the ISU Grand Prix figure skating circuit.

Cheng Peng and Yang Jin of China hold a slight lead over the Canadians with 73.33 points. Duhamel and Radford, the Skate Canada International winners last month, follow at 72.95 and Xuehan Wang and Lei Wang of China are third at 65.66.

Duhamel fell trying to land the throw triple Axel but they successfully executed their triple twist and side-by-side triple Lutz.

‘’It wasn’t our best performance today,’’ said Duhamel. ‘’The throw triple Axel is a new throw for us this season and we’ve been doing it successfully in practice. The overall program though was better and smoother than at Skate Canada.’’

In men’s competition, Elladj Balde of Pierrefonds, Que., and Nam Nguyen of Toronto are fifth and sixth after the short program. Yuzuru Hanyu of Japan holds a big lead.

Balde landed a triple Axel, triple flip and triple Lutz-triple toe combination in an emotional skate to Simon and Garfunkel’s Sound of Silence.

‘’I’m very pleased with the result,’’ said Balde. ‘’I earned the same score as at the Grand Prix of Russia but today I made some technical mistakes and had a bobble in my triple Axel landing. But my artistic score was the highest it’s ever been and that is very exciting for me.’’

Nguyen produced a great start landing his quad Salchow-triple toe and triple Axel but fell and hit the boards on his triple Lutz.

‘’I was really nervous,’’ said Nguyen. ‘’I was pleased with how I came back after the fall. It’s a good step for me at this point in the season.’’

In women’s competition, Alaine Chartrand of Prescott, Ont., stands eighth after the short. Russia is 1-2 led by Anna Pogorilaya.

The ice dancing competition gets underway Saturday followed by the free skates for men’s women’s and pairs. The free dance is on Sunday,

Full results: ISU GP NHK Trophy 2016

Canadian team headed to Japan for final stop on ISU Grand Prix circuit

November 22, 2016/0 Comments/in /by Skate Canada

OTTAWA, ON: Skate Canada will send five entries, for a total of seven skaters to the sixth and final stop of the 2016-2017 ISU Grand Prix circuit, the 2016 NHK Trophy. Canada will have one entry per discipline in ladies, pairs and ice dance, and two entries in the men’s discipline. The event takes place from November 25-27, 2016, at the Makomanai Sekisui Heim Ice Arena in Sapporo, Japan.

Nam Nguyen, 18, Toronto, Ont., is the first of two Canadian men entries. This will be his first time competing at this event. This season, Nguyen placed fifth at the 2016 U.S. International Figure Skating Classic and sixth at Skate America. He is coached by David Glynn in San Jose, CA, USA.

Elladj Baldé, 26, Montreal, Que., is the second Canadian men entry. Baldé has previously placed sixth at this event in 2014 and 11^th in 2015. This season, he placed eighth at his first event, the U.S. International Figure Skating Classic, followed by a sixth place finish at his first ISU Grand Prix of the season, the Rostelecom Cup. Baldé trains in Montreal, Que., with his coach Bruno Marcotte.

Canadian champion Alaine Chartrand, 20, Prescott, Ont., is the Canadian entry in the ladies category. This will be her first time competing at this event. She started this season winning the silver medal at the 2016 Autumn Classic International, and earned a fifth place finish at the 2016 Skate Canada International. Chartrand is coached by Michelle Leigh and Brian Orser.

Two-time World Champions and Olympic silver medallists (team) Meagan Duhamel, 30, Lively, Ont., and Eric Radford, 31, Balmertown, Ont., are the Canadian pair entry. They are two-time defending champions at this event. Duhamel and Radford won their first two competitions this season, the Finlandia Trophy and Skate Canada International. The five-time consecutive Canadian champions are coached by Richard Gauthier, Bruno Marcotte, and Sylvie Fullum in Saint-Léonard, Que.

Olympic and World champions Tessa Virtue, 27, London, Ont., and Scott Moir, 29, Ilderton, Ont., are the Canadian entry in ice dance. They previously competed at this event in 2007 and won the silver medal. In their return to competition this season, they won the gold medal at both the 2016 Autumn Classic International and the 2016 Skate Canada International. Virtue and Moir are coached by Marie-France Dubreuil and Patrice Lauzon in Montreal, Que.

Mike Slipchuk, Skate Canada High Performance Director, will travel with the team as team leader. Dr. Ed Pilat of Winnipeg, Man., and physiotherapist Mike McMurray of Oak Bluff, Man., will be the Canadian medial staff onsite. Leanna Caron of Timmins, Ont., and Reaghan Fawcett-Fortin of Aurora, Ont., will be the Canadian officials at the event.

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

CANADIAN ENTRIES AT 2016 NHK TROPHY

Discipline	Name	Age	Hometown	Club	Coach
Men	Nam Nguyen	18	Toronto, Ont.	Toronto Cricket Skating & Curling Club	David Glynn
Men	Elladj Baldé	26	Montreal, Que.	CPA Anjou Kinsmen	Bruno Marcotte
Ladies	Alaine Chartrand	20	Prescott, Ont.	Nepean Skating Club	Michelle Leigh / Brian Orser
Pairs	Meagan Duhamel / Eric Radford	30/31	Lively, Ont. / Balmertown, Ont.	CPA Saint-Léonard / CPA Saint-Léonard	Richard Gauthier / Bruno Marcotte / Sylvie Fullum
Ice Dance	Tessa Virtue / Scott Moir	27/29	London, Ont. / Ilderton, Ont.	Ilderton SC / Ilderton SC	Marie-France Dubreuil / Patrice Lauzon

Led by Patrick Chan’s gold, Canadians fill their Cup of China with medals

November 19, 2016/0 Comments/in /by Skate Canada

BEIJING – Three-time world champion Patrick Chan won the gold medal in comeback fashion in men’s singles on Saturday to highlight a four-medal day for Canadians at the Cup of China figure skating competition, the fifth stop on the ISU Grand Prix circuit.

Chan, third after a shaky short program, roared to the title in his free skate with 279.72 points overcoming a 13-point deficit on Boyang Jin of China, second at 278.54. Sergei Voronov of Russia was third at 243.76.

‘’The program felt very methodical,’’ said Chan, also the Skate Canada International winner three weeks ago. ‘’I didn’t give it more energy than it needed. I told myself to relax and not try and rush through the program.’’

Chan made sure to keep an even keel during the skate.

‘’Even the fall during the quad Salchow I made sure I didn’t panic and just continued to do the program as I did at home and forget about the mistake.’’

In women’s competition, Kaetlyn Osmond of Marystown, N.L., took the silver with 196.00. Elena Radionova of Russia was the winner at 205.90 and her compatriot Elizaveta Tuktamysheva third at 192.57.

‘’I started the program really strong,’’ said Osmond. ‘’Then I did two mistakes that were really uncharacteristic for me. That’s something I just have to work on leading into the next big competitions. I need to keep my focus a little bit longer even if the program is going really well.’’

In ice dancing, Kaitlyn Weaver and Andrew Poje of Waterloo, Ont., were the silver medallists with 181.54. Maia Shibutani and Alex Shibutani of the U.S., took gold at 185.13. Alexandra Stepanova and Ivan Bukin of Russia were third at 177.41.

‘’This season is all about building,’’ said Weaver. ‘’There are many new things for us. We are learning from the beginning and that takes time and it’s not always an instantaneous result. Everything can get better even though we didn’t make any major mistakes.’’

In pairs, Lubov Ilyushechkina and Dylan Moscovitch of Toronto added a bronze behind two Chinese teams with 191.54. Xiaoyu Yu and Hao Zhang took the gold at 203.76 and Cheng Peng and Yang Jin were second at 197.96.

The sixth stop on the circuit is next weekend in Sapporo, Japan.

Full results: ISU GP Audi Cup of China 2016

Osmond, Weaver/Poje lead after short program at Cup of China

November 18, 2016/0 Comments/in /by Skate Canada

BEIJING – Kaetlyn Osmond of Marystown, N.L. leads the women’s field and Kaitlyn Weaver and Andrew Poje of Waterloo, Ont., are first in ice dance after Friday’s short programs at the Cup of China figure skating competition, the fifth stop on the ISU Grand Prix circuit.

In ice dancing, Weaver and Poje produced a personal international score for their short dance with 73.78 points. Maia Shibutani and Alex Shibutani follow closely at 73.23 and Alexandra Stepanova and Ivan Bukin of Russia are third at 72.09.

Weaver and Poje were third at the Rostelecom Cup in Russia earlier this month.

“We’ve shown great improvements since Russia,” said Weaver. “We still haven’t had a perfectly clean performance and that’s what we are aiming for.”

Alexandra Paul of Midhurst, Ont., and Mitchell Islam of Barrie, Ont., withdrew after Paul injured her knee in practice.

In women’s competition, Osmond continued an impressive 2016-17 season earning 72.20 points. Elania Radinova of Russia is second at 70.75 and Mai Mihara of Japan third at 68.48.

So far this season, Osmond was second at Skate Canada International with two personal best scores and won an international event in Finland.

“I’m overall pretty happy,” said Osmond. “It didn’t feel quite as good as Skate Canada but I got everything done.”

In pairs, Xiaoyu and Hao Zhang of China are first at 72.49 followed by Lubov Ilyushechkina and Dylan Moscovitch of Toronto in second at 71.28 and Cheng Peng and Yang Jin of China third at 69.93.

‘’The program felt good,’’ said Moscovitch. ‘’We were at an even-keel energy-wise and other than a little mistake on the jump felt we were very connected.’’

In men’s competition, three-time world champion Patrick Chan of Toronto stands third after the short program with 83.41 points. Boyang Jin of China has a big lead at 96.17 and Daniel Samohin of Israel is second at 83.47.

“Today was a bit rough,” said Chan, coming off a victory at Skate Canada International. “I obviously could have done a lot better. All the landings were a little shaky. The little mistakes add up to big mistakes in the short program.”

All four free skates are on Saturday.

Full results: ISU GP Audi Cup of China 2016

2017 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships Single Event Tickets On Sale Wednesday

November 17, 2016/0 Comments/in News & Press Releases, News & Press Releases, News & Press Releases, News & Press Releases, News & Press Releases, News & Press Releases, News & Press Releases, News & Press Releases, News & Press Releases, News & Press Releases /by Skate Canada

OTTAWA, ON: Single event tickets for the 2017 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships will go on sale on Wednesday, November 23, 2016 at 10:00 a.m. (ET). The event will take place in Ottawa, Ontario at The Arena at TD Place from January 16-22, 2017. The championships will be the first sporting event in Ottawa’s year-long celebration of Canada’s 150th birthday.

Single event ticket prices for the senior short programs are priced at $25, $35 and $45. Prices for the senior free programs and gala are priced at $30, $40 and $50. All tickets are subject to applicable surcharges.

Tickets can be purchased online at TDPlace.ca, or by phone at 1-877-489-2849 or 613-232-6767 or in person at The Box Office at TD Place.

EVENT INFO
The pre-eminent all-Canadian sporting event will feature approximately 250 skaters in the men’s, women’s, pair, and ice dance disciplines, competing in three levels: senior, junior, and novice. Athletes will vie for spots on the Skate Canada National Team and the Canadian teams that will compete at the 2017 ISU World Figure Skating Championships, 2017 ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships, and 2017 ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships.

Ottawa hosted the very first National Skating Championships in 1914 as well as in 1922, 1925, 1929, 1935, 1940, 1949, 1953, 1958, 1987, 1996, 1999, 2006 and 2014. The 2017 event will be 15th time that Ottawa will have hosted the largest gathering of Canadian skating talent.

Behind The Blades with Kaitlyn Weaver

November 16, 2016/0 Comments/in Featured Stories /by Skate Canada

*Crunch, crunch, crunch*

The unmistakable sound of fresh packed snow underneath my boots is like music to my ears. “Aaah, winter…” I think to myself. “It’s back.” But much has changed since Andrew and I have been blanketed by November’s powder.

This year, winter found us in Moscow, Russia, our part-time training base for the 2016/2017 figure skating season. After a disappointing finish to last season, my partner and I took the time to go back to the drawing board in the Spring, shut the world out, and understand what it was that WE needed. And as the pre-Olympic season was looming, THAT was the time to make any drastic changes. And drastic changes we made. We enlisted living-choreographic-legend Nikolai Morozov to our coaching team, and relocated to New Jersey, with the knowledge that much of our training would also take place in the other Great White North: Russia. To outsiders, it seemed scary. And a piece of me was definitely scared too, to tell the truth. But with change comes growth, and with necessity, fear becomes obsolete. Andrew and I were positive that we needed to challenge ourselves with something new. “Big risk, big reward” we thought, and we’re working hard to make it so.

Relocating to Jersey from our previous long-time training location of Detroit, Michigan wasn’t too difficult. Being within a stone’s throw of New York City is nothing short of inspiring, and we feed off the energy and possibility that the area has to offer. But when it came to Russia, we weren’t sure what to expect.

Armed with warm layers, protein bars, and Google translate, we traveled to Moscow eager to embrace this new aspect of our skating. And so far, it has been a success. The training centre is beautiful, the rink attendants and other coaches treat us fairly and with kindness, and having friends in the city has made an immeasurable impact. Although I had a basic understanding of the Russian language and cyrillic, Andrew and I have learned so much together, and that helps make this city feel like a second home. We can get around, order at restaurants, and hold a polite conversation. Don’t get me wrong, there are (lots of) times that I just want to walk into a Timmy’s and order a coffee and a pack of Timbits without thinking twice, but all-in-all, we are doing well.

Soon it was time for our first competition, also to be held in Moscow: Rostelecom Cup in the beginning of November. And conveniently, the official hotel was just minutes down the road from our training centre dorms. I have to admit, I felt a little defensive when I overheard other competitors complaining about Russia’s snowy weather .. I felt, like in Canada, winter has to be understood and embraced and loved rather than loathed! But no matter, the competition was quite a success. Two great outings of our new programs— representations of a new life in the dance team of Weaver/Poje and the seedlings of a fresh energy and momentum due to find its peak at the Olympics in Pyeongchang, 2018. The Russian audience, never short of passion and enthusiasm, welcomed us with warmth and energy. We left happy, invigorated, and motivated to continue our growth in the birthplace of ice dance, and also back in our new home of New Jersey with our glowing hearts never letting go of their Canadian roots.

While we can’t wait to return home to our beloved Canada, this season is the definition of adventure and growth, and as an athlete, it’s what I live for. We are always striving to make our country proud and we hope you enjoy joining our journey.

See you on the ice!

IceCup showcases the true spirit of sport

November 15, 2016/0 Comments/in /by Skate Canada

It‘s what sport should be about.

Sometimes, it’s not about medals and podium finishes, but rather inclusiveness, the building of friendships and the pursuit of personal excellence.

The spirit of sport took centre stage as athletes from Iceland, Canada, Great Britain, Finland and the United States converged in Reykjavík, Iceland for the 2016 IceCup from November 4-6.

Promoted as “Skating beneath the Northern Lights”, the figure skating competition brought together Special Olympic athletes and Athletes With A Disability (AWAD) to compete and, more importantly, form everlasting friendships and memories in the picturesque country.

The Special Olympians used the IceCup as a dress rehearsal for the Special Olympics World Winter Games 2017 coming up in Austria next March, while the AWAD competitors were given the opportunity to take part in an international competition with other skaters living with disabilities.

“It was an incredible experience for everyone that attended, “says Heather McMahon, who travelled to Iceland with her daughter, Stephanie, to take part in the event.

“Allowing these athletes to take part in an international event, with other Special Olympians and adaptive skaters, shows the inclusiveness and true spirit of sport. It taught life values and relationship building both during the competition, and away from the rink.”

Organized by the Ösp Sports Club with the support of Special Olympics Iceland, IceCup, sanctioned by Skate Canada, featured competition in singles, pairs and unified pairs. A coaching workshop was also held for coaches with athletes attending the Special Olympics World Winter Games.

The competition was staged in the spirit of the Special Olympic movement, where skaters with any form of impairment enjoyed the opportunity to compete internationally in a safe, encouraging environment.

Not all the memories from IceCup were formed at the rink. The event was about friendship as much as medals, so a highlight of the event was the “Trip of Friendship”, which featured a traditional Icelandic lunch and sightseeing experience.

For more information on the event, please visit the IceCup website.

Canadian skaters en route to ISU Grand Prix Cup of China

November 15, 2016/0 Comments/in /by Skate Canada

OTTAWA, ON: Skate Canada will send five entries, for a total of eight skaters, to the fifth stop on the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating, the Cup of China. The event takes place from November 18-20, 2016, at the Capital Indoor Stadium in Beijing, China. Canada will have one entry per discipline in men, ladies and pairs and two entries in ice dance.

Three-time World Champion and double Olympic silver medallist (men’s and team) Patrick Chan, 25, Toronto, Ont., will be the Canadian entry in the men’s discipline. This will be his first time competing at this event. This season, Chan won the silver medal at his first event, the Finlandia Trophy, followed by the gold medal at Skate Canada International. The eight-time Canadian champion is coached by Marina Zoueva, Oleg Epstein and Johnny Johns and trains in Canton, MI, USA.

Olympic silver medallist (team) Kaetlyn Osmond, 20, Marystown, Nfld./Edmonton, Alta., will be the Canadian entry in the ladies’ category. This will also be her first time competing at this event. This season, she won the Finlandia Trophy, and won the silver medal at Skate Canada International. The 2016 Canadian bronze medallist is coached by Ravi Walia and trains in Edmonton, Alta.

Lubov Ilyushechkina, 25, Moscow, Russia, and Dylan Moscovitch, 32, Toronto, Ont., will be the Canadian pairs entry. Last season, the duo placed seventh at this event. Earlier this season, Ilyusechkina and Moscovitch won the silver medal at the Nebelhorn Trophy and the bronze medal at Skate Canada International. The 2016 Canadian bronze medallists are coached by Lee Barkell, Bryce Davison and Tracy Wilson in Toronto, Ont.

Two-time world medallists Kaitlyn Weaver, 27, Toronto, Ont., and Andrew Poje, 29, Waterloo, Ont., are the first of two Canadian entries in ice dance. This will be their fourth time competing at this event, having won the bronze medal in 2012 and placed sixth in both 2008 and 2009. This season, Weaver and Poje won the bronze medal at their first ISU Grand Prix assignment, the Rostelecom Cup. The two-time consecutive Canadian champions are coached by Nikolai Morozov and train in Hackensack, NJ, USA.

Alexandra Paul, 25, Midhurst, Ont., and Mitchell Islam, 26, Barrie, Ont., are the second Canadian entry in ice dance. This will be their second time competing at this event, having placed fifth in 2014. This season, they won the bronze medal at the 2016 U.S. International Figure Skating Classic and placed eighth at Skate Canada International. Paul and Islam train in Montreal, Que., with coaches Marie-France Dubreuil, Patrice Lauzon and Romain Haguenauer.

Mike Slipchuk, Skate Canada High Performance Director, will travel with the team as team leader. Dr. Cole Beavis of Saskatoon, Sask., and physiotherapist Karen Seymour of Toronto, Ont., will be the Canadian medial staff onsite. Jeff Lukasik of Calgary, Alta., and Karen Butcher of Greely, Ont., will be the Canadian officials at the event.