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Gilles and Poirier complete golden comeback at Challenger Series

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BRATISLAVA, Slovakia – Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier of Toronto won the gold medal Saturday in ice dancing at the 23rd Ondrej Nepela Trophy figure skating competition, the third stop on the ISU Challenger Series circuit.

Gilles and Poirier, third after Friday’s short dance, were the last skaters to perform and shot to the top of the standings with a strong free dance to finish first with 159.14 points. It is the first international victory for the couple which formed in 2011. They have finished second three times on the Grand Prix circuit and second at the 2014 Four Continents.

Penny Coomes and Nicholas Buckland of Britain were second at 156.22 and Maia Shibutani and Alex Shibutani of the U.S. third at 154.34.

Russian skaters swept the women’s event with Evgenia Medvedeva first, Anna Pogorilaya second and Maria Artemieva third. Gabrielle Daleman of Newmarket, Ont., was fourth less than six points from the podium with 171.72 points.

In men’s competition, Jason Brown of the U.S. prevented another Russian sweep placing first.  Three Russians followed including Mikhail Kolyada in second and Gordei Gorshkov in third.

Keegan Messing of Sherwood Park, Alta., was fifth.

The fourth stop on the Challenger Series circuit is this upcoming weekend in Espoo, Finland.

Full results: http://www.kraso.sk/wp-content/uploads/sutaze/2015_2016/20151001_ont/

Canadian pair takes fourth spot at ISU Challenger Series event

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BRATISLAVA,  Slovakia– Canadians Lubov Ilyushechkina and Dylan Moscovitch of Toronto placed fourth in pairs on Friday at the Ondrej Nepela figure skating competition, the third stop on the ISU Challenger Series.

Russia swept the medals with Ksenia Stolbova and Fedor Klimov winning gold at 190.28, Kristina Astakhova and Alexei Rogonov silver at 185.00 and Evgenia Tarasova and Vladimir Morozov third at 184.25.

Ilyushechkina and Moscovitch, in their second season together, totalled 169.04 ranking fourth in both the short and long programs.
Canada is in the medal hunt in the three other events.

In ice dancing, Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier of Toronto sit in third spot after the short dance with 62.56 points. Sixth at the world championships last winter, the Canadians are less than a point from top spot. Maia Shibutani and Alex Shibutani of the U.S. are first at 63.24 and Penny Coomes and Nicholas Buckland of Britain second at 62.70.

The women’s competition is also very close after the short program.  2014 Olympian Gabrielle Daleman of Newmarket, Ont., is fourth at 60.76 but less than three points from first place held by Evgenia Medvedeva of Russia at 62.72.  Riona Kato of Japan is second at 61.84 and Maria Artemieva of Russia third at 61.21.

Keegan Messing of Sherwood Park, Alta., is also fourth in men’s competition after the short program at 73.16.  Mikhail Kolyada of Russia leads at 84.33, Jason Brown of the U.S. is second at 76.98 and Gordei Gorshkov of Russia third at 76.25.

The free skates in ice dancing, men and women are all on Saturday.

Full results: http://www.kraso.sk/wp-content/uploads/sutaze/2015_2016/20151001_ont/

Skate Canada sends six skaters to Ondrej Nepela Trophy

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OTTAWA, ON: Skate Canada will have four entries, for a total of six skaters at the 23rd annual Ondrej Nepela Trophy, the third event on the 2015 ISU Challenger Series. Canada will have one entry in each discipline (men’s, ladies, pair, ice dance) at the competition which runs from September 30 – October 4, 2015 at the Ondrej Nepela Ice Rink in Bratislava, Slovakia.

Canadian champion Gabrielle Daleman, 17, Newmarket, Ont., will be the Canadian entry in ladies. Daleman will be competing at this event for the first time. Last season she placed fifth at the Cup of China, sixth at the NHK Trophy, seventh at the Four Continents Championships, and 21st at the World Championships. Daleman is coached by Lee Barkell and Brian Orser at the Toronto Cricket, Skating & Curling Club.

Keegan Messing, 23, Girdwood, Alaska, USA, will represent Canada in men’s. This will be his first international assignment representing Canada. Last season, Messing placed fifth at the 2015 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships. The representative of Sherwood Park FSC is coached by Ralph Burghart at in Anchorage, Alaska, USA.

Lubov Ilyushechkina, 23, Moscow, Russia, and Dylan Moscovitch, 31, Toronto, Ont., will be Canada’s pair entry. Last season, their first season competing together, the representatives of the Toronto Cricket, Skating and Curling Club 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.

Piper Gilles, 23, Toronto, Ont., and Paul Poirier, 23, Unionville, Ont., will represent Canada in ice dance. This will be their first time competing at this event. Last season, they won silver at Skate Canada International and Trophée Eric Bompard, placed fifth at the ISU Grand Prix Final, fourth at the Four Continents Championships and sixth at the World Championships. The representatives of Scarboro FSC are coached by Carol Lane and Juris Razgulajevs at Ice Dance Elite in Scarborough, Ont.

Louis Stong of Etobicoke, Ont., will be the Canadian team leader. Physiotherapist Josiane Roberge of Sillery, Que., will be the Canadian medical staff onsite. Karen Butcher of Greely, Ont., and Cynthia Benson of Quispamsis, N.B., will be the Canadian officials at the event.

For results and full entries please visit www.isu.org or the official event website.

CANADIAN ENTRIES AT 23rd ANNUAL ONDREJ NEPELA TROPHY

Discipline Name Age Hometown Club Coach
Mens Keegan Messing 23 Girdwood, Alaska, USA Sherwood Park FSC Ralph Burghart
Ladies Gabrielle Daleman 17 Newmarket, Ont. Toronto Cricket, Skating and Curling Club Lee Barkell / Brian Orser
Pair Lubov Ilyushechkina / Dylan Moscovitch 23/31 Moscow, Russia / Toronto, Ont. Toronto Cricket, Skating and Curling Club / Toronto Cricket, Skating and Curling Club Lee Barkell / Bryce Davison / Tracy Wilson
Ice Dance Piper Gilles / Paul Poirier 23/23 Toronto, Ont. / Unionville, Ont. Scarboro FSC / Scarboro FSC Carol Lane / Juris Razgulajevs