Canadian skaters headed to Montreal for 2017 Skate Canada Challenge

OTTAWA, ON: Over 500 skaters from across Canada are headed to Montreal, Que., for the 2017 Skate Canada Challenge. This year’s event will be taking place from November 30-December 4, 2016, at the Sportplexe Pierrefonds.

Skate Canada Challenge is the sole qualifying event for novice, junior, and senior skaters to earn entries to the 2017 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships taking place in Ottawa, Ont., from January 16-22, 2017. Skaters qualified for the 2017 Skate Canada Challenge by advancing through their local sectional championships.

The 2017 Skate Canada Challenge will also see the crowning of the 2017 Canadian Pre-Novice Champions in men, women, pairs, and ice dance.

Many national team members are entered in the senior competition including: 2016 Canadian silver medallist Liam Firus, 24, North Vancouver, B.C. (senior men), 2015 Canadian champion Nam Nguyen, 18, Toronto, Ont. (senior men), 2015 Canadian champion Gabrielle Daleman, 18, Newmarket, Ont. (senior women), Michelle Long, 24, Newmarket, Ont. (senior women), 2016 Canadian silver medallists Julianne Séguin, 20, Longueuil, Que., and Charlie Bilodeau, 23, Trois-Pistoles, Que. (senior pair), Kirsten Moore-Towers, 23, St. Catharines, Ont., and Michael Marinaro, 24, Sarnia, Ont. (senior pair), and Piper Gilles, 24, Toronto, Ont., and Paul Poirier, 25, Unionville, Ont. (senior ice dance).

Local Montreal skating clubs will have a large contingent at the event with a total of 28 entries across all categories and disciplines, including three senior entries, seven junior entries, eight novice entries and 10 pre-novice entries.

For schedule, entries and start orders please click here.

General admission tickets will be available for purchase at the Sportplexe Pierrefonds throughout the event. All-event tickets are $50, and day tickets will be available for purchase for $20. Admission is free for children ages 12 and under.

Media who have not already applied for accreditation are asked to contact Allan Gordon, Communications Coordinator. He will be the media contact at the event and can be reached onsite at 613.697.1354 or at [email protected].