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Canada’s Nicolas Nadeau completes spectacular comeback with silver at world juniors

DEBRECEN, Hungary – Nicolas Nadeau of Boisbriand, Que., soared from eighth place after the short program to win the silver medal in men’s competition on Friday at the ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships.

All three men’s medallists completed thrilling comebacks.  Daniel Samohin of Israel rocketed from ninth to first with 236.65 points for the gold. Nadeau, 18, followed at 224.76 and Tomoki Hiwatashi of the U.S. , sixth after the short, was third at 222.52.

‘’I’m a little surprised to move up that much, other skaters made a lot of mistakes,’’ said Nadeau, 25th at the world juniors last year. ‘’But I’ll take it. I did my job today and I’m really happy with how it turned out.’’

The top-three after the short were ousted from the podium including leader Dmitri Aliev of Russia who tumbled to sixth overall.

In the women’s short program, Canadian junior champion Sarah Tamura of Burnaby, B.C., was 16th. Alisa Fedichkina of Russia is the leader.

‘’I felt really good about my performance,’’ said Tamura, 15, in her world juniors debut. ‘’It’s great to get this experience on the big rink. I had a lot of fun being here. For me it’s about doing my best and hopefully I can move up in the standings.’’

Competition ends Saturday with the women’s free skate and free dance.

Information: 2016 ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships

Canadian ice dancers crack top-10 at world juniors

DEBRECEN, Hungary – First-year partners Mackenzie Bent of Uxbridge, Ont., and Dmitre Razgulajevs of Ajax, Ont., finished ninth in ice dancing on Saturday to conclude the ISU World Junior Championships in figure skating.

American couples were 1-2 with Lorraine McNamara and Quinn Carpenter earning the gold and Rachel Parsons and Michael Parsons the silver. Alla Loboda and Pavel Drozd of Russia prevented an American medal sweep with the bronze.

Bent and Razgulajevs ranked ninth in both programs. They enjoyed a successful season including gold at the Canadian Junior Championships in January and a silver at an ISU Junior Grand Prix event this past fall.

Melinda Meng and Andrew Meng of Montreal were 12th and Marjorie Lajoie of Boucherville, Que., and Zachary Lagha of Greenfield Park, Que., were 13th.

In women’s competition, Marin Honda led Japan to three of the top four finishes with gold. Maria Sotskova of Russia won the silver and Wakaba Higuchi was third.

Canadian junior champion Sarah Tamura of Burnaby, B.C., climbed from 16th after the short program to 13th overall.

Canada ends the competition with one silver medal earned by Nicolas Nadeau of Boisbriand, Que., in men’s competition on Friday.

Information: 2016 ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships

Brasseur and Ostiguy climb to seventh at world juniors

DEBRECEN, Hungary – Justine Brasseur of Brossard, Que., and Mathieu Ostiguy of Granby, Que., climbed to seventh place in pairs on Thursday at the ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships.

Anna Duskova and Martin Bidar of the Czech Republic won the gold medal with Anastasia Mishina and Vladislav Mirzoev of Russia second and Ekaterina Borisova and Dmitry Sopot third.

Brasseur and Ostiguy were ninth after Wednesday’s short program but produced the seventh best free skate to gain two spots in the standings. Bryn Hoffman and Bryce Chudak of Calgary were eighth.

Hope McLean of Newbury, Ont., and Trennt Michaud of Strathroy, Ont., 13th after the short, withdrew due to injury.

In ice dancing, Canadian couples are ninth, 10th and 11th after Thursday’s short dance. Rachel Parsons and Michael Parsons of the U.S. are first and their compatriots Lorraine McNamara and Quinn Carpenter are second.

Canadian junior champions Mackenzie Bent of Uxbridge, Ont., and Dmitre Razgulajevs of Ajax, Ont., are ninth, Melinda Meng and Andrew Meng of Montreal 10th and Marjorie Lajoie of Boucherville, Que., and Zachary Lagha of Greenfield, Que., are 11th

“We are happy with what we accomplished today,” said Bent. “It was a really good skate and the performance side of it was done really well. This is our first year together and we’ve made a lot of progress.”

Competition continues Friday with the men’s free skate and women’s short program. Nicolas Nadeau of Boisbriand Que., is eighth after the men’s short on Wednesday less than five points from third.

Information: 2016 ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships

Hoffman and Chudak sixth after short program at world juniors

DEBRECEN, Hungary – Bryn Hoffman and Bryce Chudak posted Canada’s best result to open the ISU World Junior Championships in figure skating but Nicolas Nadeau is closer to a medal position after Wednesday’s short programs in men’s and pairs competition.

In men’s competition, Nadeau of Boisbriand, Que., produced a clean short program and stands in eighth place just over five points from third with 73.90 points.

Dmitri Aliev of Russia is first at 80.74, his compatriot Alexander Samarin second at 80.31 and Deniss Vasiljevs of Latvia is third at 78.78.

“It was a good program and I was happy with all my elements,” said Nadeau, 18, fifth at the senior nationals in January. “I was a little disappointed with my score but it in the end it’s not so bad and I’m still in contention (for a medal).”

In pairs, Calgarians Hoffman and Chudak are sixth after the short program with 52.20 points. Anna Duskova and Martin Bidar of the Czech Republic lead at 64.71, Anastasia Mishina and Vladislav Mirzoev of Russia are second at 59.50 and Renata Oganesian and Mark Badei of Ukraine third at 59.30.

Justine Brasseur of Brossard, Que., and Mathieu Ostiguy of Granby, Que., are ninth and Hope McLean of Newbury, Ont., and Trennt Michaud of Strathroy, Ont., 13th.
Competition continues Thursday with the short dance and pairs free skate.

Full Results: 2016 ISU World Junior Championships

Canadian Junior Skaters in Hungary for 2016 ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships

OTTAWA, ON: Skate Canada has eight entries, for a total of 14 skaters competing at the 2016 ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships this week from March 14-20 in Debrecen, Hungary. Canada will have one entry per discipline in men’s and ladies, and three entries per discipline in pair and ice dance. Competition begins Wednesday, March 16 with the men’s and pair short programs.

Nicolas Nadeau, 18, Boisbriand, Que., is Canada’s entry in men’s. Last year, he placed 25th at this event. Earlier this season, he won silver in Croatia and placed fifth in Latvia at his ISU Junior Grand Prix assignments. Most recently, he placed fifth in the senior category at the 2016 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships. Nadeau trains at École Excellence Rosemère and is coached by Yvan Desjardins.

Canadian junior champion Sarah Tamura, 15, Burnaby, B.C., is Canada’s lone entry in ladies. This will be her first time competing at this event. This season, the representative of Burnaby FSC placed 13th at her ISU Junior Grand Prix assignment in Latvia. Tamura is coached by Joanne McLeod, Jill-Marie Harvey, and Neil Wilson at the Champs International Skating Centre.

Canadian junior pair champions Hope McLean, 16, Newbury, Ont., and Trennt Michaud, 19, Strathroy, Ont., will be the first of three Canadian entries in pair. This season, the representatives of Mount Brydges SC and Prince Edward SC placed sixth at the ISU Junior Grand Prix in Poland. McLean and Michaud are coached by Alison Purkiss at the London Competitive Skating Centre.

Bryn Hoffman, 18, Calgary, Alta., and Bryce Chudak, 20, Calgary, Atla., are the second Canadian pair entry. This season, they placed fourth at both of their ISU Junior Grand Prix assignments (United States and Poland). Most recently, the representatives of Calalta FSC won silver in the junior category at the 2016 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships. Hoffman and Chudak are coached by Anabelle Langlois and Cody Hay.

Justine Brasseur, 14, Brossard, Que., and Mathieu Ostiguy, 19, Granby, Que., round out the Canadian pair entries at the event. They competed on the ISU Junior Grand Prix circuit earlier this season placing sixth in Latvia and fifth in Austria. The representatives of CPA Brossard and CPA Saint-Césaire also placed fourth in the junior category at the 2016 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships, and most recently placed fourth at the Youth Olympic Games in Lillehammer, Norway. Brasseur and Ostiguy train in Saint-Léonard, Que., with coach Bruno Marcotte.

Canadian junior champions Mackenzie Bent, 18, Uxbridge, Ont., and Dmitre Razgulajevs, 19, Ajax, Ont., are the first of three Canadian ice dance teams. In their first season competing together, the representatives of Uxbridge SC and Scarboro FSC won silver at the ISU Junior Grand Prix in the United States and placed sixth at the ISU Junior Grand Prix in Spain. They are coached by Carol Lane, Jon Lane, and Juris Razgulajevs at Ice Dance Elite at Scarboro FSC.

Marjorie Lajoie, 15, Boucherville, Que., and Zachary Lagha, 16, Greenfield Park, Que., will also represent Canada in ice dance. This season they placed seventh at the ISU Junior Grand Prix in Spain, and won the silver medal at the 2016 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships in the junior category. Most recently, they placed fourth at the Youth Olympic Games in Lillehammer, Norway, and won the bronze medal as part of the mixed National Olympic Committee (NOC) team event. Lajoie and Lagha train in Montreal, Que., with coaches Marie-France Dubreuil, Patrice Lauzon, Romain Haguenauer and Pascal Denis.

Melinda Meng, 17, Montreal, Que., and Andrew Meng, 19, Montreal, Que., are the third Canadian entry in ice dance. Earlier this season, they placed fifth at the ISU Junior Grand Prix in Latvia and fourth in Poland. Most recently, the representatives of CPA Laval won bronze in the junior category at the 2016 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships. The Mengs are coached by Shawn Winter in Pierrefonds, Que.

Terra Findlay of Echo Bay, Ont., and Paige Lawrence of Kennedy, Sask., will be the Canadian team leaders at the event. Dr. Ed Pilat of Winnipeg, Man., and physiotherapist Mike McMurray of Oak Bluff, Man., will be the Canadian medical staff onsite. Karen Howard of Regina, Sask., and Pam Chislett of Grand Prairie, Alta., are the Canadian officials at the event.

Skate Canada High Performance Director Mike Slipchuk will also be traveling with the team.

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

CANADIAN ENTRIES AT THE 2016 ISU WORLD JUNIOR FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS

Discipline Name Age Hometown Club Coach
Mens Nicolas Nadeau 18 Boisbriand, Que. CPA Boisbriand Yvan Desjardins
Ladies Sarah Tamura 15 Burnaby, B.C. Burnaby FSC Joanne McLeod / Jill-Marie Harvey / Neil Wilson
Pair Hope McLean / Trennt Michaud 16/19 Newbury, Ont. / Strathroy, Ont. Mount Brydges SC / Prince Edward SC Alison Purkiss
Pair Bryn Hoffman / Bryce Chudak 18/20 Calgary, Alta. / Calgary, Alta. Calalta FSC / Calalta FSC Anabelle Langlois / Cody Hay
Pair Justine Brasseur / Mathieu Ostiguy 14/19 Brossard, Que. / Granby, Que. CPA Brossard / CPA Saint-Césaire Bruno Marcotte
Ice Dance Mackenzie Bent / Dmitre Razgulajevs 18/19 Uxbridge, Ont. / Ajax, Ont. Uxbridge SC / Scarboro FSC Carol Lane / Jon Lane / Juris Razgulajevs
Ice Dance Marjorie Lajoie / Zachary Lagha 15/16 Boucherville, Que. / Greenfield Park, Que. CPA Boucherville / CPA St-Lambert Marie-France Dubreuil / Patrice Lauzon / Romain Haguenauer / Pascal Denis
Ice Dance Melinda Meng / Andrew Meng 17/19 Montreal, Que. / Montreal, Que. CPA Laval / CPA Laval Shawn Winter