Five Canadian skaters headed to Grenoble for Internationaux de France

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OTTAWA, ON: Team Canada will be competing at the final event in the 2018-2019 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating series in Grenoble, France from November 23-25.

In the men’s category, Nicolas Nadeau will represent Canada. Nadeau finished fourth at Finlandia Trophy earlier this season.

In the pairs category, Camille Ruest and Andrew Wolfe will be representing Canada. This is their second grand prix event, they finished eighth at Skate Canada International.

Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier will be the  Canadian ice dancers at the event. The team won bronze at their first grand prix assignment of the season at  Skate Canada International.

Canadian Entries at Internationaux de France-Grenoble, France

Discipline Name Age Hometown Club Coach
Men Nicolas Nadeau 20 Boisbriand, Que. CPA Boisbriand Yvan Desjardins
Pairs Camille Ruest / Andrew Wolfe 24/24 Rimouski, Que. / Calgary, Alta. CPA Rimouski / Glencoe Club Calgary Richard Gauthier, Bruno Marcotte
Ice Dance Piper Gilles / Paul Poirier 26/27 Toronto, Ont. / Unionville, Ont. Scarboro FSC / Scarboro FSC Carol Lane, Juris Razgulajevs, Jon Lane

Manon Perron of Boucherville, Que., will be the Canadian team leader at the event. Dr. Albert Schumacher of Tecumseh, Ont., and physiotherapist Scott Fraser of Kingston, Ont., will be the medical staff onsite. Janice Hunter of West Vancouver, B.C. and Reaghan Fawcett  of Aurora, Ont. will be Canadian officials at the event.

For more information, please visit www.isu.org.

Keegan Messing climbs to fifth at ISU Grand Prix

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MOSCOW – Canada’s Keegan Messing gained two spots in the overall standings with his free skate Saturday to place fifth in men’s competition at the Rostelecom Cup, the fifth stop on the ISU Grand Prix figure skating circuit.

Olympic champion Yuzuru Hanyu of Japan won the gold medal with 278.42 points followed by Morisi Kvitelashvili of Georgia in second at 248.58 and Kazuki Tomono of Japan third at 238.73.

Messing was seventh after Friday’s short program and produced the sixth best free skate. Interpreting his Charlie Chaplin routine, Messing opened with a perfect triple Lutz but wasn’t smooth on most of his other jumps falling on both his quad toes and landing one of his two triple Axels cleanly.

“I really had to fight for everything,” said Messing, a silver medallist earlier this month at Skate Canada. “I can leave here knowing I gave it a solid fight.”

Messing was the only Canadian entry at the competition.

The next stop on the circuit is in Grenoble, France.

Full results: http://www.isuresults.com/results/season1819/gprus2018/

Canada’s Roman Sadovsky wins silver at ISU Challenger Series event

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INNSBRUCK, Austria – Roman Sadovsky of Vaughan, Ont., held on two second place to win the silver medal in men’s competition on Thursday at the CS Inger Solar Memorial – Alpen Trophy figure skating competition.

Daniel Grassl of Italy took the gold with 230.50 points, Sadovksy followed at 204.95 and Tomoki Hiwatashi of the U.S. was third at 199.21.

Sadovksy was second after the short program and produced the fifth best free skate.

“I’m disappointed with the performance, I didn’t reach my potential,” said Sadovsky. “I felt I had some improved elements and it just didn’t show in this competition.”

There were no other Canadians.

Full results: http://skateaustria.vs91-250-98-130.cloud-he.de/img/competition/4.2018_19/040/index.htm

Keegan Messing seventh after short program at ISU Grand Prix

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MOSCOW – Canada’s Keegan Messing made two major mistakes in his short program Friday to stand seventh in men’s competition at the Rostelecom Cup, the fifth stop on the ISU Grand Prix figure skating circuit.

Olympic champion Yuzuru Hanyu of Japan leads with 110.53 points, Morisi Kvitelashvili of Georgia is a distant second at 89.94 and Alexander Majorov of Sweden third at 82.33

Messing, second at Skate Canada earlier this month, fell on his opening quad-triple combo and nearly tumbled on his triple Axel, holding himself up with his hand.

“I just felt a little bit tight out there,” said Messing. “The legs were a little stiff but I kept fighting through the whole program.”

Messing is the sole Canadian entry at the event. The free skate is on Saturday.

Full results: http://www.isuresults.com/results/season1819/gprus2018/

Keegan Messing headed to Russia for Rostelecom Cup

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OTTAWA, ON: Team Canada will be competing this week at the Rostelecom Cup, the fifth event on the 2018 ISU (International Skating Union) Grand Prix of Figure Skating series. The event takes place in Moscow, Russia from November 16-18.

Keegan Messing will be the only Canadian skater competing in Moscow. This will be his second grand prix event of the season, having won a silver medal at the Skate Canada International in October.

Canadian Entries at Rostelecom Cup – Moscow, Russia

Discipline Name Age Hometown Club Coach
Men Keegan Messing 26 Sherwood Park, Alta. / Brantford, Ont. Sherwood Park FSC Ralph Burghart

Carolyn Allright of Waterloo, Ont., will be the Canadian team leader and physiotherapist Mike McMurray of Oak Bluff, Man., will be the Canadian medical staff onsite. Lynne Dey of Edmonton, Alta., will be the Canadian official at the event.

For more information, please visit www.isu.org.

Soucisse and Firus post career ISU Grand Prix best fifth at NHK Trophy

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HIROSHIMA, Japan – Canadian ice dancers Carolane Soucisse and Shane Firus improved by three spot over their Skate Canada performance two weeks ago with a fifth place finish in ice dancing to conclude the NHK Trophy, the fourth stop on the ISU Grand Prix figure skating circuit.

Kaitlin Hawayek and Jean-Luc Baker of the U.S. won the gold medal with 184.63 points, Tiffani Zagorski and Jonathan Guerreiro of Russia were second at 183.05 and Rachel Parsons and Michael Parsons of the U.S. third at 178.64.

Soucisse, from Chateauguay, Que., and Firus, from North Vancouver, totalled 169.84 which was also a 13-point improvement over their Skate Canada showing and less than three points off their personal best internationally.

It was also their best result in four Grand Prix appearances.

“It was our best overall performance to date,” said Firus. “We are going to keep working to get it better every time.”

The fifth stop on the circuit is later this week in Moscow.

Full results: GPJPN 2018 NHK Trophy

Moore-Towers and Marinaro edged off podium at NHK Trophy

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HIROSHIMA, Japan – Canada’s Kirsten Moore-Towers and Michael Marinaro were less than a point from a podium berth and took fourth spot Saturday in pairs at the NHK Trophy figure skating competition, the fourth stop on the ISU Grand Prix circuit.

Natalia Zabiiako and Alexander Enbert of Russia won the gold medal with 214.14 points, Cheng Peng and Yang Jin of China were second at 207.24, Alexa Scimeca Knierim and Chris Knierim of the U.S. third at 190.49 and the Canadians followed at 189.66.

It was a fourth competition in seven weeks for Moore-Towers, of St. Catharines, Ont.,  and Marinaro, of Sarnia, Ont. They skated a clean program to a Pink Floyd medley but they touch downed with a hand on a couple of landings

“We were pretty solid in the first three competitions but we are a little disappointed in this performance,” said Moore-Towers. “There are some areas we did improve but now we have some time before nationals (in January) to come back a deliver a special performance.”

In men’s competition, Olympic silver medallist Shoma Uno of Japan won the gold with Sergei Voronov of Russia second and Matteo Rizzo of Italy third.

Kevin Reynolds of Coquitlam, B.C., moved from 12th to 11th with the 10th best free skate.

“There are some positives I can take from this week,” said Reynolds. “I was able to perform the programs artistically the way I was hoping but the jumps were not where they needed to be.”

In the short dance, Carolane Soucisse of Chateauguay, Que., and Shane Firus of North Vancouver are fifth at 66.01 just over three points from third spot. Tiffani Zagorski and Jonathan Guerrero of Russia are first at 75.49 ahead of two American couples.

“We went out there and did our job,” said Firus. “It was a good performance but a little disappointed with our placement right now.”

The free dance is on Sunday.

Full results: GPJPN 2018 NHK Trophy

Manon Perron receives 2018 Geoff Gowan Award

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OTTAWA, ON – Skate Canada and the Coaching Association of Canada are proud to announce that Manon Perron will be presented with the 2018 Geoff Gowan Award at this year’s Petro-Canada Sport Leadership Awards Gala on Friday, November 9. Known as one of the Coaching Association of Canada’s (CAC) most prestigious awards, it will recognize Perron’s lifetime contributions to coaching development.

“Skate Canada is thrilled that Manon will receive this prestigious and well-earned honour. Manon has represented Skate Canada for almost 40 years and her dedication and passion to the sport and to her athletes has been nothing short of excellent,” says Debra Armstrong, Chief Executive Officer, Skate Canada. “We are proud that six additional coaches from our sport will also be recognized. These coaches continue to show their commitment to professional coaching and mentoring day in and day out, and it is an honour to have them on our roster.”

The Geoff Gowan Award was created by the Coaching Association of Canada in 1996 and recognizes lifetime contributions to coaching development. It is awarded to coaches who have presented a positive public image of coaching and who have enhanced the role of the coach with the Canadian public. The award resides at Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame in Calgary, Alberta.

“To be recognized for the time I’ve dedicated to coaching is a huge honour. It’s incredible that I’ve been able to turn my passion for coaching into a 39-year career,” says Perron. “Coaching has been the most rewarding experience, and I’ve also been given the opportunity to be a coach mentor and work with high-performance athletes through Skate Canada. When I think of where I am today, I have so many people to thank. I would particularly like to recognize Skate Canada and Patinage Québec for helping me make my dreams a reality. Lastly, I want to thank everyone who believed in me.”

Perron coached many high-performance figure skaters over her career and was most notably the was the coach of Canadian champion and Olympic bronze medallist, Joannie Rochette. Today, she gives seminars all over Canada and internationally to athletes and coaches. She is also currently a mentor coach in Skate Canada’s High Performance Mentorship Program.

Six other coaches from Skate Canada will also be honoured at the Gala on November 9 with a 2018 Petro-Canada Coaching Excellence Award. They are:

  • Lee Barkell
  • Marie-France Dubreuil
  • Patrice Lauzon
  • Brian Orser
  • Bruno Marcotte
  • Ravi Walia

Hosted by the Coaching Association of Canada (CAC) in partnership with Petro-Canada at the Shaw Centre in Ottawa, the Gala recognizes those who live out the values and competencies of the National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP) and the positive impact they have within the Canadian sport community.

For more information about the conference and the Gala, visit www.coach.ca/sportleadership.

Moore-Towers and Marinaro in hunt for second ISU Grand Prix medal

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HIROSHIMA, Japan – Kirsten Moore-Towers of St. Catharines, Ont., and Michael Marinaro of Sarnia, Ont., are in third place after Friday’s short program at the NHK Trophy figure skating competition, the fourth stop on the ISU Grand Prix circuit.

Natalia Zabiiako and Alexander Enbert of Russia are first with 73.48 points, Cheng Peng and Yang Jin of China are second at 70.66 and Moore-Towers and Marinaro third at 67.70.

Skating to the First Time I Ever Saw Your Face, the Canadians opened with a perfect triple twist but weren’t as smooth on the side-by-side jump and the throw triple loop. They won a bronze two weeks ago at Skate Canada.

“We are a little disappointed with the performance today,” said Moore-Towers. “We’ve been practicing very well all week. It was a little bit off in many places and here you have to be perfect to stack up.”

In the men’s short program, Olympic silver medallist Shoma Uno of Japan leads with 92.49. Sergei Voronov of Russia is second at 91.37 and his compatriot Dmitri Aliev third at 81.15.

Kevin Reynolds of Coquitlam, B.C., is 12th.

“After a good start it didn’t finish up well so that’s disappointing,” Reynolds said.

The free skates for men and pairs are on Saturday as well as the short dance featuring Carolane Soucisse of Chateauguay, Que., and Shane Firus of North Vancouver. There are no Canadians in the women’s event.

Full results: http://www.isuresults.com/results/season1819/gpjpn2018/

Five Canadian skaters headed to Japan for NHK Trophy

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Ottawa, ON: Team Canada will be competing at the 2018 NHK Trophy in Hiroshima, Japan from November 9-11. This will be the fourth stop on the ISU (International Skating Union) Grand Prix of Figure Skating series.

In the men’s category, Kevin Reynolds will be the lone male representing Canada. Reynolds finished eighth at the Autumn Classic International in September and 11th at Skate America in October.

Kirsten Moore-Towers and Michael Marinaro will be representing Canada in the pairs category. They have medaled at their three international events this season so far, winning silver at Autumn Classic International and at Finlandia Trophy and most recently they won bronze at  Skate Canada International.

In the ice dance, Carolane Soucisse and Shane Firus will be the Canadian team in Japan. They won bronze earlier this season at the Autumn Classic International and placed eighth at the Skate Canada International.

CANADIAN ENTRIES AT 2018 NHK TROPHY – HIROSHIMA, JAPAN

Discipline Name Age Hometown Club Coach
Men Kevin Reynolds 28 Vancouver, B.C. Champs International Skating Center Joanne McLeod
Pairs Kirsten Moore-Towers / Michael Marinaro 26/26 St.Catharines, Ont. / Sarnia, Ont. Winter Club of St. Catharines / Point Edward SC Richard Gauthier, Bruno Marcotte, Sylie Fullum
Ice Dance Carolane Soucisse / Shane Firus 23/24 Chateauguay, Que. / North Vancouver, B.C. SC Repentigny / SC Repentigny Marie-France Dubreuil, Patrice Lauzon

Cynthia Ullmark of Canmore, AB., and Mike Slipchuk, the High Performance Director, will be the team leaders at the event. Dr. John Philpott of Toronto, Ont., and physiotherapist Shirley Kushner of Westmount, Que., will be the Canadian team medical staff on site. Cynthia Benson of Quispamsis, N.B., and Leslie Keen of Vancouver, B.C., will be the Canadian officials at the event.

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

Skate Canada supports Calgary’s bid for 2026 Olympic Winter Games

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There is nothing that brings this country closer together than hosting an Olympic Winter Games on home soil.

In Canada, we’ve been fortunate enough to experience that incomparable sense of national pride and patriotism twice in the past 30 years. The enduring memories from Calgary 1988 and Vancouver 2010 have left a lasting footprint on the collective heart of our nation.

As a proud Canadian winter National Sports Organization, Skate Canada fully supports Calgary’s bid to host the 2026 Olympic Winter Games and is urging Calgarians to let their voices be heard by backing the bid in the November 13 plebiscite.

“It is truly a special privilege to host an Olympic Winter Games at home,” says Debra Armstrong, Chief Executive Officer of Skate Canada.

“As Canadians witnessed during the Calgary Games in 1988 and the Vancouver Games in 2010, a home Olympics offers the rare opportunity to unite the country and embrace the Olympic movement while inspiring young athletes to chase their own Olympic dreams. A successful Calgary 2026 bid will leave an everlasting legacy not only in Alberta, but right across Canada, for generations to come.”

A successful Calgary 2026 bid, which is expected to inject more than $4 billion into the local economy, will once again put Calgary on the world stage while sustaining the city’s reputation as one of the world’s premier winter sport cities.

Sport has the power to bring people together, and a home Olympics takes that unity to another level.  Eight years ago, the collective pulse of a nation elevated as we watched Alex Bilodeau claim Canada’s first Olympic gold medal on home soil. We were captivated by the strength and grace of Joannie Rochette, who epitomized the strength of the human spirit by overcoming personal tragedy to win an Olympic bronze medal in one of the most emotional performances you will see in sport. We cheered as Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir won their first ice dance gold medal and, in an unprecedented display of patriotic pride, the nation reverberated from coast to coast to coast with Sidney Crosby’s golden goal.

In Calgary, figure skaters won three of Canada’s five medals. The Battle of the Brians mesmerized a nation as Brian Orser captured silver, Elizabeth Manley became Canada’s sweetheart with her stirring silver-medal performance and Tracy Wilson and Rob McCall stood on the Olympic podium with a bronze medal.

A home Games offers the rare chance to bring us all together as one, while showing the world who we are, and what we believe in.

Canada has celebrated the privilege of hosting two Olympics in the past three decades. Those moments, and those memories, are etched in our hearts forever.

Eight years from now in Calgary, we may get to experience that feeling again.

Daleman withdraws from NHK Trophy

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OTTAWA, ON: Gabrielle Daleman, 20, Newmarket, Ont., has withdrawn from her second grand prix assignment, NHK Trophy. Daleman announced earlier this month that she had taken a break from training to focus on her mental health.

Daleman was a member of the gold medal team at the 2018 Olympics and is the reigning Canadian champion. She trains in Toronto, Ont., with coaches Lee Barkell and Brian Orser.