NHK Trophy marks last stop for Canadians on ISU Grand Prix circuit

OTTAWA, ON: Skate Canada will send four entries, for a total of six skaters, to Osaka, Japan, for the 2014 NHK Trophy from November 28-30, 2014. Canada will have one entry per category in men’s, ladies, pair, and ice dance at the sixth and final competition on the International Skating Union’s (ISU) Grand Prix of Figure Skating circuit.

The top six skaters or teams in each category qualify for the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final, taking place from December 11-14 in Barcelona, Spain.

Olympic silver medallists (team) and two-time world bronze medallists Meagan Duhamel, 28, Lively, Ont., and Eric Radford, 29, Balmertown, Ont., will be Canada’s pair entry. This will be the first time competing at this event for the representatives of Walden FSC and CPA Saint-Léonard. Earlier this season, Duhamel and Radford won gold at the inaugural Skate Canada Autumn Classic International, and gold at their first ISU Grand Prix assignment of the season, Skate Canada International. They are coached by Richard Gauthier and Bruno Marcotte at CPA Saint-Léonard.

World silver medallists Kaitlyn Weaver, 25, Waterloo, Ont., and Andrew Poje, 27, Waterloo, Ont., will be the Canadian entry in ice dance. They have previously won silver at this event in 2010 and 2011. Earlier this season, Weaver and Poje won gold at the Nebelhorn trophy, and gold at their first ISU Grand Prix assignment of the season, Skate Canada International. Representing Sault FSC and Kitchener-Waterloo SC, the seven-time Canadian medallists are coached by Pasquale Camerlengo and Angelika Krylova in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan.

Elladj Baldé, 24, Pierrefonds, Que., is one of two Canadian entries in the men’s category. This will be the first time competing at this event for the representative of CPA Anjou Kinsmen. Earlier this season, Baldé placed fifth at the Nebelhorn trophy. He trains at the Detroit Skating Club with coaches Yuka Sato and Jason Dungjen.

Jeremy Ten, 25, Vancouver, B.C., will represent Canada in men’s. Ten has previously competed at this event in 2009, placing 10th and 2010, placing 11th. This season, the representative of Grandview Skating Club won bronze at the Skate Canada Autumn Classic International, and placed 10th at his first ISU Grand Prix assignment of the season, the Rostelecom Cup. Ten is coached by Joanne McLeod and Neil Wilson at the Champs International Skating Centre.

Gabrielle Daleman, 16, Newmarket, Ont., will represent Canada in ladies. This will be the 2014 Olympian’s second ISU Grand Prix assignment at the senior level. Earlier this season, the representative of Richmond Hill FSC won the Skate Canada Autumn Classic International, and placed fifth at her first ISU Grand Prix assignment, the Cup of China. Daleman is coached by Andrei Berezintsev and Inga Zusev and trains at the Richmond Training Centre in Richmond Hill, Ont.

Skate Canada High Performance Director Mike Slipchuk will be travelling with the Canadian skaters as the team leader. Dr. Laura Cruz of Toronto, Ont., and physiotherapist Shirley Kushner of Westmount, Que., will be the Canadian medical team onsite. Benoit Lavoie of Baie St-Paul, Que., and Jean Senft, of West Vancouver, B.C., will be the Canadian officials at the event.

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

CANADIAN ENTRIES AT 2014 NHK TROPHY