OTTAWA, ON: Skate Canada will send three entries, for a total of four skaters to the 21st annual Finlandia Trophy, the sixth event on the 2016 ISU Challenger Series. The competition runs from October 6-10, 2016, at the Espoo Metro Arena in Espoo, Finland. Canada will have one entry per discipline in men’s, ladies and pair.
Three-time World Champion and double Olympic silver medallist (men’s and team) Patrick Chan, 25, Toronto, Ont., is the Canadian entry in men’s. This will be his first time competing at this event. Last season, Chan won gold at Skate Canada International, placed fifth at Trophée Éric Bompard, and fourth at the ISU Grand Prix Final. He also won gold at the ISU Four Continents Championships and placed fifth at the ISU World Figure Skating Championships. The eight-time Canadian champion is coached by Marina Zoueva, Oleg Epstein and Johnny Johns and trains in Canton, MI, USA.
Olympic silver medallist (team) Kaetlyn Osmond, 20, Marystown, Nfld./Edmonton, Alta., will be the Canadian entry in the ladies discipline. Last season, she won gold at the Nebelhorn Trophy, placed 11th at Skate Canada International, sixth at the NHK Trophy and sixth at the ISU Four Continents championships. The 2016 Canadian bronze medallist is coached by Ravi Walia and trains in Edmonton, Alta.
Two-time World Champions and Olympic silver medallists (team) Meagan Duhamel, 30, Lively, Ont., and Eric Radford, 31, Balmertown, Ont., will be the Canadian pair entry at the event. Last season on the ISU Challenger Series they won gold at the Autumn Classic International. Duhamel and Radford also won gold at Skate Canada International and the NHK Trophy, won silver at the ISU Grand Prix Final, and won gold at the world championships. The five-time consecutive Canadian champions are coached by Richard Gauthier, Bruno Marcotte, and Sylvie Fullum.
Skate Canada High Performance Director Mike Slipchuk will travel with the team as Canadian team leader. Physiotherapist Sylvia Ciurysek of Berwyn, Alta., will be the Canadian medical staff onsite. Cynthia Benson of Quispamsis, N.B., and Nicole Leblanc-Richard of Dieppe, N.B., will be the Canadian officials at the event.
For results and full entries please visit the official event website.
CANADIAN ENTRIES AT 21st FINLANDIA TROPHY
| Discipline |
Name |
Age |
Hometown |
Club |
Coach |
| Mens |
Patrick Chan |
25 |
Toronto, Ont. |
Granite Club |
Marina Zoueva / Oleg Epstein / Johnny Johns |
| Ladies |
Kaetlyn Osmond |
20 |
Marystown, Nfld. & Edmonton, Alta. |
Ice Palace FSC |
Ravi Walia |
| Pair |
Meagan Duhamel / Eric Radford |
30/31 |
Lively, Ont. / Balmertown, Ont. |
CPA Saint-Léonard / CPA Saint-Léonard |
Richard Gauthier / Bruno Marcotte / Sylvie Fullum |
