Canadian junior skaters head to Austria for second stop on ISU Junior Grand Prix circuit

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OTTAWA, ON: Skate Canada will send three entries, for a total of five skaters to Salzburg, Austria, for the second stop on the 2017-2018 ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating. Canada will have one entry in men and two entries in ice dance at the competition which takes place from August 31-September 2, 2017.

Canadian junior silver medallist Conrad Orzel, 17, Woodbridge, Ont., will be the sole Canadian men entry. Last season on the ISU Junior Grand Prix circuit, Orzel placed 10th in France and won the silver medal in Germany. He also won the silver medal in junior at the 2017 Bavarian Open and placed 13th at the ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships. He is coached by Eva Najarro and trains in Richmond Hill, Ont.

Canadian junior silver medallists Ashlynne Stairs, 17, Calgary, Alta. and Lee Royer, 19, St. Albert, Alta., are the first of two Canadian ice dance entries at the event. Stairs and Royer finished seventh and fifth respectively at their ISU Junior Grand Prix assignments in France and Slovenia last season. They also won the bronze medal in junior at the 2017 Bavarian Open and placed 14th at the ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships. Stairs and Royer are coached by Megan Wing and Aaron Lowe in Burnaby, B.C.

Irina Galiyanova, 15, Ajax, Ont., and Tommy Tang, 18, Toronto, Ont., are the second Canadian ice dance entry. Last season, they placed 11th at the ISU Junior Grand Prix in Estonia and placed sixth in junior at the 2017 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships. Galiyanova and Tang are coached by Carol Lane, Jon Lane and Juris Razgulajevs in Toronto, Ont.

André Bourgeois, Skate Canada NextGen Director, and Danielle Williams of Surrey, B.C., will be the Canadian team leaders at the event. Physiotherapist Shirley Kushner of Westmount, Que., will be the Canadian team medical staff on site. Susan Morriss of Victoria, B.C., and Patty Klein of Mt. Royal, Que., will be the Canadian officials at the event.

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

Live streaming will be available through the ISU’s YouTube channel.

CANADIAN ENTRIES AT ISU JGP #2 – SALZBURG, AUSTRIA

Discipline Name Age Hometown Club Coach
Men Conrad Orzel 17 Woodbridge, Ont. York Region Skating Academy Eva Najarro
Ice Dance Ashlynne Stairs / Lee Royer 17/19 Calgary, Alta. / Ft. St. Albert, Alta. Champs International SC / Champs International SC Megan Wing / Aaron Lowe
Ice Dance Irina Galiyanova / Tommy Tang 15/18 Ajax, Ont. / Toronto, Ont. Scarboro FSC / Scarboro FSC Carol Lane / Jon Lane / Juris Razgulajevs

Canadian ice dancers win silver at ISU Junior Grand Prix

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BRISBANE, Australia – Marjorie Lajoie of Boucherville, Que., and Zachary Lagha of Greenfield Park, Que., won the silver medal in ice dancing on Saturday to conclude the first stop on the ISU Junior Grand Prix figure skating circuit.

Sofia Polishchuk and Alexander Vakhnov of Russia took the gold with 145.86 points followed by the Canadians at 138.92. Elizaveta Khudaiberdieva and Nikita Nazarov of Russia were third at 131.80.

‘’It was stressful,’’ said Lajoie. ‘’But we are happy with what we accomplished. We’ve never competed at a Grand Prix this early in the season, so considering the circumstances, it’s good.’’

It was the best Junior Grand Prix performance in four career appearances for the couple, sixth at last season’s world junior championships.

‘’When you start focusing on results, it never works,’’ added Lagha. ‘’We just wanted to do well and build from here because we know we can do better.’’

Natalie d’Alessandro and Bruce Waddell of Toronto were sixth in their junior Grand Prix debut.

‘’For us it was about the experience,’’ said Waddell. ‘’Just go out there and have fun. But competing internationally, we were more nervous than usual.’’

In women’s competition, Canadian junior champion Aurora Cotop of Toronto climbed from ninth to seventh overall producing the sixth best free skate of the day.

The second stop on the circuit is next Friday and Saturday in Salzburg, Austria.

Full results: ISU JGP Brisbane 2017

Phan fourth at ISU Junior Grand Prix opener

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BRISBANE, Australia – A rough start to his free skate landed Joseph Phan of Laval, Que., in fourth place in men’s singles on Friday at the opening stop on the ISU Junior Grand Prix figure skating circuit.

Alexei Krasnozhon of the U.S. won the gold medal with 209.37 points followed by two Russians: Roman Savosin in second at 196.20 and Egor Rukhin third at 185.12.

The 16-year-old Phan was second after the short program on Thursday but ranked seventh for his long.

‘’I was too hesitant in my free skate,’’ said Phan, fifth and sixth in his junior Grand Prix performances last season. ‘’When things started not to go right I was changing my plan on the fly.’’

Phan fell on his opening quad in his free skate performed to The Godfather soundtrack. He stood on his triple Axel after missing it in the short but fell on his triple Lutz which blew the wind out of his sails.

‘’I was landing my quad and Axel consistently in practice,’’ he said. ‘’I think those jumps are getting better and better. But tonight the quad toe I didn’t feel stable. I’ve got five weeks until my next  Grand Prix and I want to correct those errors.’’

Canada is in medal contention in ice dancing with Marjorie Lavoie of Boucherville, Que., and Zachary Lagha of Greenfield Park, Que., second after the short dance with 58.55. Sofia Polishchuk and Alexander Vakhnov of Russia lead at 61.08.

Natalie d’Alessandro and Bruce Waddell of Toronto are sixth.

In women’s competition, Canadian junior champion Aurora Cotop of Toronto is ninth after the short program.

Competition ends Saturday with the free dance and women’s free skate.

Full results: ISU JGP Brisbane 2017

Learn to Skate at Your Local Skate Canada Club

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OTTAWA, ON: The 2017-2018 ice skating season is beginning in many communities across Canada and all Canadians have the opportunity to register for skating programs at your local Skate Canada club or skating school.  Skating is an integral part of the Canadian experience, and with a diverse offering of programs, aspiring participants of all ages can learn at their own pace.

Skate Canada is thrilled to offer CanSkate, presented by Canadian Tire, the number one learn-to-skate program in the country. CanSkate is accessible to all Canadians and has been implemented in /learn-to-skate/canskate/all member clubs and skating schools nationwide.

The CanSkate program is based on principles of Sport Canada’s Long Term Athlete Development (LTAD), and offers custom tools, professional coaching, a tested and proven curriculum, and delivery methods that guarantee strong basic skills and quicker skating development. The CanSkate program also teaches skills that prepare skaters for other popular Canadian sports like hockey, ringette and speed skating, by working on the skaters’ balance, speed, control and agility.

Learning to skate is a natural part of Canadian life. From early steps on the ice, holding onto a parent’s hand, to skating as a family activity, or moving on to other ice sports, skating is an enriching, active experience. Skate Canada offers a wide-range of programs, from CanSkate for beginners of any age to AdultSkate, for adults looking to continue their healthy lifestyle. For those looking to join a team, our Synchronized Skating programs are tailored for groups of eight or more skaters performing as a team.

Other programs clubs/schools may offer include:

  • CanPowerSkate – with a focus on balance, power, agility and endurance, this program is perfect for those looking to enhance their hockey and ringette skating skills.
  • STARSkate – a diverse program that aims to enhance figure skating skills in four different disciplines.
  • CompetitiveSkate – a program that aims to identify and enhance potential competitive skating talent, by incorporating tests and other training opportunities into the curriculum.
  • AdultSkate – dynamic program offering CanSkate, STARSkate and CanPowerSkate programs aimed at adults.
  • SynchroSkate – streamlined discipline of skating that involves groups of eight or more skaters performing various group formations and manoeuvres.
  • Athletes with a disability and Special Olympic athletes may join in any and all of the Skate Canada programs.

All Skate Canada member coaches hold National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP) certification, first aid and valid police clearance checks and quality instruction is available at all 1,200 member clubs and skating schools across the country.

 

Canadian skaters set to begin 2017-2018 ISU Junior Grand Prix season in Australia

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OTTAWA, ON: Skate Canada will send six skaters, for a total of four entries to the first stop on the 2017-2018 ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating in Brisbane, Australia. Canada will have one entry per discipline in men’s and ladies, and two entries in ice dance at the competition which will run from August 23-26, 2017. There will be no pair competition at the event.

Joseph Phan, 16, Laval, Que., will represent Canada in men’s. Last season on the ISU Junior Grand Prix circuit, he placed sixth at the event in the Czech Republic and fifth at the event in Slovenia. He also placed 11th in the senior category at the Canadian championships, and won the bronze medal at the Bavarian Open in the junior level. Phan is coached by Yvan Desjadrins in Rosemère, Que.

Canadian junior champion Aurora Cotop, 15, Toronto, Ont., will represent Canada in ladies. This will be her first ISU Junior Grand Prix Assignment. Last season she won the junior category at the 2016 Autumn Classic International and placed fourth in junior at the Bavarian Open. Cotop is coached by Jonathan Mills and Myke Gillman in Thornhill, Ont.

Canadian junior champions Marjorie Lajoie, 16, Boucherville, Que., and Zachary Lagha, 18, Greenfield Park, Que., are the first of two Canadian ice dance entries. Last season, they finished fourth at both of their ISU Junior Grand Prix assignments (Japan and Germany), placed sixth at the ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships, and won the silver medal in junior at the Bavarian Open. They train in Montreal, Que., with coaches Marie-France Dubreuil, Patrice Lauzon, Romain Haguenauer and Pascal Denis.

Canadian novice champions Natalie D’Alessandro, 13, Toronto, Ont., and Bruce Waddell, 15, Toronto, Ont., will represent Canada in ice dance, at their first ISU Junior Grand Prix assignment. Last season, they placed fourth at the Bavarian Open in the novice category. They are coached by Andrew Hallam and Siobhan Karam in Toronto, Ont.

André Bourgeois, Skate Canada NextGen Director, and Manon Perron of Boucherville, Que., will be the Canadian team leaders at the event and physiotherapist Mireille Landry of Toronto, Ont., will be the Canadian team medical staff on site. Susan Blatz of Burlington, Ont., and Sylvain Guibord of Brossard, Que., will be the Canadian officials at the event.

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

CANADIAN ENTRIES AT ISU JGP #1 – BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA

Discipline Name Age Hometown Club Coach
Men Joseph Phan 16 Laval, Que. CPA Laval Yvan Desjardins
Ladies Aurora Cotop 15 Toronto, Ont. Thornhill FSC Jonathan Mills / Myke Gillman
Ice Dance Marjorie Lajoie / Zachary Lagha 16/18 Boucherville, Que. / Greenfield Park, Que. CPA De Boucherville / CPA St. Lambert Marie-France Dubreuil / Patrice Lauzon / Romain Haguenauer / Pascal Denis
Ice Dance Natalie D’Alessandro / Bruce Waddell 13/15 Toronto, Ont. / Toronto, Ont. Toronto Cricket, Skating and Curling Club / Toronto Cricket, Skating and Curling Club Andrew Hallam / Siobhan Karam

Single Session Tickets Info: 2017 Skate Canada International

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REGINA, SK: Single Session Tickets for the 2017 Skate Canada International will go on sale on Thursday, August 17, 2017 at 10 a.m. MST. The event will take place in Regina, Saskatchewan from October 26-29, 2017 at the Brandt Centre.

The line-up in Regina features Canadian favourites including Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir, Meagan Duhamel and Eric Radford, Kaitlyn Weaver and Andrew Poje, Patrick Chan, and Kaetlyn Osmond. They will be joined by various current and former world medallists including Shoma Uno of Japan, Anna Pogorilaya of Russia, Ashley Wagner of the United States, and Aliona Savchenko and Bruno Massot of Germany. A full list of entries can be found on the ISU website.

Single session tickets begin at $25 (plus applicable taxes and surcharges) and prices range by session. Tickets for the Thursday practices are only $10. The Super Fan Section is sold out, however, fans not seated in the Super Fan Section may purchase the Super Fan Bag for an additional $60 each, plus applicable surcharges.

Tickets can be purchased online at ticketmaster.ca, or by phone at 1-855-985-5000 or in person at Brandt Centre Box Office. Groups of nine or more can purchase by calling the box office directly 1-306-781-9300.

EVENT INFO

This will be Regina’s second time hosting this event; they last hosted in 1986. Most recently, the city hosted Skate Canada Challenge, a qualifying event for the Canadian Tire National Skating Championships in 2012, 2013 and 2014.

Skate Canada International is the second competition in the annual ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating series. The other events take place in the United States (Skate America), Russia (Rostelecom Cup), France (Trophée de France), China (Cup of China) and Japan (NHK Trophy).

Each skater/team can be assigned a maximum of two events. Skaters are awarded points based on their placements at their events. The top six from each discipline (men’s, ladies, pair and ice dance) qualify for the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final.

Skate Canada Announces Hall of Fame Class of 2017

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OTTAWA, ON: Skate Canada is proud to announce six new entries being inducted into the Skate Canada Hall of Fame. The class of 2017 will include athletes Joannie Rochette and Jennifer Robinson, coaches Sadie and Albert Enders and Josée Picard and Éric Gilles, and builders Ron Vincent and Steve Milton.

The Hall of Fame was established in 1990 to pay tribute to athletes, builders and professionals who have made a significant impact on Canadian figure skating. Skate Canada is committed to celebrating the achievements of the skating community through the Hall of Fame, and through alumni programs which engage past skaters, officials, coaches and volunteers. Since the Hall’s inception, Skate Canada has inducted 112 members: 51 athletes, 34 builders and 27 professionals.

Joannie Rochette, of Île Dupas, Quebec, is an Olympic and World medallist and six-time Canadian champion. Rochette is widely known for her iconic bronze-medal-winning performance at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver following the passing of her mother Thérèse two days before the start of the ladies’ event. The world silver medallist’s list of accomplishments also includes three ISU Four Continents medals, an ISU Grand Prix Final bronze medal, and 10 ISU Grand Prix medals. Throughout her career, Rochette has been a proud advocate of World Vision and Right to Play, among other charitable causes.

Jennifer Robinson, of Goderich, Ontario, is an Olympian and six-time Canadian champion. In a senior career that spanned 10 seasons, she competed at eight ISU World Figure Skating Championships where she earned three top-10 finishes. Robinson never missed the Canadian podium (six gold, one silver, three bronze), and internationally won bronze at Skate Canada International, counted multiple top-five finishes and placed seventh at the 2002 Olympic Winter Games. She has also given a tremendous amount of time to World Vision, supporting communities in need and inspiring others to follow in her footsteps.

Sadie and Albert Enders were born in Australia, but their love of skating brought them to South Africa and England before landing in Canada in 1940. The Enders’ were coaching pioneers in singles, ice dance, and particularly pairs, having been pair skaters themselves. The coaching duo guided Skate Canada Hall of Famers Suzanne Morrow and Wallace Diestelmeyer to Olympic and World bonze medals in 1948, among many other of their students’ successes. The Enders’ are being honoured posthumously.

Josée Picard and Éric Gillies, of Hull, Quebec, and Moncton, New Brunswick, respectively, have coached skaters to Canadian and international medals in singles, pairs and ice dance. They notably coached World Champions and Olympic medallists Isabelle Brasseur and Lloyd Eisler, as well as Olympians and World Champions Shae-Lynn Bourne and Victor Kraatz. Picard and Gillies were also instrumental in the development and operation of a centre combining education and sports – the first of its kind in Quebec.

Ron Vincent, of Burnaby, British Columbia, has spent a lifetime advocating for, developing, and implementing coach education programs. A world coach himself, Vincent stressed the importance of coaching standards, laying the groundwork for Skate Canada as a leader in national coach education programs. His leadership and knowledge in this area led him to become Administrator of the National Coaching Development Program and to develop courses for Sport Canada’s National Coach Certification Program.

Steve Milton, of Toronto, Ontario, is a journalist who has been covering the sport of figure skating for over 35 years through print, radio and digital media. Milton has covered nine Olympic Games, over 20 ISU World Figure Skating Championships and countless Canadian championships. He has authored 13 books on figure skating, and is a great source of knowledge on everything in the sport from historical facts to judging system information.

Skate Canada is proud to celebrate the achievements of the skating community through the inductions of exceptional members into the Skate Canada Hall of Fame. The exact dates and locations of the various inductions will be announced as they become available.