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Cancelled: 2020 Skate Canada International

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In consultation with the City of Ottawa and the Government of Ontario, Skate Canada has made the difficult decision to cancel the 2020 Skate Canada International. The event was scheduled to take place from October 30-31, 2020 in Ottawa, Ont., at TD Arena. We are incredibly thankful for the effort and support provided by the International Skating Union (ISU), the Skate Ontario Section and all our partners over the past months and are saddened that the hosting of Skate Canada International is no longer viable.

Skate Canada has closely monitored the federal, provincial and municipal health authorities position on COVID-19. Given the evolution of the health crisis and our prudence for the health and safety of the athletes, coaches, officials, and volunteers, the appropriate course of action was to cancel the event.

“This year is unlike any year before and we’ve seen significant challenges on the operation of competitive events due to the global pandemic. As a result of the continuous shift in requirements across the country and the recent 28-day shut down in Ontario’s hot spots, which includes Ottawa, it became clear that it would not be possible to host this event,” said Debra Armstrong, CEO, Skate Canada. “The inaugural Skate Canada International was first held in 1973 in Calgary and since we’ve hosted 46 incredible events across the country. We look forward to continuing the legacy of Skate Canada International in 2021.”

More information about the 2020-2021 Canadian figure skating event season to come.

Canadian champions headline Skate Canada International selection announcement

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OTTAWA – As of October 1, 2020, Skate Canada International is scheduled to be held from October 30 –31, 2020 in Ottawa, Ont., at TD Arena.

The safety of all skaters, coaches, officials, volunteers and staff is a top priority and all federal, provincial and municipal COVID-19 protocols will be strictly followed and monitored. Tickets will not be sold for this event and more information on how fans can follow the event virtually will be released shortly. The event will primarily be a virtual media event, and broadcast and schedule information will be released as it is confirmed.

Canadian champions will headline the Skate Canada International field including Roman Sadovsky (men), Emily Bausback (women), Kirsten Moore-Towers and Michael Marinaro (pairs), and Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier (ice dance). The International Skating Union announced today the complete lists of athlete selections for the 2020 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating series, available here. The complete list of selections for Skate Canada International and Canadian assignments are below.

SKATE CANADA INTERNATIONAL – OCTOBER 30-31, OTTAWA, ON
ENTRIES:

MEN
Nicolas Nadeau (CAN)
Nam Nguyen (CAN)
Conrad Orzel (CAN)
Joseph Phan (CAN)
Roman Sadovsky (CAN)
Mark Gorodnitsky (ISR)
Junhwan Cha (KOR)
Jason Brown (USA)

WOMEN
Emily Bausback (CAN)
Alicia Pineault (CAN)
Madeline Schizas (CAN)
Alison Schumacher (CAN)
Beverly Zhu (CHN)
Satoko Miyahara (JPN)
Ekaterina Kurakova (POL)

ICE DANCE
Holly Harris / Jason Chan (AUS)
Laurence Fournier Beaudry / Nikolaj Sorensen (CAN)
Alicia Fabbri / Paul Ayer (CAN)
Piper Gilles / Paul Poirier (CAN)
Marjorie Lajoie / Zachary Lagha (CAN)
Molly Lanaghan / Dmitre Razgulajevs (CAN)
Haley Sales / Nikolas Wamsteeker (CAN)
Carolane Soucisse / Shane Firus (CAN)
Lilah Fear / Lewis Gibson (GBR)
Olivia Smart / Adrian Diaz (ESP)

PAIRS
Lori-Ann Matte / Thierry Ferland (CAN)
Kirsten Moore-Towers / Michael Marinaro (CAN)
Natasha Purich / Bryce Chuda (Can)
Camille Ruest / Andrew Wolfe (CAN)
Evelyn Walsh / Trennt Michaud (CAN)
Riku Miura / Ryuichi Kihara (JPN)

SKATE AMERICA – OCTOBER 23-24, LAS VEGAS, NV
CANADIAN ATHLETES COMPETING
Stephen Gogolev (CAN)
Keegan Messing (CAN)

Ottawa to host 2020 Skate Canada International

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Ottawa, Ont.: Skate Canada announced today that Ottawa, Ontario, will host the 2020 Skate Canada International. The event will take place at The Arena at TD Place from October 30 to November 1, 2020.

“We are excited to be heading back to TD Place for Skate Canada International 2020,” said Debra Armstrong, CEO, Skate Canada. “Skate Canada International will welcome some of the best skaters from around the world and we look forward to working with our hosts, the city of Ottawa and TD Place, to create an unforgettable event.”

“Ottawa Tourism is proud to welcome Skate Canada International back to the nation’s capital,” said Michael Crockatt, President and CEO of Ottawa Tourism. “We are happy to show off the world-class facilities at TD Place, where this prestigious event will take place, and are delighted to work with Skate Canada to bring yet another high-profile sporting event to Ottawa. We look forward to receiving international athletes and visitors to the city who in turn eat, sleep, and explore Ottawa, discovering the beauty and vibrancy of the city for themselves.”

The inaugural Skate Canada International was first held in 1973 in Calgary and the event was added to the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating in 1995, the year the series began. Ottawa will host the 47th installment of Skate Canada International. This is their fifth time hosting the event, they previously hosted in 1976, 1981, 1993 and 2008.

Ottawa has a long legacy of hosting elite figure skating events. In 1914 the city held the very first national championships and has since gone on to host that event 15 times (1922, 1925, 1929, 1935, 1940, 1949, 1953, 1958, 1987, 1996, 1999, 2006, 2014 and 2017). In addition, they have hosted the ISU World Figure Skating Championships twice in 1978 and 1984.”It’s a great honour to have been selected to host Skate Canada International at TD Place,” said Mark Goudie, President and CEO of OSEG, the company that manages the centrally located arena and its surrounding Lansdowne urban lifestyle district. “I think the skating teams and spectators will appreciate the fact that we have restaurants and shops and recreational space right here at Lansdowne, so it’s easy to stay the day and see all of these top skaters in action.”

Skate Canada International is the second competition in the annual International Skating Union (ISU) Grand Prix of Figuring Skating series. The other events take place in the United States (Skate America), China (Cup of China), Japan (NHK Trophy), Russia (Rostelecom Cup) and France (Internationaux de France).

Each skater/team can be assigned a maximum of two events. Skaters are awarded points based on their placements at their events. The top six from each discipline (men, women, pair and ice dance) qualify for the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final.