2019 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships headed to Saint John, N.B.


SAINT JOHN, N.B: Skate Canada announced today that the 2019 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships will be held in Saint John, New Brunswick, from January 13-20, 2019, at Harbour Station. The championships will feature approximately 250 of the nation’s best skaters in the men, women, pairs, and ice dance disciplines, competing in three levels: senior, junior, and novice.

“Skate Canada is excited to host the 2019 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships in Saint John for the first time. This event is the highlight of the national skating calendar and we are thrilled to be able showcase Canada’s top figure skating talent at Harbour Station,” Debra Armstrong, CEO, Skate Canada. “We are looking forward to working with our partners in Saint John to put on a fantastic event and bring the joy of skating to the community.”

“I am thrilled Saint John will host the 2019 Canadian Tire National Skating Championship next January. I look forward along with our Common Council and our residents to welcoming 500+ coaches, athletes and officials from across the country,” says Don Darling, Mayor of the City of Saint John. “Saint John is becoming a City of choice for hosting major sporting event because of our hospitality, expertise, infrastructure and sport fans.”

This will be Saint John’s first time hosting this event. The city has previously hosted Skate Canada International three times (2013, 1999 and 1995). They also hosted the ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships® in December of 1997.

“Quispamsis is delighted to be part of the 2019 Canadian Tire Skate Canada Nationals,” said Quispamsis Mayor Gary Clark. “The qplex will be an ideal practice facility for this event.”

The pre-eminent all-Canadian competition will see athletes will vie for spots on the Skate Canada National Team and the Canadian teams that will compete at the 2019 ISU World Figure Skating Championships, 2019 ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships, and 2019 ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships.

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Matte and Ferland reach the top at 2018 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships

VANCOUVER – Lori-Ann Matte and Thierry Ferland of St-Romuald, Que., improved by one spot in junior pairs and it was worth gold on Wednesday at the 2018 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships.

Matte and Ferland, top-10 finishers at the world juniors last season, totalled 139.87 points placing first in both the short and long programs.

‘’We’re proud, we worked really hard for this,’’ said Ferland. “We were really aiming for first place after being runner-up last year. We had some little errors and could have done better but there was more pressure than usual.’’

They withstood a strong challenge from Patricia Andrew of London, Ont., and Paxton Knott of Rodney, Ont., second at 131.27 while Gabrielle Levesque of Bridgewater, N.S. and Pier-Alexandre Hudon of St-Roch-des-Aulnaies, Que., were third at 130.94.

In junior men’s competition, Matthew Markell of Prescott, Ont., roared from fourth after the short program to gold with 181.41 points. Corey Circelli of Toronto followed at 176.66 and Zoé Duval-Yergeau of Repentigny, Que., was third at 170.58.

‘’It’s been a pretty tough year with training but in the last three weeks I’ve been able to pull it together,’’ said Markell. ‘’I’ve never felt better coming into a competition and to win is insane.’’

The novice competition was completed as Brooke McIntosh of Toronto and Brandon Toste of Mississauga, Ont., won the gold medal in pairs with a Canadian record 120.24 points.

‘’It feels great,’’ said Toste. ‘’When we finished our program we felt so happy. There was a mistake on one element but we overcame that to finish strong.’’

Marine Pouliot of Lorraine, Que., and Alexandre Simard of Riviere-Ouelle, Que., were second at 110.12 and Camille Perreault of Orford, Que., and Bryan Pierro of St-Hubert, Que., were third at 107.11.

In the junior women’s short program, Sarah-Maude Blanchard of Sherbrooke, Que., leads with Olivia Gran of Kelowna, B.C., second and Alison Schumacher of Tecumseh, Ont., third. The free skate is Thursday.

The senior events, which serve as a qualification for the team that will compete at the 2018 Olympic Winter Games, are on Friday and Saturday.

Full results: 2018 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships

First winners crowned at 2018 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships

VANCOUVER – Four champions were crowned on Tuesday at the 2018 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships being held this week at the Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre.

In junior ice dancing, Marjorie Lajoie of Boucherville, Que., and Zachary Lagha of Greenfield Park, Que., were first with 154.40 points. Earlier this season they won their first ISU Junior Grand Prix event.

‘’We were in the moment,’’ said Lajoie. ‘’We did what we were suppose to do and what we did in practice.’’

Olivia McIsaac of Burlington, Ont., and Elliott Graham of Angus, Ont., were second at 137.56 and Ashlynne Stairs of Burnaby, B.C., and Lee Royer of St. Albert, Alta., third at 134.51.

The other three winners were in novice competition.

Alec Guinzbourg of Kingston, Ont. took the men’s singles title, Amelia Orzel, of Woodbridge Ont., was first in women’s singles and Nadiia Bashynska and Peter Beaumont of Unionville, Ont., topped the ice dance field.

‘’I think it went really well,’’ said Guinzbourg. ‘’I was a little bit shaky at the beginning but when I did my first jump I felt calmer.’’

Orzel didn’t let nerves get the best of her.

‘’I’m more than ecstatic, I’m over the moon,’’ said Orzel. ‘’It’s like a dream. My skate went really good. I wasn’t only focusing on the jumps but also focusing on having a lot of fun. I’ve been struggling with my second mark a lot so I tried to let it go.’’

Bashynska and Beaumont extended their success into the new year.

‘’It feels amazing to be here,’’ said Beaumont. ‘’We were happy to make it to nationals and to actually win it – we couldn’t ask for more.’’

In the novice pairs short program, Brooke McIntosh of Toronto and Brandon Toste of Mississauga, Ont., are first. In the junior short program Lori-Ann Matte and Thierry Ferland of Levis, Que., hold top spot.

Competition continues Wednesday with the free programs in novice pairs, junior pairs and junior men. The junior women’s free is Thursday. The senior events, which serve as a qualification for the team that will compete at the 2018 Olympic Winter Games, are on Friday and Saturday.

Full results: 2018 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships

Shae-Lynn Bourne to act as Athlete Ambassador for the 2018 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships

VANCOUVER, BC: Ten-time Canadian Ice Dance Champion and three-time Olympian Shae-Lynn Bourne will be this year’s Canadian Tire National Skating Championships Athlete Ambassador. Bourne will act as the Athlete Ambassador over the course of the week-long event held in Vancouver, B.C., at the Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre from January 8-14, 2018. The 2018 event will serve as a qualification event for the team that will compete at the 2018 Olympic Winter Games in PyeongChang, South Korea later that same year.

“It is an honour and my pleasure to serve as the Athlete Ambassador for the 2018 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships and the Olympic team qualifier,” said Bourne. “I’m thrilled to support and witness Canada’s top skaters as they showcase their hard work and talent in their pursuit of excellence.”

Bourne began her ice dance partnership with Victor Kraatz in 1991 and the two would be unrivaled for many years. As ten-time Canadian Ice Dance Champions, Bourne and Kraatz became the first North American dance team to win the World Championships in 2003. Bourne is also a three-time Olympian, as well as having won six medals at the World Championships.

“We are honoured to have Shae-Lynn as our athlete ambassador for the national championships. She has won this event 10 times, which is a remarkable accomplishment. She knows firsthand the pressures of competition and will be a valuable asset to the entire Skate Canada team in Vancouver,” said Debra Armstrong, CEO, Skate Canada.

Today, Bourne is a successful coach, choreographer, and performer. She has worked with many of Canada’s top skaters including choreographing for Joannie Rochette, Kaitlyn Weaver and Andrew Poje, Julianne Séguin and Charlie Bilodeau, Alaine Chartrand, Kevin Reynolds and Nicolas Nadeau.

In her role as Athlete Ambassador, Bourne will handle speaking engagements, media interviews, make appearances on behalf of the competing athletes, and of course make time for her fans.

TICKETS
Single event ticket prices for the senior short programs are priced $30-$65. Prices for the senior free programs and gala are priced from $40-$75. Novice and junior tickets are $20 per day. All tickets are subject to applicable venue and Ticketmaster surcharges.

Tickets can be purchased online at ticketmaster.ca and by phone at 1-855-985-5000.

EVENT INFO

The pre-eminent all-Canadian sporting event will feature approximately 250 skaters in the men, women, 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 2018 Olympic Winter Games, 2018 ISU World Figure Skating Championships, 2018 ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships, and 2018 ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships.

This will be Vancouver’s sixth time hosting the national championships. Most recently they hosted the event a decade ago in 2008. They also hosted in 1997, 1973, 1968 and 1951. The city has also hosted several international figure skating events: the 2009 ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships, 2001 & 1960 ISU World Figure Skating Championships and the 1978 Skate Canada International.

 

Canada’s best skaters headed to Vancouver for the 2018 Canadian Tire Nationals Skating Championships

VANCOUVER, BC: The nation’s best figure skaters are headed to Vancouver, B.C., for the 2018 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships. The week-long championships held at the Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre from January 8-14, 2018 will feature approximately 250 skaters in the men, women, pairs, and ice dance disciplines, competing in three levels: senior, junior, and novice. The 2018 event will serve as a qualification event for the team that will compete at the 2018 Olympic Winter Games in PyeongChang, South Korea. Skate Canada is proud to be sending the biggest figure skating team in the world to the Games in February.

“The Canadian Tire National Skating Championships is the pinnacle event on the Canadian skating calendar and this year at our 104th anniversary of the championships it will prove to be a momentous edition as our senior skaters look to qualify for the 2018 Olympic Winter Games,” said Debra Armstrong, CEO, Skate Canada. “We hope that all Canadians from coast to coast to coast feel the moment created by moving performances and are inspired to embrace the joy of skating.”

The pre-eminent all-Canadian competition will begin with the novice ice dance on Monday, January 8 and the senior events will begin on Friday, January 12. Athletes will vie for spots on the Skate Canada National Team and the Canadian teams that will compete at the 2018 Olympic Winter Games, 2018 ISU World Figure Skating Championships, 2018 ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships, and 2018 ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships.

The senior events will be the highlight of the week as Canada’s top skaters look to solidify their place in the history books. Patrick Chan will vie for his 10th Canadian title; if achieved, he will hold the all-time record. He is currently tied with Montgomery Wilson with nine titles each. Two-time World Pair Champions Meagan Duhamel and Eric Radford will look to capture their seventh consecutive Canadian title. They hold the record for senior Canadian pair titles. In women’s, world silver medallist Kaetlyn Osmond will defend her 2017 Canadian crown in search of her fourth title. She will be chased by world bronze medalist Gabrielle Daleman. Three-time Ice Dance World Champions Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir look to capture their eighth national title.

TSN, CTV and RDS will host live primetime coverage of the event, starting on Friday, January 12, 2018. Brian Williams once again hosts CTV and TSN’s coverage of the championships, bringing his extensive experience covering the Olympic Winter Games and Canadian and World Figure Skating Championships. Williams is joined by Rod Black, the voice of figure skating in Canada, in the broadcast booth alongside analyst Tracy Wilson, a seven-time Canadian ice dance champion and reporter Sara Orlesky will take fans rinkside and backstage. For a complete broadcast schedule, please click here.

The junior and novice categories earlier in the week will showcase emerging talent as they look to make their mark on the national stage. All novice and junior competition, and select senior events, will be live streamed on the Skate Canada Dailymotion page. For full entries and the event start orders please click here.

The morning of Sunday, January 14, 2018 the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) and Skate Canada will name the 17 athletes selected to represent Team Canada in figure skating at the 2018 Olympic Winter Games in PyeongChang, South Korea.

Off the ice, ten-time Canadian Ice Dance Champion and three-time Olympian Shae-Lynn Bourne will return to the event but this time as the Athlete Ambassador. During the week of the championships, Bourne will handle speaking engagements, media interviews, make appearances on behalf of the competing athletes, and of course, make time for her fans.

Skating fans on Sunday, January 14 will witness history as Sarah Kawahara and Ron Vincent officially enter the Skate Canada Hall of Fame. Kawahara, known for her innovative and artistic choreographic touch, enters in the professional category. Vincent, who spent a lifetime making a tremendous impact in figure skating as an athlete, performer, coach, administrator and artistic director, enters in the builder category. The ceremonies will take place in conjunction with the Gala.

Single event ticket prices for the senior short programs are priced $30-$65. Prices for the senior free programs and gala are priced from $40-$75. Novice and junior tickets are $20 per day. All tickets are subject to applicable venue and Ticketmaster surcharges. Tickets can be purchased online at ticketmaster.ca and by phone at 1-855-985-5000.

This will be Vancouver’s sixth time hosting the national championships. Most recently they hosted the event a decade ago in 2008. They also hosted in 1997, 1973, 1968 and 1951. The city has also hosted several international figure skating events: the 2009 ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships, 2001 & 1960 ISU World Figure Skating Championships and the 1978 Skate Canada International.

Media who have not already applied for accreditation are asked to contact Emma Bowie, Communications Manager. She will be the onsite media contact at the event and can be reached at 613-914-2607 or at [email protected].

EVENT HASHTAGS

#CTNSC18 (English)

#CNPCT18 (French)

Three medals for Canada at ISU Grand Prix Final

NAGOYA, Japan – Canadians won three medals on Saturday at the ISU Grand Prix Final, the last major international figure skating event before the Olympic Winter Games in February.

Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir took the silver in ice dancing while Meagan Duhamel and Eric Radford added a bronze in pairs and Kaetlyn Osmond was also third in women’s competition.

In ice dancing, Virtue and Moir lost for the first time since their return to competition last season.

Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron of France won the gold with 202.16 points. Virtue and Moir followed at 199.86 and Maia Shibutani and Alex Shibutani of the U.S. were third at 188.00.

‘’We made a couple of uncharacteristic glitches that we don’t even make in training that often,’’ said Moir, from Ilderton, Ont. ‘’We don’t like not winning competitions but in the grand scheme of things it was still a performance we were proud of.’’

The three-time world champions are pleased with their progress towards the Olympics.

‘’We’re on track,’’ said Virtue, from London, Ont. ‘’We’ve had an extremely successful season and we just have to continue taking care of the little details and making the tweaks so our programs are at their best come February.’’

In women’s competition, Osmond made a couple of mistakes in her Black Swan skate including a fall on her triple Salchow to drop from first after the short program to third with 215.16 points.

‘’The mistakes that I made were silly ones and they won’t happen again,’’ said Osmond, from Marystown, N.L. ‘’I made a lot of changes to my program since my last competition and I did those well.’’

It was a 1-2 Russian finish with Alina Zagitova first at 223.30 and Maria Sotskova second at 216.28.

In pairs, it was a comeback medal for Duhamel and Radford who climbed from fifth place after the short program to the medal position earning 210.83. Aljona Savchenko and Bruno Massot of Germany were first at 236.68 and world champions Wenjing Sui and Cong Han second at 230.89.

‘’We took a nice step here and continued to build,’’ said Radford. ‘’We want to take another step up at the national championships (in January) get some more levels and hit that big peak at the Olympic Games.’’

In junior ice dancing, Marjorie Lajoie of Boucherville, Que., and Zachary Lagha of Greenfield Park, Que., were sixth.

‘’It was a nice experience,’’ said Lagha. ‘’It was cool to skate at a big event like that.’’

Full results: Grand Prix Final 2017 Senior and Junior

Kaetlyn Osmond tops women’s short program at ISU Grand Prix Final

NAGOYA, Japan – Canada’s Kaetlyn Osmond produced a flawless short program in women’s competition Friday to stand in first place at the ISU Grand Prix Final figure skating event.

The 22-year-old from Marystown, N.L., wowed the crowd landing with ease her triple-triple combination, triple Lutz and double Axel. She earned an international personal best 77.04 points.

‘’It felt really good and I felt really controlled,’’ said Osmond, the world championship silver medallist last season. ‘’I wasn’t happy with how my short program went at the Grand Prix in France and I didn’t want that to happen here.’’

Alina Zagitova of Russia is second at 76.27 and Satoko Miyahara of Japan third at 74.61.

In junior ice dancing, Marjorie Lajoie of Boucherville, Que., and Zachary Lagha of Greenfield Park, Que., are in fourth place after the short dance with 60.52 points. The couple won gold and silver this season on the circuit.

‘’It’s a gift for us to be here for the good beginning to the season,’’ said Lagha. ‘’We’re just happy to be here and we want to gain some valuable experience and please the crowd.’’

Anastasia Skoptcova and Kirill Aleshin of Russia lead at 65.87. Christina Carreira and Anthony Ponomarenko of the U.S. are second at 64.10 and Sofia Polishchuk and Alexander Vakhnov of Russia third at 63.17.

A reminder that after Thursday’s short programs for Canadians, Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir are second in ice dancing and Meagan Duhamel and Eric Radford are fifth in pairs.

The free skates for the Canadian entries are on Saturday.

Full results: http://www.isuresults.com/results/season1718/gpf1718/

Province of B.C. supports the 2018 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships

VANCOUVER – The Province of B.C. is investing $110,000 in the 2018 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships, announced the Honourable Lisa Beare, Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture.

Ranked as a qualifier event to join Canada’s team at the 2018 Olympic Winter Games in South Korea, the national skating championships will take place at the Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre from January 8 -14, 2018.  The pre-eminent all-Canadian sporting event will feature approximately 250 skaters in the men, women, pair, and ice dance disciplines, competing in three levels: senior, junior, and novice. The event will be broadcast live by CTV which will draw viewers from across the country to Vancouver.  The anticipated economic activity generated by the competition is $6 million.

“Government’s support of the competition will help market the event and showcase Vancouver’s world-class sport facilities,” said Lisa Beare, Minister for Tourism, Arts and Culture.  “Events like the Canadian Tire National Skating Championship help support a thriving tourism sector that supports nearly 19,000 businesses and 127,700 employees in the province.”  I wish the athletes the best and I hope they have an opportunity to explore our beautiful province during their visit.”

“Skate Canada is honoured to be hosting the 2018 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships in British Columbia.” said Debra Armstrong, CEO, Skate Canada. “Vancouver is a wonderful city with a tremendous skating history, and we are confident that they will be gracious hosts and produce an outstanding event. We commend the Government of British Columbia for helping us achieve our vison of inspiring all Canadians to embrace the joy of skating.”

The Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture awarded the event $100,000 through the Tourism Events Program in addition to $10,000 from Hosting BC though ViaSport. The Tourism Events Program supports events that raise awareness nationally and internationally of British Columbia’s tourism experiences and motivates Canadians and people from other countries to travel and experience British Columbia. The program also supports events that generate tourism and economic activity in communities and regions across the province. The Province of BC invests and funds event hosting through the Hosting BC grant program to facilitate economic and community development brought forth through notable sporting events.

Quick Facts:

  • In addition to the funding announced today, the Government of B.C. invests approximately $50 million in sport and over $110 million in the tourism sector annually.
  • In 2016, 5.5 million international visitors came to B.C. – a 12.3% increase (605,198 more visitors) compared to 2015.
  • In 2015, the tourism industry generated $15.7 billion in revenues with a direct contribution to B.C.’s gross domestic product of $7.4 billion.

Learn More:

Tourism Events Program:
http://www.destinationbc.ca/BC-Tourism-Industry/Municipal-and-Regional-District-Tax-Program/Tourism-Events-Program.aspx

ViaSport:
http://www.viasport.ca/

Media Contact:
Media Relations
Government Communications and Public Engagement
Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture
250-893-4449

Get Ready for the Coolest Skating Party of the Year: Canada 150 Skating Day

OTTAWA, ON: On December 10, lace up your skates for Canada 150 Skating Day! For the first time ever, Canadians will skate on Parliament Hill as well as in over 300 communities from coast to coast to coast.

As part of this special day, Skate Canada is also hosting 17 flagship skating events in cities across the country, offering community skate banks to allow children without equipment the opportunity to take part. The flagship events will also feature skating exhibitions and will have coaches available to assist skaters.

Join in this nationwide skating party and bid farewell to a memorable Canada 150 year in one of the most Canadian ways possible!

Rogers Communications is the official sponsor of Canada 150 Skating Day. Tim Hortons also provided a generous contribution to Canada 150 Skating Day.

“Skating is a symbol of Canadian culture, and Skate Canada is delighted to see Canada 150 Skating Day being celebrated in communities across Canada. Skating should be accessible to all Canadians, and we applaud the Government of Canada and Rogers Communications for making skate banks available in our communities. We encourage everyone to celebrate skating on December 10 and all year round. We hope to see all Canadians embracing the joy of skating.” —Debra Armstrong, CEO, Skate Canada

“On December 10, Canadians from coast to coast to coast will celebrate Canada 150 on the ice. The whole country will glide into winter together by skating on Canada 150 Skating Day. I invite everyone to come together to enjoy one of our most beloved winter pastimes as we bid farewell to a memorable Canada 150 year.” —The Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Canadian Heritage

“We are proud to be the official sponsor of this great community-building initiative that brings Canadians, including our employees and their families, together for a great day of skating. Rogers is committed to investing in local communities. Our media outlets are on hand to provide local coverage of many Canada 150 Skating Day events across the country today.” —Rick Brace, President, Rogers Media

Quick Facts

  • On March 11, the Right Honourable David Johnston, former Governor General of Canada, announced that Canada 150 Skating Day would take place in communities across the country on December 10, 2017.
  • On December 10, 2017, more than 300 communities across the country will join together in a cross-Canada skating party.
  • Skate Canada is also organizing 17 flagship events in major cities and all provincial and territorial capitals.
  • Through the Canada 150 Fund, the Government of Canada has supported 729 initiatives that encourage Canadians and the world to participate, celebrate and explore our country in 2017.

Virtue and Moir stand second after short at ISU Grand Prix Final

NAGOYA, Japan – Canada’s Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir are in a big battle for the ISU Grand Prix Final ice dance title. The 2010 Olympic and three-time world champs stand second after Thursday’s short dance.

Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron of France are in first place with 82.07 points. Virtue and Moir, undefeated since returning to competition last season, follow at 81.53 and Maia Shibutani and Alex Shibutani of the U.S. are third at 78.09.

‘’The plan is to peak in February (at the Olympics) and we are on track,’’ said Virtue, from London, Ont. ‘’Our performance was a step up from what we did this season on the Grand Prix circuit.”

The veteran Canadian skaters don’t seem too worried about placement.

‘’Hopefully we can have another great skate Saturday and build our confidence for the Olympics,’’ said Moir, from Ilderton, Ont.

In pairs, two-time Canadian world champions Meagan Duhamel and Eric Radford are fifth after the short program at 72.18 in a competition that’s too tight to call heading into Saturday’s free skate.

‘’Having those little bobbles can detract a bit and that affected our second mark,’’ said Radford, from Balmertown, Ont.

The pair made a mistake on their side-by-side triple Lutz and throw triple Lutz.

‘’The throw was a little bit stuck on take-off which resulted in not the same flow when I came out,’’ said Duhamel, from Lively, Ont. ‘’Still, we were committed to our performance and we felt pretty good about it.’’

Aljona Savchenko and Bruno Massot of Germany are first after the short program with 79.43 points. Defending champions Evgenia Tarasova and Vladimir Morozov of Russia follow at 78.83 and world champions Wenjing Sui and Cong Han of China are third at 75.82.

Competition continues through to Saturday.

Full results: Grand Prix Final 2017 Senior and Junior

Skate Canada athletes in Japan for ISU Grand Prix Final

OTTAWA, ON: Skate Canada will have four entries, for a total of seven skaters competing at the 2017 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final in Nagoya, Japan. The event takes place from December 7-10, 2017, at the Nippon Gaishi Hall, and includes both the ISU Senior Grand Prix Final and the ISU Junior Grand Prix Final. Canada will have one entry per discipline in senior ladies, senior pairs, senior ice dance and junior ice dance.

World silver medallist Kaetlyn Osmond, 22, Marystown, Nfld./Edmonton, Alta., will be the Canadian entry in the senior ladies category. Last year, she placed fourth at this event. Osmond won gold at Skate Canada International and bronze at the Internationaux de France to qualify for the Grand Prix Final. The three-time Canadian champion is coached by Ravi Walia in Edmonton, Alta.

Two-time world champions Meagan Duhamel, 31, Lively, Ont., and Eric Radford, 32, Balmertown, Ont., will be the Canadian entry in senior pairs. This will be their seventh consecutive appearance at this event, having medalled the past three years and won in 2014. Duhamel and Radford qualified winning the gold medal at Skate Canada International and bronze at Skate America. The six-time consecutive Canadian champions are coached by Bruno Marcotte in Montreal, Que.

Olympic champions and three-time world champions Tessa Virtue, 28, London, Ont., and Scott Moir, 30, Ilderton, Ont., will be the Canadian entry in senior ice dance. They are the defending champions at this event and have medalled in five of six appearances. Virtue and Moir won the gold medal at both Skate Canada International and the NHK Trophy on the ISU Grand Prix circuit this season. The seven-time Canadian champions are coached by Marie-France Dubreuil, Patrice Lauzon and Romain Haguenauer in Montreal, Que.

Canadian junior champions Marjorie Lajoie, 17, Boucherville, Que., and Zachary Lagha, 18, Greenfield Park, Que., will represent Canada in junior ice dance and will be competing at this event for the first time. Lajoie and Lagha won the silver medal in Australia and the gold medal in Croatia on the ISU Junior Grand Prix circuit this season to qualify for the final. They train in Montreal, Que., with coaches Marie-France Dubreuil, Patrice Lauzon, Romain Haguenauer and Pascal Denis.

Mike Slipchuk, Skate Canada High Performance Director, and Andre Bourgeois, Skate Canada NextGen Director, will travel with the team as team leaders. Dr. Lee Schofield of Toronto, Ont., and physiotherapist Agnes Makowski of Toronto, Ont., will be the Canadian medial staff onsite. Leanna Caron of Timmins, Ont., and Jeff Lukasik of Calgary, Alta., will be the Canadian officials at the event.

For results and full entries please click here or visit the official event website.

CANADIAN ENTRIES AT THE 2017 ISU GRAND PRIX FINAL

Discipline Name Age Hometown Club Coach
Senior Ladies Kaetlyn Osmond 22 Marystown, Nfld. & Edmonton, Alta. Ice Palace FSC Ravi Walia
Senior Pairs Meagan Duhamel / Eric Radford 31/32 Lively, Ont. / Balmertown, Ont. CPA Saint-Léonard / CPA Saint-Léonard Bruno Marcotte
Senior Ice Dance Tessa Virtue / Scott Moir 28/30 London, Ont. / Ilderton, Ont. Montreal International Skating School / Montreal International Skating School Marie-France Dubreuil / Patrice Lauzon / Romain Haguenauer
Junior Ice Dance Marjorie Lajoie / Zachary Lagha 17/18 Boucherville, Que. / Greenfield Park, Que. CPA de Boucherville / CPA St. Lambert Marie-France Dubreuil / Patrice Lauzon / Romain Haguenauer / Pascal Denis

2019 Skate Canada Challenge heading to Edmonton

EDMONTON, AB: Skate Canada announced today that the 2019 Skate Canada Challenge will take place in Edmonton, Alberta at the Terwillegar Community Recreation Centre from November 28 – December 2, 2018.

“We are happy to be heading back to Edmonton for Skate Canada Challenge. This event is our biggest of the year with over 500 skaters looking to qualify for the national championships,” said Debra Armstrong, CEO, Skate Canada. “We are confident that Edmonton will once again put on a fantastic event.”

Edmonton hosted the 2016 Skate Canada Challenge, which took place in December 2015, also at the Terwillegar Community Recreation Centre.

“We are excited to welcome skaters from across the nation back to Edmonton for the 2019 Skate Canada Challenge,” said Lindsay Harrison, Senior Manager, Edmonton Events. “Figure skating has strong roots in this city, and we are proud to contribute to the success of another great skating event in Edmonton.”

Over 500 of the finest skaters from across Canada will participate in the 2019 Skate Canada Challenge. Skaters qualify to compete through their respective sectional championships. For novice, junior and senior skaters, this is the only opportunity to qualify for the 2019 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships.

At the senior level, many members of Canada’s National Team often compete in the event, as well as junior athletes who have competed internationally. The Canadian Pre-Novice Champions in men, women, pair and ice dance are determined at Skate Canada Challenge.