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.

Ticket Information: 2017 Autumn Classic International

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OTTAWA, ON: Tickets for the 2017 Autumn Classic International will go on sale this Thursday, July 13 at 10:00 a.m. (ET). The event will be held in the Montreal, Pierrefonds-Roxboro borough, at the Sportplexe Pierrefonds from September 20-23, 2017.

Tickets can be purchased at Eventbrite.ca in advance and online only.  All tickets are general admission and are priced at $85 for an all-event ticket, or single day tickets for $25 on Thursday and $35 on Friday and Saturday. Admission includes all official practices and competitions for the day of your purchase.  Please note that seating is general admission and not reserved.  Seats are on a first-come, first-serve basis.  Ticket quantities are limited and all tickets are final sale.

The 2017 Autumn Classic International will feature senior events in men, women, pair and ice dance, and junior competition in men and women. Typically, the event will host over 50 entries from over 20 countries. The competition is one of 10 events that will form the ISU Challenger Series. Athletes at the senior level have the opportunity to earn world standing points. Competitors are eligible to participate in up to three Challenger Series events.

The 2017 entries will be announced after the close of entries on August 18, 2017.

Skate Canada Announces 2017-2018 National Team

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OTTAWA, ON: Skate Canada is pleased to announce the 2017-2018 National Team. The team is comprised of 32 senior members, which includes five men, five women, five ice dance teams and six pair teams.

To be named to the National Team a skater must finish in the top five in senior singles, pair and ice dance disciplines at the Canadian Tire National Skating Championships, or be added at the discretion of Skate Canada. These skaters may be considered to represent Canada at international competitions.

Their appointment to the national team is effective from June 1, 2017 through to April 30, 2018.

Skate Canada also announced the three teams that will make up the Skate Canada Synchronized Skating National Team.

MEN
Patrick Chan, 26, Toronto, Ont.
Kevin Reynolds, 26, Coquitlam, B.C.
Nam Nguyen, 19, Toronto, Ont.
Nicolas Nadeau, 19, Boisbriand, Que.
Keegan Messing, 25, Girdwood, Alaska, USA

WOMEN
Kaetlyn Osmond, 21, Marystown, Nfld. & Sherwood Park, Alta.
Gabrielle Daleman, 19, Newmarket, Ont.
Alaine Chartrand, 21, Prescott, Ont.
Larkyn Austman, 19, Coquitlam, B.C.
Sarah Tamura, 16, Burnaby, B.C

PAIR
Meagan Duhamel, 31, Lively, Ont. & Eric Radford, 32, Balmertown, Ont.
Lubov Ilyushechkina, 25, Toronto, Ont. & Dylan Moscovitch, 32, Toronto, Ont.
Kirsten Moore-Towers, 24, St. Catharines, Ont. & Michael Marinaro, 25, Sarnia, Ont.
Brittany Jones, 21, Toronto, Ont., & Joshua Reagan, 27, Toronto, Ont.
Camille Ruest, 23, Rimouski, Que., & Andrew Wolfe, 22, Calgary, Alta.
Julianne Séguin, 20, Longueuil, Que. & Charlie Bilodeau, 23, Trois-Pistoles, Que.

ICE DANCE
Tessa Virtue, 28, London, Ont. & Scott Moir, 29, Ilderton, Ont.
Kaitlyn Weaver, 28, Waterloo, Ont. & Andrew Poje, 30, Waterloo, Ont.
Piper Gilles, 25, Toronto, Ont. & Paul Poirier, 25, Unionville, Ont.
Carolane Soucisse, 22, Châteauguay, Que., & Shane Firus, 23, North Vancouver, B.C.
Haley Sales, 20, Burnaby, B.C., and Nikolas Wamsteeker, 20, Langley, B.C.

SYNCHRONIZED SKATING
NEXXICE, of the Burlington Skating Centre
Les Suprêmes, of CPA Saint-Léonard
Nova, of CPA Brossard & CPA St-Hubert

All-Event Tickets On Sale Now : 2018 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships

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VANCOUVER, BC: All-event tickets for the 2018 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships go on sale on Thursday, June 22, at 10:00 a.m. (PT). The event will take place 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.

All-Event ticket packages will include all competitions in novice, junior and senior and the exhibition gala, as well as all practices. Fans will be able to choose from four levels of all-event ticket packages that are priced at $140, $175, $210, and $310, plus applicable surcharges. Fans may also save up to 30% at select Vancouver hotels with code that appears after every online ticket purchase.

Join our exclusive mailing list to receive pre-sale information!

Tickets can be purchased online at ticketmaster.ca, by phone at 1-855-985-5000 or in person at Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre.

SUPER FAN SECTION
The Super Fan Section is back! This section includes the first three rows of the arena, allowing fans to be closest to the action. All fans purchasing tickets in this section will receive a Canada flag, event pin, event program and stylish bag. All-event ticket packages in the Super Fan Section, which includes the super fan bag, are priced at $310, plus applicable surcharges.

Fans not seated in the Super Fan Section may purchase the Super Fan Bag for an additional $60 each, plus applicable surcharges.

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.

Meagan Duhamel and Eric Radford update coaching team

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OTTAWA, ON: Two- time world pair champions Meagan Duhamel, 31, Lively, Ont., and Eric Radford, 32, Balmertown, Ont., have updated their coaching team for the 2017-2018 season and will no longer be coached by Richard Gauthier.

“Meagan and I thank Richard from the bottom of hearts for all he has done for us. His influence in our lives will extend far beyond the arena. This was an extremely difficult decision but now we will concentrate and focus on the important upcoming season,” stated Radford.

“Eric and I felt like we wanted to make some changes to our training. We will be forever grateful to Richard. Everything we’ve achieved in our career wouldn’t have been possible without him. We wish him the best,” added Duhamel.

Bruno Marcotte will act as head coach with support from John Zimmerman. John Kerr has also joined the team as their choreographer, alongside Julie Marcotte.

Skate Canada members recognized at 2017 Achievement Awards Gala in Ottawa

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OTTAWA, ON: This past weekend, Skate Canada celebrated 22 award winners during its annual Achievement Awards Gala and Banquet, part of the 2017 Skate Canada Ice Summit in Ottawa, Ont. Hosted in the nation’s capital in honour of Canada’s sesquicentennial anniversary, Skate Canada also celebrated its 130th anniversary since its inauguration in 1887.

The winners received their awards on Friday night in front of a crowd of over 350 of Canada’s top skating delegates. Winners were presented their awards by the evening’s co-hosts: Olympian and three-time Canadian champion, Josée Chouinard, and renowned figure skating correspondent PJ Kwong.

The Skate Canada Achievement Awards program honours dedicated members of the skating community who have donated their time to help contribute to improving the quality of skating in Canada.

The 2016-2017 recipients were:

  • Skate Canada Club and Recreational Coach Award of Excellence
    Stacey Charlton, Sussex FSC, New Brunswick Section
  • Skate Canada Competitive Coach/Choreographer Award of Excellence
    Lee Barkell, Toronto Cricket, Skating & Curling Club, Central Ontario Section
  • Skate Canada Officials Award of Excellence
    Josie Howard, Skate Regina, Saskatchewan Section
  • Skate Canada Event Volunteer Award of Excellence
    France Bisson, CPA Saint-Sébastien, Quebec Section
  • Elizabeth Swan Memorial Award
    Kortney Story, Aldergrove FSC, British Columbia/Yukon Section
  • Billie Mitchell Award
    Sally Rehorick, Champs International Skating Centre of British Columbia, British Columbia/Yukon Section

Skate Canada also presents a volunteer award to one member of each of the Skate Canada sections. The following exceptional volunteers were awarded the 2016-2017 Skate Canada Section Volunteer Award of Excellence:

  • British Columbia/Yukon Section
    Lorraine Mapoles, Mount Boucherie Skating Club
  • Alberta/NWT/Nunavut Section
    Krista Sellers, Calalta Figure Skating Club
  • Saskatchewan Section
    David Tuffs, Unity Skating Club
  • Manitoba Section
    Stan Yee, St. Andrews Skating Club
  • Northern Ontario Section
    Felicia Blasky, Border Skating Club of Fort Frances
  • Western Ontario Section
    Judi Emery, Ilderton Skating Club
  • Central Ontario Section
    Douglas Shelley, Skate Oakville
  • Eastern Ontario Section
    Barbara Hough, Prescott Figure Skating Club
  • Quebec Section
    Carole Bellerose, CPA Trois Rivières Ouest
  • New Brunswick Section
    Kim Macvey, Saint John Skating Club
  • Prince Edward Island Section
    Cindy Ramsay, Kensington Area Figure Skating Club
  • Nova Scotia Section
    Donald Murray, Dalhousie Kings Figure Skating Club
  • Newfoundland and Labrador Section
    Susan Dean, Flying Blades Figure Skating Club

Three additional host section awards were recognized in the CanSkate, STARSkate and CompetitiveSkate athlete areas, as representatives of all section winners across the country in those categories:

  • Skate Canada Section CanSkate Athlete Award
    Ben Baldwin, Gloucester Skating Club, Eastern Ontario Section
  • Skate Canada Section STARSkate Athlete Award
    Joelle Menard, Winchester Skating Club Inc., Eastern Ontario Section
  • Skate Canada Section CompetitiveSkate Athlete Award
    Evan Hopkins, Rideau Skating Club, Eastern Ontario Section

Skate Canada congratulates all award winners, nominees, and countless invaluable volunteers.

Canadian Adult Skaters Win Nine Medals at 2017 ISU Adult Competition

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OTTAWA, ON: Fourteen Canadian skaters returned this week from the International Skating Union’s Adult Figure Skating Competition with a total of nine medals among them. The annual event took place in Oberstdorf, Germany, from May 22-27, 2017.

British Columbia skater Linda Maundrell, 74, won the first medal of the Canadian skaters, a gold medal, in the first event of the competition. She earned gold in the highest age bracket (ages 68-78) with her artistic free skating performance to You Make Me Feel So Young. Nearly all Canadian skaters placed in the top 10 of their categories which frequently comprised of upwards of 30 skaters.

The following Canadian skaters took home medals in their respective categories:

Gold medallists:
Gary Beacom – Masters Elite Men III Free Skating & Masters Elite Men III Artistic Free Skating
Linda Maundrell – Bronze Ladies V Artistic Free Skating
Cheri Taylor – Masters Ladies I Free Skating

Silver medallists:
Angela Justason – Masters Ladies III Artistic Free Skating

Bronze medallists:
Takashi Ikeno – Gold Men II Free Skating
Cheri Taylor – Masters Ladies I Artistic Free Skating
Amylie Noël – Gold Ladies I Artistic Free Skating
Cherie Taylor – Masters Ladies I Free Skating

In all, there were 560 skaters from 35 ISU member countries, counting over 700 entries, competing in competed in Free Skating, Artistic Free Skating, Pairs Free Skating, Pairs Artistic Free Skating, Ice Dance (Pattern Dance, Short Dance and Free Dance) and Synchronized Skating. The competition notably welcomed skaters from Hong Kong and the United Arab Emirates for the first time in its history.

The entire competition was live streamed, and archived performances can be accessed at www.dailymotion.com/skatingvideos. Competition results can be found at www.isu.org.

Last year, the ISU added a second competition for adults and, once again, Vancouver will be home to the next ISU Adult Figure Skating Competition being held at the Minoru Arena from August 21-26, 2017. The deadline for entry is June 7, 2017. The official announcement is available at www.isu.org.

The 2018 ISU Adult Figure Skating Competition in Oberstdorf will take place May 13-19. Details of this competition will be listed on the ISU website in Fall 2017.

For further information please visit www.isu.org or the ISU Adult Working Group website www.adultskating.org.

Media Inquiries:
Diana Barkley
ISU Adult Working Group
[email protected]

Skating Community in Ottawa for the 2017 Ice Summit

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OTTAWA, ON: Canada’s skating delegates are on their way to the nation’s capital for the 2017 Ice Summit. The conference will take place from June 2-4, 2017 and will consist of a wide range of opportunities for members at all levels within Skate Canada.

This year will be particularly special as Canada celebrates its sesquicentennial anniversary. Not only is it a milestone year for our country, but also for skating in Canada. This year, Skate Canada is celebrating 130 years as an organization.

The theme throughout the event is: Converge, Connect and Collaborate. The 2017 Ice Summit package offers a broad spectrum of informative and interactive workshops specifically targeting coaches, choreographers, officials, clubs and skating schools, and Skate Canada sections. With over 20 workshops attendees will be able to select the workshops most relevant to their skating career.

During the three-day event, participants will learn from skating’s best through a series of on and off ice seminars. The on-ice workshops feature top coaches and choreographers, including Brian Orser, Marilyn Langlois, and Yvan Desjardins. As part of Skate Canada’s commitment to safe sport and providing a safe environment the keynote speaker for this year’s summit is Sheldon Kennedy, the founder of Respect in Sport. He will share his personal experiences and prevention education to enhance safety for everyone in sport.

The annual Skate Canada Achievement Awards Gala and Banquet will take place on Friday evening. The gala celebrates the accomplishments of skaters, volunteers, officials and coaches who made significant contributions to progress the quality of skating in Canada.

The event will conclude on Sunday with the Annual General Meeting of the association. Members will again be able to participate remotely as the AGM and voting will be available via live stream.

World Champions Virtue and Moir headline 2017 Skate Canada International in Regina

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OTTAWA, ON: The International Skating Union (ISU) has announced the line-ups for the six 2017 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating events. Canada will host the second stop on the circuit, the 2017 Skate Canada International in Regina, Saskatchewan, from October 26-29, 2017, at the Brandt Centre located at Evraz Place.

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.

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

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, women, pair and ice dance) qualify for the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final to be held in Nagoya, Japan from December 7-10, 2017.

TICKETS ON SALE NOW
All-Event ticket packages are on sale now! All-Event ticket packages include all competitions as well as practices. Fans can choose from four levels of All-Event ticket packages that are priced at $120, $160, $200, and $275, 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.

SUPER FAN SECTION
The 2017 Skate Canada International will feature a special Super Fan Section! This section includes the first three rows of the arena, allowing fans to be closest to the action. All fans purchasing tickets in this section will receive a Canada toque, limited edition event pin, super fan name badge and a stylish tote. All-event ticket packages in the Super Fan Section, which includes the deluxe super fan kit, are priced at $275, plus applicable surcharges.

2017 SKATE CANADA INTERNATIONAL ENTRIES*

MEN
Brendan Kerry (AUS)
Jorik Hendrickx (BEL)
Patrick Chan (CAN)
Keegan Messing (CAN)
TBD (CAN)
Chafik Besseghier (FRA)
Takahito Mura (JPN)
Shoma Uno (JPN)
Jun Hwan Cha (KOR)
Maxim Kovtun (RUS)
Alexander Samarin (RUS)
Jason Brown (USA)

WOMEN
Alaine Chartrand (CAN)
Kaetlyn Osmond (CAN)
TBD (CAN)
Laurine Lecavelier (FRA)
Roberta Rodeghiero (ITA)
Marin Honda (JPN)
Rika Hongo (JPN)
Nahyun Kim (KOR)
Anna Pogorilaya (RUS)
Maria Sotskova (RUS)
Karen Chen (USA)
Ashley Wagner (USA)

PAIR
Meagan Duhamel / Eric Radford (CAN)
Lubov Ilyushechkina / Dylan Moscovitch (CAN)
TBD (CAN)
Cheng Peng / Yang Jin (CHN)
Vanessa James / Morgan Cipres (FRA)
Aliona Savchenko / Bruno Massot (GER)
Natalia Zabiiako / Alexander Enbert (RUS)
Haven Denney / Brandon Frazier (USA)

ICE DANCE
Carolane Soucisse / Shane Firus (CAN)
Tessa Virtue / Scott Moir (CAN)
Kaitlyn Weaver / Andrew Poje (CAN)
Kavita Lorenz / Joti Polizoakis (GER)
Natalia Kaliszek / Maksym Spodyriev (POL)
Alla Loboda / Pavel Drozd (RUS)
Olivia Smart / Adria Diaz (ESP)
Alisa Agafonova / Alper Ucar (TUR)
Kaitlin Hawayek / Jean-Luc Baker (USA)
Madison Hubbell / Zachary Donohue (USA)

CANADIAN ASSIGNMENTS FOR THE 2017 ISU GRAND PRIX OF FIGURE SKATING SERIES*

ROSTELECOM CUP — Moscow, Russia — October 20-22, 2017
MEN: Nam NguyenPAIR: Julianne Séguin / Charlie Bilodeau
ICE DANCE: Piper Gilles / Paul Poirier

SKATE CANADA INTERNATIONAL — Regina, Saskatchewan – October 26-29, 2017
MEN: Patrick Chan, Keegan Messing, TBD
WOMEN: Alaine Chartrand, Kaetlyn Osmond, TBD
PAIR: Meagan Duhamel / Eric Radford, Lubov Ilyushechkina / Dylan Moscovitch, TBD
ICE DANCE: Carolane Soucisse / Shane Firus, Tessa Virtue / Scott Moir, Kaitlyn Weaver / Andrew Poje

CUP OF CHINA — Beijing, China — November 3-5, 2017
MEN: Kevin Reynolds
WOMEN: Gabrielle Daleman
PAIR: Kirsten Moore-Towers / Michael Marinaro

NHK TROPHY — Osaka, Japan — November 10-12, 2017
MEN: Patrick Chan
WOMEN: Alaine Chartrand
PAIR: Julianne Séguin / Charlie Bilodeau
ICE DANCE: Tessa Virtue / Scott Moir

INTERNATIONAUX DE FRANCE — Grenoble, France — November 17-19, 2017
WOMEN: Kaetlyn Osmond
PAIR: Lubov Ilyushechkina / Dylan Moscovitch
ICE DANCE: Kaitlyn Weaver / Andrew Poje

SKATE AMERICA – Lake Placid, United States – November 24-26, 2017
MEN: Kevin Reynolds
WOMEN: Gabrielle Daleman
PAIR: Meagan Duhamel / Eric Radford, Kirsten Moore-Towers / Michael Marinaro
ICE DANCE: Piper Gilles / Paul Poirier

For full entries at the five other ISU Grand Prix events please visit www.isu.org.

*Entries are subject to change

Fourteen Canadians to compete at the 2017 ISU Adult Competition in Germany

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OTTAWA, ON: Fourteen Canadians will compete at the International Adult Figure Skating Competition held in Oberstdorf, Germany from May 22-27, 2017.

This is the 13th consecutive year for this prestigious adult figure skating competition. Canada has been well represented since the competition began in 2005. This year there will be a record numbers in all categories: 36 International Skating Union (ISU) Members, 560 competitors and more than 700 performances in total.

“We are delighted to see such a dedicated and talented group of adult skaters heading to Oberstdorf for this respected event. Staying healthy and active is a value that we hold dear, and to see our adult skaters continuously bring medals back from this event year after year shows their commitment to a healthy lifestyle and their passion for skating for life,” said Debra Armstrong, CEO, Skate Canada.

Over the six-day competition, skaters (who must be between the ages of 28 – 78) will compete in the following categories:

• Free Skating
• Artistic Free Skating
• Pairs Free Skating
• Pairs Artistic Free Skating
• Ice Dance – Pattern Dance
• Ice Dance – Short Dance
• Ice Dance – Free Dance
• Synchronized Skating

This year, the following skaters will be representing Canada in the free skating and the artistic free skating categories in Obertsdorf:

Gary Beacom
Sandra Blitz
Joan Cheng
Sara Davidson
Takashi Ikeno
Angela Justason
Linda Maundrell
Amylie Noel
Jennifer Powell
Carol Snow
Michelle Swan
Monica Tanse
Natasha Taylor
Angie Zurita

Last year, the ISU added a second competition for adults and, once again, Vancouver will be home to the next ISU Adult Figure Skating Competition being held at the Minoru Arena from August 21-26, 2017.

For further information please visit www.isu.org or the ISU Adult Working Group website www.adultskating.org.

Media Inquiries:
Diana Barkley
ISU Adult Working Group
[email protected]

LGBTQI2S Sport Inclusion Task Force and Skate Canada Announce a Pilot Project to Make Sport More Welcoming to Sexual and Gender-Diverse People

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OTTAWA, ON: On this International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia , the LGBTQI2S (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, and Two-Spirit) Sport Inclusion Task Force (SITF) and Skate Canada are excited to announce a partnership on a pilot project to make sport more welcoming to sexual and gender-diverse people.

The pilot builds on the results of SITF’s environmental scan conducted by SITF members Dr. William Bridel at the University of Calgary and Tristan Vogel from the University of Waterloo, that assessed existing policies, resources and work done relating to LGBTQI2S inclusion by national sport organizations across Canada. The SITF subsequently identified as a priority the development of an LGBTQI2S sport inclusion tool kit that sport organizations could use to make their sport more welcoming to sexual and gender minorities. Additionally, SITF sought out National Sports Organizations (NSO) that the SITF could work with on testing and refining the tool kit, as well as working with each NSO to develop an action plan for LGBTQI2S inclusion in their organization.

A key part of the initial work being done with Skate Canada is building awareness and understanding amongst staff of LGBTQI2S issues in their sport, and what role each person within the organization can play.

Today Skate Canada staff will be attending a one-day training session delivered by Jennifer Birch-Jones, the LGBTQI2S Sport Inclusion Lead for the Canadian Association for the Advancement of Women in Sport (CAAWS). A critical aspect to the training will be the opportunity for staff to hear first-hand the lived experiences of LGBTQI2S athletes. Rosie Cossar, an Olympian and Manager of the Canadian Olympic Committee’s #OneTeam initiative, will share her experiences and insights with the staff about being LGBTQ-identified in a judged artistic sport.

Quote from SITF: “We are very excited to be partnering with Skate Canada on this important work. As a leader in the Canadian sport community, we recognize the value that Skate Canada will bring to helping the SITF refine the tools we are developing to help all sport organizations create welcoming and safe places for those who identify as LGBTQI2S in their sport.” – Christine Hsu, SITF, Egale Canada

Quote from Skate Canada: “Skate Canada is proud to be a part of the LGBTQI2S Sport Inclusion Task Force and to pilot this important program. Working with SITF to develop training to make our sport even more welcoming to the LGBTQI2S community helps advance our vison of inspiring all Canadians to embrace the joy of skating.” – Debra Armstrong, CEO, Skate Canada

About the SITF: The LGBTQI2S Sport Inclusion Task Force (SITF) is a flexible, informal coalition working to end LGBTQI2S bias in sport through education for and promotion of LGBTQI2S inclusion in Canadian sport. For further information about the SITF, please contact Christine Hsu at Egale Canada at [email protected].

About Skate Canada: Skate Canada is the nation’s governing body for competitive figure skating and is dedicated to creating a nation of skaters, both recreationally and competitively. One hundred thirty years old, Skate Canada is the world’s oldest skating organization and Canada’s preeminent leader in skating instruction and education. Over 170,000 Canadians participate in Skate Canada educational programs each year, including our flagship CanSkate program that teaches beginners of every age the basic skills of skating and fundamental movements.
As one of Canada’s most successful sport governing bodies, Skate Canada athletes have won 25 Olympic medals and 36 world championship titles. Today’s Canadian world and Olympic medallists all began at one of our 1,200 local Skate Canada clubs or skating schools. Through our programs, more than 5,500 certified professional coaches encourage Canadians of all ages to skate together as a family, pursue competitive ice sports and enjoy an active lifestyle.