Vanessa James and Eric Radford to compete in pairs together

OTTAWA, ON: Vanessa James, 33, Scarborough, Ont., and Eric Radford, 36, Balmertown, Ont., have formed a new skating partnership and will compete for Canada in the pairs discipline this coming season. Both skaters have previously competed internationally with different partners, James representing France and Radford on the Canadian national team.

“Partnering up with Eric is a very exciting career opportunity. I am looking forward to a season full of inspiration, joy and personal growth,” said Vanessa James. “We’re both very much looking forward to this new chapter in our lives.”

“I’m looking forward to this new partnership with Vanessa and getting back on the ice and doing what we love,” said Eric Radford. “Vanessa and I are thrilled to have the opportunity to represent Canada this coming season and are looking forward to see what the future holds for our partnership.”

James and Radford both did not compete this season. James, with her previous skating partner Morgan Ciprés, is the 2019 European Champion, the 2018 World bronze medallist in the pairs event, and represented France at the 2014 and 2018 Winter Olympics. James and Ciprés announced their retirement in September 2019. Radford, with his previous skating partner Meagan Duhamel, is a two-time World pair champion (2015, 2016), a 2018 Olympic gold medallist in the team event, a 2018 Olympic bronze medallist in the pairs event, and a seven-time Canadian national champion (2012-18). Duhamel and Radford announced their retirement in April 2018.

This coming season, James and Radford will be training in Quebec coached by Julie Marcotte, and the pair team looks forward to representing Canada at international events.

Any media inquiries please contact [email protected].

Photo Credit: Naskademini naskademini.com

Canadian athletes gain valuable experience as World Team Trophy wraps up in Japan

OSAKA, Japan – The final chapter was written in an unprecedented figure skating season Saturday as the ISU World Team Trophy wrapped up in Japan.

As they did throughout the three-day event, Canadian team members enthusiastically cheered on their teammates from their team box as the pair and women’s free programs closed out the competition.

The Canadian team finished the three-day competition in sixth place with a total of 57 points. Team Russia secured the gold medal, followed by the United States with silver and Japan with bronze.

This week marked the seventh edition of the World Team Trophy, where team points were awarded by placement in each segment. Individual scores were then added together to calculate an overall team score. Canadian athletes that recently competed at the recent ISU World Figure Skating Championships did not attend the World Team Trophy due to Canadian quarantine rules.

“To have the opportunity for our athletes to compete in the World Team Trophy and in front of a live audience was a great way to end what has been such a difficult year,” said Skate Canada High Performance Director Mike Slipchuk. “For these athletes and those who represented Canada at the world championships in Sweden, it will be an invaluable competitive experience as they look to the Olympic season ahead.”

In seven trips to the World Team Trophy, Canada has finished on the podium three times, winning silver in 2009 and 2013, and bronze in 2012.

On Saturday, Alison Schumacher of Tecumseh, Ont. earned 111.98 to finish eighth in the women’s free program. Gabrielle Daleman of Newmarket, Ont. was 10th with 107.30.

Anna Shcherbakova of Russia scored 160.58 to win the event. Kaori Sakamoto of Japan was second while Russia’s Elizaveta Tuktamysheva placed third.

In the pair free program, Lori-Ann Matte and Thierry Ferland of Lévis, Que. finished in sixth spot at 101.83. Russia’s Anastasia Mishina and Aleksandr Galliamov were first in the segment followed by Americans Alexa Knierim and Brandon Frazier.

Team Canada was represented by Daleman, Schumacher, Matte and Ferland, Roman Sadovsky and Nam Nguyen (men) and Carolane Soucisse and Shane Firus (ice dance).

To view final results, please visit the ISU website.

 

 

Canadians stay in sixth spot after second day of World Team Trophy

OSAKA, Japan – Canada remained in sixth place Friday as the 2021 ISU World Team Trophy wrapped up its second day of competition.

The Canadian team has a total of 42 points and is 11 points back of Italy for fifth spot with one day remaining. This is the first international competition of the year for every member of the Team Canada.

Team Russia moved into first place Friday with 91 points, followed by the United States with 83. Japan holds down third with 78 points.

Team points are awarded based on finishing positions at the conclusion of each segment (12 points for first, 11 points for second, etc.…) Individual competitor scores are added together to calculate a cumulative team score.

The event, which started in 2009, is staged every two years. In six trips to the ISU World Team Trophy prior to this season, Canada has finished on the podium three times, most recently winning a silver medal in 2013.

The men’s event closed out Friday, with 2020 Canadian champion Roman Sadovsky earning 134.80 in his free program to finish 10th. Nam Nguyen of Ajax, Ont., a two-time national champion, scored 133.04.

A day after claiming top spot in the men’s short program, three-time world champion Nathan Chen of the United States followed suit by winning the free program with 203.24. Japan’s Yuzuru Hanyu was second and Mikhail Kolyada of Russia placed third.

Carolane Soucisse (Châteauguay, Que.) and Shane Firus (North Vancouver, B.C.), the 2020 Canadian bronze medallists, also concluded their competition Friday, finishing sixth in the free dance.

World champions Victoria Sinitsina and Nikita Katsalapov of Russia won the free dance competition, followed by Charlene Guignard and Marco Fabbri of Italy. Americans Kaitlin Hawayek and Jean-Luc Baker placed third.

In the pair short program, Lori-Ann Matte and Thierry Ferland of Lévis, Que. scored 54.91 and are in sixth spot. Russia’s Anastasia Mishina and Aleksandr Galliamov earned 73.77 to lead going into the free program.

The World Team Trophy competition concludes Saturday with the pair and women’s free programs. To view start times and results, visit the ISU website.

 

 

Canada in sixth spot after Day 1 of ISU World Team Trophy

OSAKA, Japan – Team Canada is in sixth spot after the opening day of the 2021 ISU World Team Trophy.

Canada accumulated 23 points on the first of three competition days and is two points behind Italy and three points back of fourth-place France.

Russia set the early pace with 49 points, followed closely by the United States at 47. Japan is in third spot with 42 points.

Competitors perform two programs each, and team points are awarded based on finishing positions (12 points for finishing first, 11 points for second, etc.…) Each team member’s scores are added together to calculate the total team score.

Roman Sadovsky of Vaughan, Ont., the 2020 Canadian men’s champion, scored 89.61 in the men’s short program and is in sixth spot. Two-time national champion Nam Nguyen of Ajax, Ont. tallied 66.89.

Three-time world champion Nathan Chen of the United States leads with 109.65, followed by Japan’s Yuzuru Hanyu (107.12) and American Jason Brown (94.86).

Competition kicked off Thursday with the rhythm dance, with Carolane Soucisse (Montreal, Que.) and Shane Firus (North Vancouver, B.C.) in sixth spot at 65.06. World champions Victoria Sinitsina and Nikita Katsalapov of Russia lead with 86.66.

In the women’s short program, 2020 Canadian silver medallist Alison Schumacher (Tecumseh, Ont.) scored 59.19 and is in ninth place. Two-time national champion Gabrielle Daleman is tenth with 57.22 points. A pair of Russian skaters hold down the top two spots, with Anna Shcherbakova leading followed by Elizaveta Tuktamysheva.

Canada’s last medal at the World Team Trophy was in 2013, when the team captured silver. The event, which began in 2009, is held every two years.

Competition resumes Friday with the pair short program, free dance, and men’s free program. For full results, please visit the ISU website.

 

Team Canada headed to Japan for ISU World Team Trophy

OTTAWA, ON: Skate Canada will send an eight-member team to the 2021 ISU World Team Trophy, taking place April 15-18, 2021 in Osaka, Japan. The Canadian team will consist of two men, two women, one pair and one ice dance team.

Hitting the ice in Osaka will be 2021 Skate Canada Challenge Champion and 2020 Canadian Champion, Roman Sadovsky; 2019 Canadian Champion and 2019 World Team Trophy member, Nam Nguyen; 2020 Canadian National silver medallist, Alison Schumacher; 2018 Olympic gold team medallist, Gabrielle Daleman, 2021 Skate Canada Challenge pair silver medallists, Lori-Ann Matte and Thierry Ferland, and 2020 Canadian ice dance bronze medallists, Carolane Soucisse and Shane Firus.

The countries ranked one to six on the ISU team standing qualify for the event. Team Canada is ranked fourth heading into this event. The other five countries, in order of qualification, are: Russia, USA, Japan, Italy, and France. China was qualified but will not be sending a team, therefore, France will be competing instead.

Canada has medalled three times at this event, claiming silver at the inaugural event in 2009, bronze in 2012, and silver in 2013.

Mike Slipchuk, Skate Canada High Performance Director, will be the Canadian team leader at the event. Physiotherapist Shirley Kushner of Westmount, Que., will be the medical staff onsite. Karen Butcher of Greely, Ont., and Leslie Keen of Vancouver, B.C., will be the Canadian officials attending the event.

For results and full entries, please click here.

CANADIAN ENTRIES AT 2021 ISU WORLD TEAM TROPHY

Discipline Name Age Hometown Club Coach
Men Roman Sadovsky 21 Vaughan, Ont. York Region Skating Club Tracey Wainman/Grzegorz Filipowski
Men Nam Nguyen 22 Ajax, Ont. Richmond Hill Training Centre Robert Burk
Women Alison Schumacher 18 Tecumseh, Ont. Toronto Cricket, Skating and Curling Club Joey Russell/Tracy Wilson/Ghislain Briand
Women Gabrielle Daleman 23 Newmarket, Ont. Granite Club Lee Barkell
Pair Lori-Ann Matte/Thierry Ferland 21/23 Lévis, Que. /Lévis, Que. CPA St.Romuald-St.Jean Lévis/CPA St.Romuald-St.Jean Lévis Ian Connolly
Ice Dance Carolane Soucisse/Shane Firus 26/27 Châteauguay, Que. / North Vancouver, B.C. CPA Repentigny/CPA Repentigny Carol Lane/Juris Razgulajevs

SKATE CANADA ANNOUNCES BID TO HOST THE ISU WORLD FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS® 2024 IN MONTREAL, QUEBEC

OTTAWA, ON: Skate Canada will formally submit a bid in April of 2021 to host the ISU World Figure Skating Championships® 2024 in Montreal, Quebec. If successful, this will be Canada’s 11th time hosting the championships. Montreal was set to host the ISU World Figure Skating Championships® 2020 but was cancelled a week prior due to the pandemic. Canada last hosted the illustrious event in 2013 in London, Ontario.

The ISU World Figure Skating Championships® is the pinnacle event of the annual figure skating season moving around the globe, attracting more than 300 million television viewers worldwide and showcasing the 200 best athletes from 50 countries in four disciplines: men’s, ladies, pair and ice dance.

“We are thrilled to put forth Montreal as the host city for the ISU World Figure Skating Championships® 2024 for consideration by the International Skating Union. Canada has an exceptional hosting history, and we would be honoured to hold the 2024 event,” said Leanna Caron, President, Skate Canada. “With all the diligence that went into planning the 2020 World Championships, the entire team is ready to welcome the world to Montreal in 2024.  We have confidence that working with all government and municipal partners together with Patinage Quebec, we will deliver an excellent event in Montreal.”

“The ISU World Figure Skating Championships are a staple event. I am thrilled that Montréal was chosen to be the Canadian candidate to host its 2024 edition. I would like to underline Tourisme Montréal’s contribution to this success as well as to the mobilization of the community. This much-anticipated international competition promises to be highly successful and to provide an excellent showcase for our metropolis,” stated Valérie Plante, mayor of Montréal.

In accordance with ISU regulations, Skate Canada will submit Montreal as the host city along with supporting documents in April 2021. The 2024 host will be determined by the ISU Council and a decision is expected later this year.

Previous Canadian host cities:
● 1932 Montreal ● 1960 Vancouver ● 1972 Calgary ● 1978 Ottawa ● 1984 Ottawa ● 1990 Halifax ● 1996 Edmonton ● 2001 Vancouver ● 2006 Calgary ● 2013 London  ● 2020 Montreal Cancelled

 

REGISTRATION OPENS FOR THE 2021 ANNUAL ICE SUMMIT

Dear members and registrants,

Registration for the 2021 Skate Canada Ice Summit is now open. Join community leaders from across the country and meet online for this interactive, exciting conference. Registration will include all pre-conference and conference activities, including Skate Canada’s Annual General Meeting.

“This past year has been difficult for all due to the pandemic,” said Debra Armstrong, CEO, Skate Canada. “We are thrilled to be able to host our annual conference virtually, allowing our skating community to still connect and come together in one place to support the continued development from the grassroots level to the world stage. Though we will not be able to be together in person this year, the goal of continuing to inspire Canadians to embrace the joy of skating will unite us all.”

The theme of this year’s event is: Change Connecting Community. The 2021 Ice Summit package offers an interactive and engaging virtual environment featuring comprehensive education and discussion with leading experts. We will also be honouring members of our skating community who have played an integral role during the global pandemic.

This year’s conference kicks off on May 15-16 for a pre-conference virtual skating seminar hosted by world and Olympic champion, Meagan Duhamel. May 18-20 will also feature pre-conference sessions, including a leadership development session with three-time Grey Cup Champion, Henry Burris.

Beginning on May 21, the virtual tradeshow and exhibitor booths will open and will include a wide variety of programming content and other features.

The Ice Summit officially kicks off on May 28 with our Annual General Meeting taking place on May 29 at 10 a.m. ET.

For more information on how to register, please click here.