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Kaetlyn Osmond doesn’t miss a beat at 2017 Autumn Classic International

PIERREFONDS, Que. – Kaetlyn Osmond of Marystown, N.L., landed seven triple jumps for the first time in her career on Saturday to win gold in women’s singles at the 2017 Autumn Classic International figure skating competition.

Osmond came within less than a point of her personal best with 217.55. Mai Mihara of Japan was second at 199.02 and Elizabet Tursynbaeva of Kazakhstan was third at 181.00.

‘’It’s so exciting I love both my programs this year,’’ said Osmond. ‘’And to do them both well here means so much to me. To get the seven triples is a big bonus.’’

In 2016-17, Osmond made an impressive return from injury capping the season with a silver medal at the world championships.

‘’I am ready for this season,’’ she said.  ‘’I had a great summer of training and to get the start I had here really sets me up for the rest of the year.’’

It was a Canadian medal sweep in ice dancing. World champions Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir won the gold with 195.76, Kaitlyn Weaver and Andrew Poje of Waterloo, Ont., were second at 173.56 and Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier of Toronto were third at 172.26.

‘’I thought it was a very strong first outing for our free dance,’’ said Virtue. ‘’It wasn’t quite what we’ve been training at home but that’s to be expected this early. There’s a lot to learn in how to compete this program.’’

‘’Right now we need to grow the program,’’ added Moir. ‘’A bit more speed, a bit more power. But we definitely connected better in the short.’’

In pairs, Vanessa James and Morgan Cipres of France took the gold with two-time world champions Meaghan Duhamel of Lively, Ont., and Eric Radford of Balmertown, Ont., second and Julianne Séguin of Longueuil, Que., and Charlie Bilodeau of Trois-Pistoles, Que., third.

In men’s competition, Javier Fernandez of Spain took the gold with Olympic and world champion Yuzuru Hanyu of Japan second and Canada’s Keegan Messing third.

Full results: 2017 Autumn Classic International

International skaters en route to Montreal for 2017 Autumn Classic International

OTTAWA, ON: Skate Canada will send 17 entries, for a total of 22 skaters to the fourth annual Skate Canada Autumn Classic International (#ACI17). Canada will have 11 entries at the senior level including three entries per discipline in men’s, ladies and ice dance, and two entries in pairs. Canada will also have six entries in the junior category of the event: three in men’s and three in ladies. The third event on the 2017 ISU Challenger Series runs from September 20-23, 2017, at the Sportplexe Pierrefonds in Montreal, Que.

The competition lineup will feature past and current world medallists including: Yuzuru Hanyu, Javier Fernandez, Kaetlyn Osmond, Meagan Duhamel and Eric Radford, Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir, and Kaitlyn Weaver and Andrew Poje.

Canadian bronze medallist Nam Nguyen, 19, Toronto, Ont., is one of three Canadian men’s entries. Nguyen won the silver medal at this event in both 2014 and 2015. Last season, he placed fifth at the 2016 U.S. International Figure Skating Classic, sixth at Skate America, eighth at the NHK Trophy, and eighth at the Four Continents Championships. He is coached by Tracey Wainman and Gregor Filipowski in Richmond Hill, Ont.

Keegan Messing, 25, Girdwood, Alaska, USA, is the second Canadian entry in men’s. Last season, Messing placed fourth at this event. He also won the bronze medal at the Golden Spin of Zagreb and placed fifth at the 2017 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships. He is coached by Ralph Burghart in Anchorage, Alaska, USA.

Elladj Baldé, 26, Montreal, Que., rounds out the Canadian men entries. Last season, he placed eighth at the U.S. International Figure Skating Classic, sixth at the Rostelecom Cup, 10th at the NHK Trophy, and sixth at the 2017 Canadian championships. Baldé trains in Montreal, Que., under his coach Bruno Marcotte.

World silver medallist Kaetlyn Osmond, 21, Marystown, Nfld./Edmonton, Alta., is the first of three Canadians in the ladies category. Last season, Osmond won gold at the Finlandia Trophy, silver at both Skate Canada International and the Cup of China, and placed fourth at both the ISU Grand Prix Final and the ISU Four Continents Championships. The three-time Canadian champion is coached by Ravi Walia in Edmonton, Alta.

Canadian bronze medallist Alaine Chartrand, 21, Prescott, Ont., is the second Canadian entry in the ladies category. Chartrand is the defending silver medallist at this event. Last season, she placed fifth at Skate Canada International, 10th at the NHK Trophy, 11th at the ISU Four Continents Championships and won bronze at the Canadian championships. Chartrand is coached by Michelle Leigh.

Sarah Tamura, 16, Burnaby, B.C., is the third Canadian entry in ladies. Last season, Tamura placed eighth at the ISU Junior Grand Prix in Slovenia and sixth in Germany, won the junior competition at the Bavarian Open, placed 17th at the ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships and placed fifth in the senior level at the 2017 Canadian championships. Tamura is coached by Joanne McLeod in Burnaby, B.C.

Two-time world champions Meagan Duhamel, 31, Lively, Ont., and Eric Radford, 32, Balmertown, Ont., are one of three Canadian entries in the pairs discipline. They previously competed at this event in 2014 and 2015, winning on both occasions. Last season, Duhamel and Radford won gold at the Finlandia Trophy, Skate Canada International and the NHK Trophy, won bronze at the ISU Grand Prix Final, won silver at the ISU Four Continents Championships and placed seventh at the world championships. The six-time consecutive Canadian champions are coached by Bruno Marcotte in St.Leonard, Que.

Julianne Séguin, 20, Longueuil, Que., and Charlie Bilodeau, 24, Trois-Pistoles, Que., will also represent Canada in pairs. They are the defending champions at this event. Last season, the pair also won gold at Skate America, placed fifth at both the Rostelecom Cup and the ISU Grand Prix Final, and placed 11th at the world championships. Séguin and Bilodeau are coached by Josée Picard in Chambly, Que.

Olympic and world champions Tessa Virtue, 28, London, Ont., and Scott Moir, 30, Ilderton, Ont., will be the first of three Canadian entries in ice dance. They are the defending champions at this event. Last season, Virtue and Moir won gold at each of their events: Autumn Classic International, Skate Canada International, NHK Trophy, ISU Grand Prix Final, ISU Four Continents Championships, and added their third world title. The seven-time Canadian champions are coached by Marie-France Dubreuil,Patrice Lauzon and Romain Haguenauer in Montreal, Que.

Two-time world medallists Kaitlyn Weaver, 28, Toronto, Ont., and Andrew Poje, 30, Waterloo, Ont., are the second Canadian entry in ice dance. Last season, Weaver and Poje won the bronze medal at the Rostelecom Cup, silver at the Cup of China, placed fifth at the ISU Four Continents Championships and placed fourth at the world championships. The 2017 Canadian silver medallists are coached by Nikolai Morozov and train in Hackensack, NJ, USA.

Piper Gilles, 25, Toronto, Ont., and Paul Poirier, 25, Unionville, Ont., are the third Canadian entry in ice dance. They previously competed at this event in 2014, winning silver. Last season, Gilles and Poirier won the bronze medal at the Nebelhorn Trophy, Skate Canada International, and Trophée de France, placed sixth at the ISU Four Continents Championships and placed eighth at the world championships. The 2017 Canadian bronze medallists are coached by Carol Lane and Juris Razgulajevs in Scarborough, Ont.

Junior Entries

Eric Liu, 16, Edmonton, Alta., will represent Canada in the junior men category. Last season, Liu placed 15th at the ISU Junior Grand Prix in France and 14th in Japan. Liu is coached by Ravi Walia at Ice Palace FSC.

Iliya Kovler, 14, Richmond Hill, Ont., is the second Canadian entry in the junior men category. Kovler won the bronze medal in the junior category at this event last season. Last season, he also placed 19th at the ISU Junior Grand Prix in Germany and fifth in junior at the 2017 Canadian championships. He is coached by Andrei Berezintsev in Richmond Hill, Ont.

Beresford Clements, 15, Gibsons, B.C., is the third Canadian entry in junior men. This will be his first international assignment. Last season, he placed fifth in the novice category at the Canadian championships. He is coached by Joanne McLeod in Burnaby, B.C.

Lissa Anne McGaghey, 17, Campbellton, N.B., is the first of three Canadian entries in junior ladies. Last year, she placed seventh in the junior category at this event. McGaghey also placed sixth in the junior women’s category at the 2017 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships. McGaghey is coached by Stéphane Yvars in Boucherville, Que.

Hannah Dawson, 16, Johnstown, Ont., will also represent Canada in junior ladies. This will be her first international assignment in singles. Last season, she placed eighth in the junior women’s category at the 2017 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships. Dawson is coached by Annie Barabé in Varennes, Que.

Canadian novice silver medallist Emma Bulawka, 14, West Kelowna, B.C., is the final Canadian entry in junior ladies. This will be her first international assignment. Bulawka is coached by Karen and Jason Mongrain in Kelowna, B.C.

Carolyn Allwright of Waterloo, Ont., and David Schultz of Regina, Sask., will be the Canadian team leaders onsite. Dr. Daphne Anderson of Calgary, Alta., and physiotherapist Sylvia Ciurysek of Berwyn, Alta., will be the Canadian medical staff onsite. Leanna Caron of Timmins, Ont., Nicole Leblanc-Richard of Dieppe, N.B., Lynne Dey of Edmonton, Alta., and Beth Crane of Burnaby, B.C., will be the Canadian officials at the event.

The event will be live streamed on Skate Canada’s Dailymotion page.

For more information and full entries please visit the Skate Canada website.

CANADIAN SENIOR ENTRIES AT 2017 AUTUMN CLASSIC INTERNATIONAL

Discipline Name Age Hometown Club Coach
Men Nam Nguyen 19 Toronto, Ont. York Region Skating Academy WC Tracey Wainman/ Gregor Filipowski
Men Keegan Messing 25 Girdwood, Alaska, USA Sherwood Park FSC Ralph Burghart
Men Elladj Baldé 26 Montreal, Que. CPA Anjou Kinsmen Bruno Marcotte
Ladies Kaetlyn Osmond 21 Marystown, Nfld. & Edmonton, Alta. Ice Palace FSC Ravi Walia
Ladies Alaine Chartrand 21 Prescott, Ont. Nepean Skating Club Michelle Leigh
Ladies Sarah Tamura 16 Burnaby, B.C. Champs International SC Joanne McLeod
Pairs Meagan Duhamel / Eric Radford 31/32 Lively, Ont. / Balmertown, Ont. CPA Saint-Léonard / CPA Saint-Léonard Bruno Marcotte
Pairs Julianne Séguin / Charlie Bilodeau 20/24 Longueuil, Que. / Trois-Pistoles, Que. CPA Longueuil / CPA Chambly Josée Picard
Ice Dance Tessa Virtue / Scott Moir 28/30 London, Ont. / Ilderton, Ont. Regroupement élite de patinage artistique de Montréal / Regroupement élite de patinage artistique de Montréal Marie-France Dubreuil / Patrice Lauzon / Romain Haguenauer
Ice Dance Kaitlyn Weaver / Andrew Poje 28/30 Toronto, Ont. / Waterloo, Ont. Sault FSC / Kitchener-Waterloo SC Nikolai Morozov
Ice Dance Piper Gilles / Paul Poirier 25/25 Toronto, Ont. / Unionville, Ont. Scarboro FSC / Scarboro FSC Carol Lane / Juris Razgulajevs

CANADIAN JUNIOR ENTRIES AT 2017 AUTUMN CLASSIC INTERNATIONAL

Discipline Name Age Hometown Club Coach
Men Eric Liu 16 Edmonton, Alta. Ice Palace FSC Ravi Walia
Men Iliya Kovler 14 Richmond Hill, Ont. Richmond Hill FSC Andrei Berezintsev
Men Beresford Clements 15 Gibsons, B.C. Champs International SC Joanne McLeod
Ladies Lissa Anne McGaghey 17 Campbellton, N.B. Campbellton FSC Stéphane Yvars
Ladies Hannah Dawson 16 Johnstown, Ont. CPA Hawkesbury FSC Annie Barabé
Ladies Emma Bulawka 14 West Kelowna, B.C. Kelowna FSC Karen Mongrain / Jason Mongrain

Ticket Information: 2017 Autumn Classic International

OTTAWA, ON: Tickets for the 2017 Autumn Classic International will go on sale this Thursday, July 13 at 10:00 a.m. (ET). The event will be held in the Montreal, Pierrefonds-Roxboro borough, at the Sportplexe Pierrefonds from September 20-23, 2017.

Tickets can be purchased at Eventbrite.ca in advance and online only.  All tickets are general admission and are priced at $85 for an all-event ticket, or single day tickets for $25 on Thursday and $35 on Friday and Saturday. Admission includes all official practices and competitions for the day of your purchase.  Please note that seating is general admission and not reserved.  Seats are on a first-come, first-serve basis.  Ticket quantities are limited and all tickets are final sale.

The 2017 Autumn Classic International will feature senior events in men, women, pair and ice dance, and junior competition in men and women. Typically, the event will host over 50 entries from over 20 countries. The competition is one of 10 events that will form the ISU Challenger Series. Athletes at the senior level have the opportunity to earn world standing points. Competitors are eligible to participate in up to three Challenger Series events.

The 2017 entries will be announced after the close of entries on August 18, 2017.

Update: 2017 Autumn Classic International

2017/04/13 – Skate Canada announced today that the dates for the 2017 Autumn Classic International have been moved forward to September 20-23, 2017. All other logistical information surrounding the event will remain the same. 

OTTAWA, ON: Skate Canada has announced that the Montreal, Pierrefonds-Roxboro borough, will host two key figure skating events in 2017. For the second consecutive year the Sportplexe Pierrefonds will be the venue for the 2017 Autumn Classic International and the 2018 Skate Canada Challenge.

The 2017 Autumn Classic will run from September 27-30, 2017 and the 2018 Skate Canada Challenge from November 29 – December 3, 2017.

“The Montreal, Pierrefonds-Roxboro borough have been fantastic hosts and we are thrilled to be heading back to the Sportplexe Pierrefonds for two events in 2017,” said Debra Armstrong, CEO, Skate Canada. “Patinage Quebec and the community have been outstanding partners; combined with a tremendous volunteer team, terrific hotels and a fabulous venue we are confident that both of these events will be great successes.”

“I am pleased to welcome in my borough the athletes competing in the 2017 Autumn Classic International and the 2018 Skate Canada Challenge. Montreal is fond of sports and a city that is particularly passionate about winter sports. I am convinced that Montrealers will come in large numbers to support the thrilling performances of some of world’s best figure skaters,” said Dimitrios Jim Beis, Pierrefonds-Roxboro Mayor and member of the Montreal Executive Committee responsible for supply, sports, recreation and communities of diverse origins.

“We’re delighted to be holding these two high-caliber figure skating competitions in our city once again, as it reaffirms Montreal’s leadership as a choice host city for sporting events. Not only do the 2017 Skate Canada Challenge and the Autumn Classic International reflect Montreal sports events strategy, these competitions will provide significant economic benefits for West Island businesses,” said Yves Lalumière, President and CEO of Tourism Montreal. “Our organization looks forward to working closely with local sporting partners to ensure that all participants enjoy a memorable stay and get a taste of Montreal’s 375th anniversary celebrations!”

The 2017 Autumn Classic International will feature senior events in men, women, pair and ice dance, and junior competition in men and women. Typically, the event will host over 50 entries from over 20 countries.

Over 500 of the best skaters from across Canada will participate in the 2018 Skate Canada Challenge. Skaters qualify to compete through their respective sectional championships.  For novice, junior and senior skaters, this is the only opportunity to qualify for the 2018 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships. The 2018 Skate Canada Challenge will also see the crowning of the 2018 Canadian Pre-Novice Champions in men, women, pair, and ice dance.