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Orford and Williams win silver at 2014 U.S. International Skating Classic

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SALT LAKE CITY – Nicole Orford of Burnaby, B.C., and Thomas Williams of Okotoks, Alta., were narrowly edged for gold on Saturday in ice dancing at the 2014 U.S. International Skating Classic figure skating competition. The event is the first on the ISU’s new Challenger Series.

Alexandra Aldridge and Daniel Eaton of the U.S. hung on for top spot with 141.70 points. Orford and Williams, the defending bronze medallists, closed the gap even closer from the short program with 141.02.

‘’We made a mistake near the end of the program and that probably cost us the gold,’’ said Williams. ‘’Still it was a pretty good start to the season for us. This new program is a big departure for us from what we did last year and we are really excited about it.’’

Orford admitted it’s never fun to be so close to victory.

‘’It’s disappointing to know how close we were,’’ she said. ‘’We had two good skates and we improved on our performance and connection. The knock on us last year was that we were too rushed and this year we are trying to take our time and show the moments.’’

There was also a heated battle for bronze with Anastasia Cannuscio and Colin McManus of the U.S. overtaking Quebec champions Marieve Cyr of Ile-Bizard, Que., and Benjamin Brisebois-Gaudreau of Montreal for third spot. The American scored 126.44 and the Canadians, making their international debut, 121.58 for fourth.

‘’We had a tough free dance,’’ said Cyr. ‘’There were some technical errors but we have two new programs which are a step up in difficulty from last season.

In women’s competition, Alaine Chartrand of Prescott, Ont., took fourth spot with 161.65 points a mere 0.04 points from third place finisher Riona Kato of Japan who totalled 161.69. Polina Edmunds of the U.S., won gold at 176.35 and her compatriot Courtney Hickey earned the silver at 174.14.

‘’To be so close to the podium is a little disappointing,’’ said Chartrand, 18, fifth at the world juniors last season. ‘’Missing that last combination jump really hurt me in the end. I came into the final after a very satisfying short program so for me that was a step in the right direction.’’

Canada will also host an event on the ISU’s Challenger Series, the inaugural 2014 Skate Canada Autumn Classic International in Barrie, Ontario, from October 14-17, 2014 at the Allandale Recreation Centre.

Full results: http://www.usfigureskating.org/leaderboard/results/2014/2014_us_intl_classic/results.html

 

New Canadian pair fourth in international debut

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SALT LAKE CITY – Brittany Jones and Joshua Reagan of Toronto took fourth spot in pairs on Friday night in their international debut at the 2014 U.S. International Skating Classic figure skating competition. The event is the first on the ISU’s new Challenger Series.

In pairs, Jones and Reagan skated a clean long program for a successful conclusion to their first international assignment since joining forces in October 2013. They were less than four points from third place scoring 134.84. The U.S. swept the top-three positions with Alexa Scimeca and Chris Knierim first.

‘’We did exactly what we wanted to do,’’ said Reagan, 24. ‘’We wanted to come here and skate clean programs. Brittany was amazing especially when she cleanly landed those two throws at the end of the program.’’

Jones, who skated to sixth place at the world junior championships with former partner Ian Beharry in 2013, was also pleased with the performance.

‘’We’ve been really progressing well over the last few months,’’ said Jones, seventh with Reagan at the national championships this past January. ‘’We were a little nervous going into this competition and facing international judges for the first time but we were able to stay calm during the performance.’’

In men’s competition, the Americans were 1-2 with Max Aaron first and Ross Miner second. Daisuke Murakami of Japan was third.

Andrei Rogozine of Newmarket, Ont., the 2011 world junior champion, was sixth in his first international assignment this season. He fell on his quad jump and singled a triple Axel. He made some adjustments on the fly in order to gain more points.

‘’I struggled for everything,’’ said Rogozine, 21. ‘’I went for the quad today because it had felt really good in practice. I felt comfortable at the start of the jump but I didn’t have enough momentum. Missing that jump threw me off for the triple Axel.’’

In the short dance, Nicole Orford of Burnaby, B.C., and Thomas Williams of Okotoks, Alta., are second and Marieve Cyr of Ile-Bizard, Que., and Benjamin Brisebois-Gaudreau of Montreal are third.

Alaine Chartrand of Prescott, Ont., is fourth after the women’s short program.

The free dance and women’s free skate are on Saturday evening.

Full results: http://www.usfigureskating.org/leaderboard/results/2014/2014_us_intl_classic/results.html

Canadian Skaters ready to compete in Salt Lake City for the U.S. International Figure Skating Classic

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OTTAWA, ON: Canada will send eight skaters, for a total of five entries to the 2014 U.S. International Figure Skating Classic, a senior international competition which is the first event on the International Skating Union’s (ISU) new Challenger Series. The event runs from September 10-14, 2014, in Salt Lake City, UT. Canada will have one entry per discipline in men’s, ladies, and pair, and two entries in ice dance.

Andrei Rogozine, 21, Newmarket, Ont., will represent Canada in men’s. Last year, he placed seventh at this event, and eighth at Skate Canada International. Representing Richmond Hill Figure Skating Club, Rogozine also placed seventh at the 2014 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships. He is coached by Tom Zakrajsek and trains in Colorado Springs, CO, USA.

Alaine Chartrand, 18, Prescott, Ont., will be the Canadian entry in the ladies category. Last season, she placed seventh at the 2014 ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships, and fifth at the 2014 ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships. Chartrand also placed fifth at the 2014 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships. She is coached by Michelle Leigh and Leonid Birinberg, and trains at the Nepean Skating Club.

In the pair category, Brittany Jones, 18, Toronto, Ont., and Joshua Reagan, 24, Dallas, TX, USA, – Toronto, Ont., will represent Canada. Both skaters have competed internationally with past partners, but this will be their first international assignment together since teaming up in October 2013. Last season, they placed seventh at the 2014 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships. Jones and Reagan are coached by Kristy Wirtz and Kris Wirtz at the Kitchener-Waterloo Skating Club.

Nicole Orford, 21, Burnaby, B.C., and Thomas Williams, 23, Okotoks, Alta., are one of two Canadian entries in ice dance. Representing Inlet SC and Calalta Community FSC, they won the bronze medal at this event last year. Orford and Williams also placed fifth at the 2014 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships and fifth at the 2014 ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships last season. They are coached by Megan Wing and Aaron Lowe at the Champs International Skating Centre.

Mariève Cyr, 19, Île Bizard, Que., and Benjamin Brisebois-Gaudreau, 22, Montreal, Que., are the second Canadian entry in ice dance. Last season, they placed ninth at the 2014 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships. This will be the second international assignment of their career, having placed seventh at the 2012 ISU Junior Grand Prix in Chemnitz, Germany.  They train in Pierrefonds, Que., with coaches Élise Hamel and Shawn Winter.

Petra Burka of Toronto, Ont., will be travelling with the team as team leader, and Siobhan Karam of Ottawa, Ont., will be the team physiotherapist. Susan Morriss of Victoria, B.C., and Pam Chislett of Grand Prairie, Alta., will be the Canadian officials at the event.

For more information and full entries please visit www.usfigureskatingclassic.com or www.isu.org.

Canada will also host an event on the ISU’s Challenger Series, the inaugural 2014 Skate Canada Autumn Classic International in Barrie, Ontario, from October 14-17, 2014 at the Allandale Recreation Centre.

CANADIAN ENTRIES AT 2014 U.S. INTERNATIONAL FIGURE SKATING CLASSIC

Discipline Name Age Hometown Club Coach
Mens Andrei Rogozine 21 Newmarket, Ont. Richmond Hill FSC Tom Zakrajsek
Ladies Alaine Chartrand 18 Prescott, Ont. Nepean Skating Club Michelle Leigh / Leonid Birinberg
Pair Brittany Jones / Joshua Reagan 18/24 Toronto, Ont. / Dallas, TX, USA – Toronto, Ont Kitchener-Waterloo SC/ Kitchener-Waterloo SC Kristy Wirtz / Kris Wirtz
Ice Dance Nicole Orford / Thomas Williams 21/22 Burnaby, B.C. / Okotoks, Alta. Inlet SC / Calalta Community FSC Megan Wing / Aaron Lowe
Ice dance Mariève Cyr / Benjamin Brisebois-Gaudreau 19/22 Île Bizard, Que. / Montreal, Que. CPA des Deux-Rives / CPA Ahuntsic Élise Hamel/ Shawn Winter