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Canadians show improvement in free skates at Cup of China

BEIJING – Lubov Ilyushechkina and Dylan Moscovitch of Toronto took seventh spot in pairs on Saturday to conclude the Cup of China, the third stop on the ISU Grand Prix figure skating circuit.

Yuko Kavaguti and Alexander Smirnov of Russia finished ahead of three Chinese pairs for the gold medal. Wenjing Sui and Cong Han of China were second and their compatriots Xiaoyu and Yang Jin third.

Ilyushechkina and Moscovitch were competing at their first Grand Prix together since joining forces in 2014.

‘’It wasn’t the skates we were hoping for,’’ said Moscovitch. ‘’But it is just the beginning of the season and there is still a lot of work to be done. Today we upped our speed and our twist in the short was definitely a step up. We just need to get more mileage in.’’

Vanessa Grenier of Johnville, Que., and Maxime Deschamps of Vaudreuil-Dorion, Que., posted a personal best score in the short program, free program and overall score at 159.34 for eighth place.

‘’It was a very good competition for us,’’ said Deschamps. ‘’We really improved our artistic score which has been something we’ve really worked on this season. It was nice to comeback after Skate Canada last week because we didn’t perform at our best there.’’

In men’s competition, Javier Fernandez of Spain took the gold while Chinese skaters Boyang Jin and Han Yan were second and third.  Elladj Baldé of Pierrefonds, Que., took 11th spot.  A flu bug has affected Baldé’s training since he won the gold medal in September at the Nebelhorn Trophy in Germany.

‘’It was a difficult evening but better than the short,’’ said Baldé. ‘’But I couldn’t get any rhythm in my training since my victory. I was happy to come back here but you could see today in the second half of my free skate, the fatigue starting to set it.’’

The fourth stop on the circuit is this Friday and Saturday in Bordeaux, France.

Full results: http://www.isuresults.com/results/season1516/gpchn2015/index.htm.

Canada will need to play catch-up at Cup of China

BEIJING – It was a tough start for Canada’s three entries in Friday’s short programs at the Cup of China figure skating competition, the third stop on the ISU Grand Prix circuit.

In pairs, China grabbed three of the top-four spots with Wenjing Sui and Cong Han first at 74.40.  Yuko Kavaguti and Alexander Smirnov of Russia follow at 72.45 while Xiaoyu Yu and Yang Jin of China are third at 70.06.

Lubov Ilyushechkina and Dylan Moscovitch of Toronto, in their first Grand Prix since hooking up in 2014,  are seventh while Vanessa Grenier of Johnville, Que., and Maxime Deschamps of Vaudreuil-Dorion, Que., eighth.

In men’s competition, Javier Fernandez of Spain tops the field at 93.19 followed by Boyang Jin of China at 90.05 and Sergei Voronov of Russia in third at 80.99.

Elladj Baldé of Pierrefonds, Que., is 12th.

Canada has no entries in ice dancing and women’s singles.

All four free skates are on Saturday.

Full results: http://www.isuresults.com/results/season1516/gpchn2015/index.htm.

Canadian skaters in China for ISU Grand Prix Beijing

OTTAWA, ON: Skate Canada will have three entries, for a total of five skaters, competing at the third stop on the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating, the Cup of China. The event takes place from November 6-8, 2015 at the Capital Indoor Stadium in Beijing, China. Canada will have one entry in men’s and two entries in pair.

Elladj Baldé, 24, Pierrefonds, Que., will be the Canadian entry in the men’s category. This will be his first time competing at this event. Earlier this season, the representative of CPA Anjou Kinsmen won his first international gold medal at the Nebelhorn Trophy. Last season, he placed fifth at the Nebelhorn Trophy, sixth at the NHK Trophy and sixth at the Canadian championships. Baldé trains in Montreal, Que., with coaches Bruno Marcotte and Manon Perron.

Lubov Ilyushechkina, 24, Moscow, Russia, and Dylan Moscovitch, 31, Toronto, Ont., are the first of two Canadian pair entries. This will be their first Grand Prix assignment since teaming up in 2014. Earlier this season, the representatives of the Toronto Cricket, Skating and Curling Club placed fourth at the Ondrej Nepela Trophy. Last season, they won gold at the Warsaw Cup, silver at the 2015 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships, placed sixth at the Four Continents Championships, and 13th at the World Championships. Ilyusheshkina and Moscovitch are coached by Lee Barkell, Bryce Davison and Tracy Wilson.

Vanessa Grenier, 23, Johnville, Que., and Maxime Deschamps, 23, Vaudreuil-Dorion, Que., will also represent Canada in pair. Grenier and Deschamps will be competing at this event for the first time. This season, they placed fourth at the U.S. International Figure Skating Classic and seventh at Skate Canada International. Last season, the representatives of CPA Sherbrooke and CPAR Vaudreuil placed fifth at the Nebelhorn Trophy, fifth at the Skate Canada Autumn Classic International, sixth at Skate America, and fifth at the 2015 Canadian Championships. They are coached by Richard Gauthier and Bruno Marcotte at CPA Saint-Léonard.

Petra Burka of Toronto, Ont., will be the Canadian team leader at the event and Siobhan Karam of Ottawa, Ont., will be the Canadian team physiotherapist. Sally Rehorick of Vancouver, B.C., will be the sole Canadian official at the event.

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

CANADIAN ENTRIES AT 2015 CUP OF CHINA

Discipline Name Age Hometown Club Coach
Mens Elladj Baldé 24 Pierrefonds, Que. CPA Anjou Kinsmen Bruno Marcotte / Manon Perron
Pair Lubov Ilyushechkina /Dylan Moscovitch 24/31 Moscow, Russia / Toronto, Ont. Toronto Cricket, Skating and Curling Club / Toronto Cricket, Skating and Curling Club Lee Barkell / Bryce Davison / Tracy Wilson
Pair Vanessa Grenier / Maxime Deschamps 23/23 Johnville, Que. / Vaudreuil-Dorion, Que. CPA Sherbrooke / CPAR Vaudreuil Richard Gauthier / Bruno Marcotte