Canada’s Roman Sadovsky leads after short program at ISU Junior Grand Prix opener

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BRATISLAVA, Slovakia – Roman Sadovsky of Vaughan, Ont., is in first place after the men’s short program Friday at the season opening competition on the ISU Junior Grand Prix figure skating circuit.

The 16-year-old Sadovsky delivered a clean program that featured his amazing flexibility. He landed his four jumps including a triple-triple combo and produced a personal best international score of 68.49 points. Vincent Zhou of the U.S. is second at 68.07 and Alexander Samarin of Russia third at 67.87.

“I felt really comfortable on the ice,” said Sadovsky, who won the Junior Grand Prix event in the Czech Republic last season. “That allowed me to be more aggressive on my jumps and I didn’t hold back. It obviously worked out for me and I got all my levels and now I’m looking forward to the long program.”

In ice dancing after Thursday’s short dance, Audrey Croteau-Villeneuve of Montreal and Jeff Hough of Russell, Ont., are sixth and Valerie Taillefer of Montreal and Jason Chan of St-Laurent, Que., are seventh.

There is no pairs competition at this event and Canada is not entered in women’s singles. The men’s free skate and the free dance are on Saturday.

Full Results: 2015 Bratislava

Skate Canada Goes Shopping and Secures New Merchandise Partner

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Ottawa, ON: After nearly a decade working together, Skate Canada announced today that it has signed Gadar Promotions as their Official Online and Event Merchandise Retailer.

Through it’s skating programs and events, Skate Canada produces a wide range of apparel, collectables, and development resources each year that were previously administered by Skate Canada. Gadar’s newly expanded role will include the design and production of licensed apparel and products as well as the inventory and distribution for Skate Canada’s online store and on-site event retail shops. Gadar will also handle national and international distribution of products, including all program materials facilitating Skate Canada member club and schools’ program execution.

“Gadar has a proven track record as a quality supplier for Skate Canada and we are excited to expand our partnership with them as we look at elevating our marks and expanding our licensed offerings,” said CEO Dan Thompson. “We greatly value Gadar’s understanding of the Skate Canada brand and values, as well as their insight in to the needs and desires of our membership and the Canadian skating community.”

“Gadar Promotions is honored to be the newly exclusive provider of all Skate Canada apparel and promotional items.” said Tony Ricciuti, President, Gadar Promotions. “Our energetic customer care team, along with our wide selection of products will certainly allow us to promote Skate Canada to the fullest. Gadar is looking forward to fulfilling the needs of Skate Canada and all its members, while exceeding the market standards for branding possibilities.”

About Gadar Promotions

Gadar Promotions is an Ottawa-based Canadian Corporation who has been consistently providing sportswear and promotional goods to customers for over 20 years, including being a proud promotional distributor for the Ottawa Senators Hockey Club, Swimming Canada and Baseball Canada.  Gadar provides customers with a multitude of ways to promote their brand, teams, coaches and events. Our knowledgable customer care team, along with a wide selection of outstanding and ingenious products allows Gadar to promote clients to the fullest. Gadar also boasts on site graphic designers as well as the largest on site decoration facility in Ottawa. In-house embroidery, screen printing, heat press, sewing and a full pick, pack and ship centre allows Gadar to offer the best service exclusively to their customers. With countless products and branding ideas available, Gadar helps clients find the products that are right for them.

Contact: Tony Ricciuti, [email protected], 613-736-8288

ISU Junior Grand Prix Bratislava marks start of 2015-2016 skating season

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OTTAWA, ON: Skate Canada will send five skaters, for a total of three entries to Bratislava, Slovakia, for the first stop on the ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating. Canada will have one entry in men’s, and two entries in ice dance at the competition which will run from August 19-23, 2015. There will be no pair competition at the event.

Roman Sadovsky, 15, Vaughan, Ont., will be Canada’s sole entry in men’s. Last season he won gold at the ISU Junior Grand Prix in the Czech Republic and placed fourth in Germany. He qualified for the ISU Junior Grand Prix Final, placing fifth, and the ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships, placing 14th. Sadovsky also finished in fourth in the senior category at the 2015 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships. He is coached by Tracey Wainman and Gregor Filipowski at the YSRA Winter Club.

Audrey Croteau-Villeneuve, 18, Montreal, Que., and Jeff Hough, 19, Russell, Ont., are one of two Canadian entries in ice dance. Last season, the representatives of the Town of Mt. Royal FSC and Minto SC placed 7th at the ISU Junior Grand Prix in Estonia, and 6th in Croatia. The duo trains at Minto SC with coaches Darryl VanLuven and Jamie Britton.

Valerie Taillefer, 16, Montreal, Que., and Jason Chan, 19, Saint-Laurent, Que., will also represent Canada in ice dance. The team from Club de Patinage des Deux-Rives and Saint-Laurent FSC placed 9th last year at their sole ISU Junior Grand Prix assignment in Slovenia. They also placed sixth in the junior category at the 2015 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships. Taillefer and Chan are coached by Élise Hamel and Shawn Winter at Sportplexe 4 Glaces Pierrefonds.

Mike Slipchuk, Skate Canada High Performance Director, will be the Canadian team leader, and physiotherapist Sylvia Ciurysek of Berwyn, Alta., will be the Canadian team medical staff on site. Karen Howard of Regina, Sask., and Ron Conacher of Toronto, Ont., will be the Canadian officials at the event.

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

CANADIAN ENTRIES AT ISU JGP #1 – Bratislava, Slovakia

Discipline Name Age Hometown Club Coach
Mens Ramon Sadovsky 16 Vaughan, Ont. YRSA Winter Club Tracey Wainman / Gregor Filipowski
Ice dance Audrey Croteau-Villeneuve / Jeff Hough 18/19 Montreal, Que. / Russell, Ont. Town of Mt. Royal FSC / Minto SC Darryl VanLuven / Jamie Britton
Ice dance Valerie Taillefer / Jason Chan 16/19 Montreal, Que./ Saint-Laurent, Que. Club de Patinage des Deux-Rives / Saint Laurent FSC Élise Hamel / Shawn Winter

Skate Canada Appoints New Chief Marketing Officer

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OTTAWA, ON: Skate Canada is pleased to announce the appointment of Shannon Davidson as Chief Marketing Officer effective July 8th. She will work from and oversee the management of Skate Canada’s Toronto office.

With over 18 years of sport and event marketing experience, Davidson has had one of the most dynamic careers in the industry.  She has worked with some of Canada’s largest properties and sponsors including the Molson Indy (Toronto/Vancouver), CFL, GM Racing (USA), Grand Prix of Toronto, Molson, Scotiabank and Chrysler Canada. Shannon’s impressive brand portfolio includes work in the automotive, financial, healthcare, technology, travel and packaged goods industries. She has parlayed her diverse skill into strategic leadership, brand stewardship and successful national campaign executions.

“We are excited to have Shannon join and lead our marketing team. She brings a unique and extensive background in marketing that spans over many areas, including, brand, partnerships, public relations and content marketing,” said Dan Thompson, Skate Canada CEO. “Shannon will play a key role in executing our association’s 2014-2018 strategic plan and the Skate Canada vision of Inspiring all Canadians to Embrace the Joy of Skating.”

Skate Canada is the nation’s governing body for skating and dedicated to creating a nation of skaters both recreationally and competitively. At over 100 years old, it is the world’s oldest skating organization and Canada’s preeminent leader in skate training and education, providing high performance coaching and skating development education. Over 130,000 Canadians participate in Skate Canada educational programs each year.

Canada’s most successful governing sport body, Skate Canada athletes have won 25 Olympic medals and 32 world championships. Today’s Canadian world and Olympic medalists all began at one of our 1,200 local Skate Canada clubs or skating schools. Through our programs, more than 5,200 certified professional coaches encourage Canadians of all ages to skate together as a family, pursue competitive ice sports and enjoy an active lifestyle.

Skate Canada has a National Service Centre in Ottawa, marketing headquarters in Toronto and High Performance facilities in Toronto and Calgary.

Skate Canada Announces 2015-2016 National Team

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OTTAWA, ON: Skate Canada is pleased to announce the 2015-2016 National Team. The team is comprised of 29 senior members, which includes five men, six women, five pair teams and four ice dance 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 the International Committee. These skaters may be considered to represent Canada at international competitions.

Their appointment to the national team is effective from June 1, 2015 through to April 30, 2016.

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

MEN

Nam Nguyen, 17, Toronto, Ont., is the 2015 Canadian champion and placed fifth at the 2015 world championships in March. He is coached by Brian Orser and Ernest Pryhitka at the Toronto Cricket Skating & Curling Club.

Liam Firus, 22, North Vancouver, B.C., is the 2015 Canadian bronze medallist and 2014 Olympic team member. He is coached by Christy Krall in Colorado Springs, CO.

Roman Sadovsky, 16, Vaughan, Ont., placed fourth at the 2015 Canadian championships and fifth at the 2014 ISU Junior Grand Prix Final. He is coached by Tracey Wainman and Gregor Filipowski at the YSRA Winter Club.

Keegan Messing, 23, Girdwood, AK, placed fifth at his first Canadian championships this year. He trains in Anchorage, AK, with coach Ralph Burghardt.

Patrick Chan, 24, Toronto, Ont., is a seven-time Canadian champion, three-time world champion and Olympic silver medallist in both the men’s and team events. He trains at the Detroit Skating Club with coach Kathy Johnson.

WOMEN

Gabrielle Daleman, 17, Newmarket, Ont., is the 2015 Canadian champion and 2014 Olympic team member. She trains at the Toronto Cricket Skating & Curling Club with coaches Lee Barkell and Brian Orser.

Alaine Chartrand, 19, Prescott, Ont., is the 2015 Canadian silver medallist and is coached by Michelle Leigh and Brian Orser and represents the Nepean Skating Club.

Véronik Mallet, 21, Sept-Iles, Que., won her first senior medal this year at the Canadian championships, a bronze. She is coached by Annie Barabé and Maximin Coïa at CTC Contrecoeur.

Roxanne Rheault, 20, Saint-Anne du Sault, Que., placed fourth at the 2015 Canadian championships. She is coached by Annie Barabé, Sophie Richard and Yvan Desjardins at CTC Contrecoeur.

Kim DeGuise-Léveillée, 16, Sorel-Tracy, Que., is the 2014 Canadian junior champion and placed fifth this year in senior. She is coached by Josée Picard, Marc-André Craig and Amélie Fortin in Chambly, Que.

Kaetlyn Osmond, 19, Marystown, Nfld. & Sherwood Park, Alta., is a two-time Canadian champion and Olympic silver medallist (team). She is coached by Ravi Walia at the Ice Palace Figure Skating Club.

PAIR

Meagan Duhamel, 29, Lively, Ont., and Eric Radford, 30, Balmertown, Ont., are 2015 World Champions and four-time Canadian champions. They are coached by Richard Gauthier, Bruno Marcotte, and Sylvie Fullum at CPA Saint-Léonard.

Lubov Ilyushechkina, 23, Moscow, Russia, and Dylan Moscovitch, 30, Toronto, Ont., placed second at their first Canadian championships in 2015. They are coached by Lee Barkell, Bryce Davison and Tracy Wilson at the Toronto Cricket Skating & Curling Club.

Julianne Séguin, 18, Longueuil, Que., and Charlie Bilodeau, 21, Trois-Pistoles, Que., won the bronze medal at the Canadian championships this year and silver at the World Junior Championships. They are coached by Josée Picard in Chambly, Que.
Kirsten Moore-Towers, 23, St. Catharines, Ont., and Michael Marinaro, 23, Sarnia, Ont., placed fourth at the 2015 Canadian championships. They are coached by Richard Gauthier and Bruno Marcotte at CPA Saint-Léonard.

Vanessa Grenier, 23, Johnville, Que., and Maxime Deschamps, 23, Vaudreuil-Dorion, Que., placed fifth at the Canadian championships this year and are coached by Richard Gauthier and Bruno Marcotte at CPA Saint-Léonard.

ICE DANCE

Kaitlyn Weaver, 26, Waterloo, Ont., and Andrew Poje, 28, Waterloo, Ont., are the 2015 World bronze medallists and 2015 Canadian champions. They are coached by Pasquale Camerlengo and Angelika Krylova in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan.

Piper Gilles, 23, Toronto, Ont. – Colorado Springs, CO, and Paul Poirier, 23, Toronto, Ont., won the silver medal at the Canadian championships in 2015. They are coached by Carol Lane, Juris Razgulajevs, Jon Lane, and Roy Bradshaw at Ice Dance Elite in Scarborough, Ont.

Alexandra Paul, 23, Barrie, Ont., and Mitchell Islam, 25, Barrie, Ont., are the 2015 Canadian bronze medallists. They train in Montreal, Que. with coaches Marie-France Dubreuil and Patrice Lauzon.

Élisabeth Paradis, 22, Loretteville, Que., and François-Xavier Ouellette, 22, Laval, Que., placed fifth at the Canadian championships this year and are coached by Marie-France Dubreuil and Patrice Lauzon in Montreal, Que.

SYNCHRONIZED SKATING

NEXXICE, of the Burlington Skating Centre are the 2015 World Champions and nine-time consecutive Canadian Champions. They are coached by Shelley Simonton Barnett and Anne Schelter.

Les Suprêmes, of CPA Saint-Léonard are the current Canadian silver medallists and placed sixth at the world championships in 2015. They are coached by Marilyn Langlois, Pascal Denis and Amélie Brochu.

Meraki, of the Leaside Skating Club are the 2015 Canadian bronze medallists and are coached by Cathy Dalton and Lyne Forget.

Canadian Silver Medallist Jeremy Ten Retires from Competitive Skating

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OTTAWA, ON: Three-time Canadian medallist Jeremy Ten, 26, Vancouver, B.C., announced his retirement from competitive skating today. Ten has competed internationally for Canada for 11 years. He is a three-time national team member, two-time world team member in 2009 and 2015, and is also a two-time Canadian junior medallist, winning the junior Canadian title in 2007.

“It was an honour and privilege this past season to represent Canada at my second world championships as the reigning Canadian silver medallist. I would like to thank Skate Canada for all their support and for giving me the opportunity to compete on the international stage for the last 11 years,” said Ten. “I couldn’t be more grateful for all the life experiences you can only learn while travelling the world, competing against the best in the world, and being a Canadian athlete.”

“Jeremy has been a big part of the Canadian skating scene for over a decade including representing Canada at two world championships,” said Mike Slipchuk, Skate Canada High Performance Director. “Skate Canada wishes Jeremy the best of luck in his next chapter and we look forward to seeing him staying involved in other capacities.”

Today Ten graduated from Simon Fraser University with a Bachelor of Arts in Health Sciences and minor in Kinesiology. Ten plans on staying involved in the sport as much as possible by exploring his options as a coach, focusing on choreography, as well as possibly getting involved in judging as a caller.

Exceptional Skate Canada members honoured at 2015 Achievement Awards Gala in Winnipeg

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OTTAWA, ON: Skate Canada recognized 22 award winners over the weekend at its Annual Convention and General Meeting (ACGM) and National Coaches’ Conference (NCC) in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

The recipients received their awards on Friday night at the annual Skate Canada Achievement Awards Gala and Banquet. The winners were presented their awards by various Canadian champions, including World Champions and Olympic silver medallists Meagan Duhamel and Eric Radford, two-time world medallists Kaitlyn Weaver and Andrew Poje, Canadian champion Nam Nguyen, Canadian champion Gabrielle Daleman, and team co-captain of World Synchronized Skating Champions, Nexxice, Lee Chandler.

The Skate Canada National 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 2014-2015 recipients are:

  • Skate Canada Club and Recreational Coach Award of Excellence
    Mary-Liz Wiley, Beaconsfield FSC, Quebec Section
  • Skate Canada Competitive Coach Award of Excellence
    Anne Schelter and Shelley Simonton Barnett, Burlington Skating Centre, Western Ontario Section
  • Skate Canada Officials Award of Excellence
    Jane Derby, Oshawa SC, Eastern Ontario Section
  • Elizabeth Swan Memorial Award
    Jo-Anne Phelps, Skate Oakville, Central Ontario Section
  • Billie Mitchell Award
    Mary Ellen McDonald, Skate Winnipeg, Manitoba Section

Skate Canada also presents a volunteer award to one member of each of the 13 Skate Canada sections. The following exceptional volunteers were awarded the 2014-2015 Skate Canada Section Volunteer Award of Excellence:

  • British Columbia/Yukon Section
    Lynne Henderson-Drake, Campbell River FSC
  • Alberta/NWT/Nunavut Section
    Doug Pettapiece, Gateway SC
  • Saskatchewan Section
    Valerie Malik, Saskatoon FSC/Skate Saskatoon
  • Manitoba Section
    Stan Yee, St. Andrews SC
  • Northern Ontario Section
    Therese Bilsborough, Cochrane FSC
  • Western Ontario Section
    Jim Virtue, Ilderton SC
  • Central Ontario Section
    Audrey Hunter, Skate Canada Brampton-Chinguacousy
  • Eastern Ontario Section
    Marilyn McAuley, Fort Henry Heights SC
  • Quebec Section
    Joanne Allard Rochon, Patinage Gatineau
  • New Brunswick Section
    Carole Thiffault, Dieppe Gold Blades
  • Prince Edward Island Section
    Cindy Ramsay, Kensington Area FSC
  • Nova Scotia Section
    Sarah Miles, Dartmouth SC
  • Newfoundland/Labrador Section
    Susan Thistle, Prince of Wales SC

 

Three additional awards were given out to the home section in the CanSkate, STARSkate and CompetitiveSkate athlete area, as representatives of those categories.

  • Skate Canada Section CanSkate Athlete Award
    Jacy Butler, Carmen SC, Manitoba Section
  • Skate Canada Section STARSkate Athlete Award
    Morgan Miller, Portage SC, Manitoba Section
  • Skate Canada Section CompetitiveSkate Athlete Award
    Casey Bertholet, Hartney FSC, Manitoba Section

 

Next year’s Skate Canada Achievement Awards Gala and Banquet will once again occur during the 2016 Annual Convention and General Meeting (ACGM) and National Coaches’ Conference (NCC), taking place May 25-28, 2016 in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador.

Organized sport helps Canadian children maximize their potential

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June is Jumpstart month. Help kids in your community play.

The benefit of physical activity to children is undeniable. From improved health and wellbeing to increased focus in school, sport has the power to change lives. Yet one in three Canadian families can’t afford to enroll their children in organized sport. The importance of sport goes beyond the obvious physical gains. Organized sport helps Canadian youth become more independent while developing key life skills such as leadership, discipline, and confidence.

Giving every Canadian child the opportunity to participate in sport is important to the development of our future generation. That’s why Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities and its 1,900 Community Partners across Canada are helping to close this gap. This year Jumpstart celebrates its 10th anniversary of providing kids from financially disadvantaged families the opportunity to get involved in an organized sport or physical activity of their choice by covering costs associated with registration, equipment and transportation.

The charity continues to grow – last year Jumpstart gave 190,000 kids the opportunity to play and this fall, will reach its one millionth child helped. That’s one million kids spanning virtually every community across Canada who have been given the chance to develop the confidence, discipline, leadership and teamwork skills that come with participation in organized sport, and Jumpstart intends to keep the momentum going.

“Providing one million kids with access to over 76 different sports over 10 years is an incredible milestone for Jumpstart and we do it because we believe sport means something to a child’s development,” says Landon French, Executive Director, Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities. “We believe that every kid deserves an equal opportunity to play, learn and grow, and we’re looking forward to helping a million more kids in the years to come.”

Skating is one of the 76 sports that Jumpstart supports. Working with Skate Canada and it 1,200 plus clubs across the country Jumpstart is able to give children the opportunity to embrace the joy of skating. Skate Canada is committed to working with Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities to bring skating to all Canadian children.

This June, you can help kids in your community get in the game by supporting Jumpstart’s Red Ball campaign at any Canadian Tire store. A $2 donation in exchange for your own Jumpstart Red Ball, will give the gift of play to a deserving kid. One hundred per cent of customer donations help children in the local community. If you know a kid who wants to play but is unable to because of costs, call 1-844-YES-PLAY or visit jumpstart.canadiantire.ca.

Waterloo to host 2016 Skate Canada Synchronized Skating Championships

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OTTAWA, ON: Waterloo, Ontario will be the host of the 2016 Skate Canada Synchronized Skating Championships. The event will take place from February 19-21, 2016 at the Waterloo Memorial Recreation Complex.

“Skate Canada is pleased to bring this event to Waterloo. After hosting the successful 2015 ISU World Synchronized Skating Championships just down the road in Hamilton we hope to build on the excitement this sport has to offer Canadians,” said Dan Thompson, Skate Canada CEO. “This event brings fantastic skating and electric crowds. We know that with Waterloo’s vast skating community and great hosting infrastructure this championship will be another success.”

“We are delighted to host the Skate Canada Synchronized Skating Championships in one of our premier sports facilities,” said City of Waterloo Mayor Dave Jaworsky. “This community embraces sports, fitness and recreation, and we hope the athletes, coaches and spectators have a great time here. Best of luck to all competitors!”

The 2016 Skate Canada Synchronized Skating Championships will bring approximately 40 teams and over 800 skaters from across the country to Waterloo.

Teams will compete for national titles in the senior, junior, open, intermediate and novice categories. The top two senior teams will represent Canada at the 2016 ISU World Synchronized Skating Championships.

Canadian skaters return with 16 medals from 2015 ISU Adult Competition

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OTTAWA, ONT: Canada’s adult figure skaters returned this week from the 2015 International Skating Union (ISU) Adult Figure Skating Competition held in Oberstdorf, Germany. The twenty-three member team brought home a total of 16 medals, including eight gold medals, five silver medals, and three bronze medals.

The competition, which took place over the course of six days, included 400 competitors between the ages of 28 and 78 from 29 countries across the world.

“Once again, our Canadian adult skaters showed that skating is for life while putting on fantastic performances in Oberstdorf,” said Dan Thompson, Skate Canada Chief Executive Officer. “The level of sportsmanship displayed by this group on and off ice is one that would inspire any Canadian to embrace the joy of skating.”

The Canadian medallists at the 2015 ISU Adult Figure Skating Competition were:

Gold medallists:
Gary Beacom – Master (Elite) Men III & IV Artistic Free Skating
Gary Beacom – Master (Elite) Men II & III Free Skating
Isabella Ciocoiu – Bronze Ladies II Artistic Free Skating
Sara Davidson – Gold Ladies II Artistic Free Skating
David Dickie – Gold Men III & IV Free Skating
Shig Taya – Bronze Men I & II Artistic Free Skating
Janette Wood – Silver Ladies III Artistic Free Skating
Janette Wood – Silver Ladies III Free Skating

Silver medallists:
Diana Barkley & Geoff Squires – Ice Dance Gold Pattern Dance
Diana Barkley & Geoff Squires – Ice Dance Master (Elite) Free Dance
Michelle Swan – Bronze Ladies I Free Skating
Francesco Ventura – Silver Men III & IV Artistic Free Skating
Angie Zurita – Silver Ladies II Free Skating

Bronze medallists:
Isabella Ciocoiu – Bronze Ladies II Free Skating
David Dickey – Master (Elite) Men III & IV Artistic Free Skating
Francesco Ventura – Bronze Men IV & V Free Skating

At the event’s closing banquet, the ISU’s Peter Krick announced that the 2016 ISU Adult Figure Skating Competition would once again be held in Oberstdorf, Germany from June 6-11, 2016.

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

Skate Canada Challenge headed to Edmonton in 2016 and Pierrefonds in 2017

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OTTAWA, ON: Today Skate Canada announced the location for the Skate Canada Challenge competitions for 2016 and 2017. The 2016 event will take place in Edmonton, Alta., at the Terwillegar Community Recreation Centre from December 2-6, 2015. The 2017 Skate Canada Challenge will be held in Pierrefonds, Que., at the Sportplexe 4 Glaces Pierrefonds from November 30 – December 4, 2016.

Over 500 of the finest skaters from across Canada will participate in the 2016 and 2017 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 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships. The Canadian Pre-Novice Champions in men’s, women’s, pair and ice dance are determined at Skate Canada Challenge.

“We are delighted to be able to announce both the 2016 and 2017 Skate Canada Challenge events. This is our biggest qualifying event of the season, with skaters hoping to make it to the national championships,” said Dan Thompson, Skate Canada CEO. “Both Edmonton and Pierrefonds have proven themselves as great hosting cities with incredible volunteer teams, terrific hotels and first-class venues. We know both cities will put on fantastic events.”

“This is an exciting opportunity for us to host the athletes, coaches and fans, and to introduce the rest of the nation to the incredible economic, cultural and athletic advantages Edmonton has to offer,” said Edmonton Mayor Don Iveson. “For Edmontonians, it is a wonderful chance to see some of Canada’s best figure skating right here in our own community.”

“It’s an honor for Montreal to host such a high caliber figure skating competition. In addition to allowing Montrealers the opportunity to cheer on the best Canadian athletes in this discipline, the event will also result in significant economic benefits for West Island businesses, says Yves Lalumière, President and CEO of Tourism Montreal. “At the 2014 edition, 535 athletes, coaches and staff members participated in the Skate Canada Challenge, generating nearly 2,400 room nights in the region. We will continue working with Skate Canada to make the 2017 Skate Canada Challenge the most memorable yet, and we look forward to welcoming the participants back to the beautiful city of Montreal.”

More than 550 hotel rooms are used for the event, which generates economic activity to the region. 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.

Twenty-Three Canadians to Compete in Germany at 2015 ISU Adult Competition

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OTTAWA, ONT: Twenty-three Canadian skaters are headed to Germany to compete at the 2015 International Skating Union (ISU) Adult Figure Skating Competition. The event takes place in Oberstdorf, Germany, from May 18-23, 2015.

This year’s event will host over 400 competitors from 29 countries. In order to compete at the ISU Adult Figure Skating Competition, skaters must be between the ages of 28 and 78. The competition once again features many former international competitors, including Canada’s own Gary Beacom, 1984 Olympian and 1988 World Professional Champion.

“Our Canadian team at the 2015 ISU Adult Competition truly embodies skating for life. Their commitment and love for our sport is next to none, and an inspiration to all to embrace they joy of skating,” said Dan Thompson, Skate Canada CEO. “We wish our Canadian skaters the best of luck in their performances as they represent our country to the fullest.”

Over the seven-day competition, skaters will compete in the following categories:

  • Ladies and Men Free Skating
  • Ladies and Men Artistic Free Skating
  • Pairs Free Skating
  • Ice Dance – Pattern Dance
  • Ice Dance – Short Dance
  • Ice Dance – Free Dance
  • Synchronized Skating

Since the event’s inception in 2005, Canada has been well represented in entries and medal count. In 2014, the Canadian team earned a total of 34 medals, including 10 gold medals, 14 silver medals, and 10 bronze medals.

The adult figure skaters representing Canada are:

British Columbia Alberta Ontario Quebec
Diana Barkley Maureen Bennie Sandra Blitz Emilie Berthiaume
Gary Beacom Isabella Ciocoiu Jan Calnan
David Dickey Annette Nymeyer Sara Davidson
Alexandra Gunsett Shig Taya Takashi Ikeno
Betty Hyunah Catherine Taylor Hisayo Shibata
Geoff Squires Sandy Smith
Janette Wood Carol Snow
Michelle Swan
Francesco Ventura
Angie Zurita

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