Posts

Canadian skaters in Germany for Nebelhorn Trophy

/0 Comments/in /by

OTTAWA, ON: Skate Canada will send four entries, for a total of six skaters to Oberstdorf, Germany, for the Nebelhorn Trophy, the third stop on the 2016-2017 ISU Challenger Series. Canada will have one entry in each discipline (men’s, ladies, pair and ice dance) at the event which takes place September 22-24, 2016.

Canadian silver medallist Liam Firus, 24, North Vancouver, B.C., is the Canadian entry in men’s. In 2014, he placed ninth at this event. Last season, the representative of Vancouver SC won the Triglav Trophy, placed seventh at the Finlandia Trophy, eighth at the Golden Spin of Zagreb, and 13th at the ISU Four Continents Championships. Firus is coached by Bruno Marcotte in Sainte-Julie, Que.

Gabrielle Daleman, 18, Newmarket, Ont., will be the Canadian entry in ladies and will be competing at this event for the first time. Last season, she placed fifth at Skate Canada International, sixth at Trophée Éric Bompard, ninth at the ISU World Figure Skating Championships and won silver at the 2016 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships. Daleman is coached by Lee Barkell and Brian Orser at the Toronto Cricket, Skating and Curling Club.

Lubov Ilyushechkina, 24, Moscow, Russia, and Dylan Moscovitch, 31, Toronto, Ont., are the Canadian pair entry, and will also be competing at this event for the first time. Last season, they placed seventh at the Cup of China, fifth at the NHK Trophy, fifth at the ISU Four Continents Championships and seventh at the ISU World Figure Skating Championships. The two-time Canadian medallists are coached by Lee Barkell, Bryce Davison and Tracy Wilson at the Toronto Cricket, Skating and Curling Club.

Canadian silver medallists Piper Gilles, 24, Toronto, Ont., and Paul Poirier, 24, Unionville, Ont., will be the Canadian entry in ice dance. This will be their first time competing at this event. Last season, they won bronze at Skate America, silver at Trophée Éric Bompard, placed fifth at the ISU Four Continents Championships and eighth at the ISU World Figure Skating Championships. The representatives of Scarboro FSC are coached by Carol Lane and Juris Razgulajevs.

Skate Canada High Performance Director Mike Slipchuk will be travelling with the Canadian team as team leader and Shirley Kushner of Westmount, Que., will be the Canadian medical staff onsite. Reaghan Fawcett-Fortin of Aurora, Ont., and Leslie Keen of Vancouver, B.C., will be the Canadian officials at the event.

For results and full entries please visit 2016 Nebelhorn Trophy.

CANADIAN ENTRIES AT 2016 NEBELHORN TROPHY

Discipline Name Age Hometown Club Coach
Mens Liam Firus 24 North Vancouver, B.C. Vancouver SC Bruno Marcotte
Ladies Gabrielle Daleman 18 Newmarket, Ont. Toronto Cricket, Skating and Curling Club Lee Barkell / Brian Orser
Pair Lubov Ilyushechkina / Dylan Moscovitch 24/31 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 24/24 Toronto, Ont. / Unionville, Ont. Scarboro FSC / Scarboro FSC Carol Lane / Juris Razgulajevs

Skate Canada Announces 2016-2017 National Team

/0 Comments/in /by

OTTAWA, ON: Skate Canada is pleased to announce the 2016-2017 National Team. The team is comprised of 28 senior members, which includes five men, five women, four pair teams and five ice dance teams.

To be named to the National Team a skater must finish in the top five in senior singles, pair and ice dance disciplines at the Canadian Tire National Skating Championships, or be added at the discretion of the Skate Canada. These skaters may be considered to represent Canada at international competitions.

Their appointment to the national team is effective from June 1, 2016 through to April 30, 2017. Skate Canada also announced the three teams that will make up the Skate Canada Synchronized Skating National Team.

MEN
Patrick Chan, 25, Toronto, Ont.
Liam Firus, 23, North Vancouver, B.C.
Kevin Reynolds, 25, Coquitlam, B.C.
Nam Nguyen, 18, Toronto, Ont.
Nicolas Nadeau, 18, Boisbriand, Que.

WOMEN
Alaine Chartrand, 20, Prescott, Ont.
Gabrielle Daleman, 18, Newmarket, Ont.
Kaetlyn Osmond, 20, Marystown, Nfld. & Sherwood Park, Alta.
Véronik Mallet, 22, Sept-Iles, Que.
Michelle Long, 24, Newmarket, Ont.

PAIR
Meagan Duhamel, 30, Lively, Ont. & Eric Radford, 31, Balmertown, Ont.
Julianne Séguin, 19, Longueuil, Que. & Charlie Bilodeau, 22, Trois-Pistoles, Que.
Lubov Ilyushechkina, 24, Moscow, Russia & Dylan Moscovitch, 31, Toronto, Ont.
Kirsten Moore-Towers, 24, St. Catharines, Ont. & Michael Marinaro, 24, Sarnia, Ont.

ICE DANCE
Kaitlyn Weaver, 27, Waterloo, Ont. & Andrew Poje, 29, Waterloo, Ont.
Piper Gilles, 24, Toronto, Ont. & Paul Poirier, 24, Unionville, Ont.
Élisabeth Paradis, 23, Loretteville, Que. & François-Xavier Ouellette, 23, Laval, Que.
Alexandra Paul, 24, Midhurst, Ont. & Mitchell Islam, 26, Barrie, Ont.
Tessa Virtue, 27, London, Ont. & Scott Moir, 28, Ilderton, Ont.

SYNCHRONIZED SKATING
Les Suprêmes, of CPA Saint-Léonard
NEXXICE, of the Burlington Skating Centre
Meraki, of the Leaside Skating Club

Team North America Ready to Compete at the 2016 KOSÉ Team Challenge Cup

/0 Comments/in /by

SPOKANE, WASHINGTON, USA: For the first time ever, skaters from Skate Canada and U.S. Figure Skating will come together to compete as Team North America at the inaugural KOSÉ Team Challenge Cup. The event will be held April 22-24 at the Spokane Arena in Spokane, Washington, USA.

Team North America will consist of four Canadian and six American entries for a total of 10 entries and 14 skaters in total.

TEAM NORTH AMERICA – 2016 KOSÉ TEAM CHALLENGE CUP

Discipline Name Hometown Training Town Country
Ladies Gabrielle Daleman Newmarket, Ontario Toronto, Ontario CAN
Ladies Gracie Gold Hermosa Beach, California El Segundo, California USA
Ladies Ashley Wagner Alexandria, Virginia Los Angeles, California USA
Men Jason Brown Highland Park, Illinois Monument, Colorado USA
Men Nam Nguyen Toronto, Ontario Toronto, Ontario CAN
Men Adam Rippon Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania Los Angeles, California USA
Pairs Meagan Duhamel / Eric Radford Lively, Ontario / Balmertown, Ontario Montreal, Quebec CAN
Pairs Alexa Scimeca / Chris Knierim Addison, Illinois / San Diego, California Colorado Springs, Colorado USA
Ice Dance Madison Chock / Evan Bates Redondo Beach, California / Ann Arbor, Michigan Novi, Michigan USA
Ice Dance Kaitlyn Weaver / Andrew Poje Kitchener, Ontario Bloomfield Hills, Michigan CAN

An ISU-sanctioned event, the Team Challenge Cup will feature 42 figure skaters competing in a continental team competition (Team Asia vs. Team Europe vs. Team North America). Each Team will consist of three ladies, three men, two pairs teams and two ice dance teams. ISU World Standings (as of Jan. 1, 2016) and the Captain’s Pick Fan Vote were used to determine Team Challenge Cup athletes.

Each team will have a Team Captain, a legend of the sport, who will not compete but help determine team strategy. Team North America will be captained by American Kristi Yamaguchi, the 1992 Olympic champion. Great Britain’s Christopher Dean, the 1984 Olympic ice dance champion with partner Jayne Torvill, will captain Team Europe and Japan’s Shizuka Arakawa, the 2006 Olympic champion, will captain Team Asia.

The Team Challenge Cup will feature two days of competition, opening Friday night with the singles competition as the ladies and men compete in head-to-head matchups for more than $100,000 in prize money. Saturday’s Team Competition (all disciplines) will feature an aggregate scoring format to determine the 2016 Team Challenge Cup winner with a prize purse of nearly $500,000, for a total prize purse of $617,000 (US Dollars).

For more information, please visit 2016 KOSÉ Team Challenge Cup.

World title for Meagan Duhamel and Eric Radford

/0 Comments/in /by

BOSTON – Meagan Duhamel of Lively, Ont., and Eric Radford of Balmertown, Ont., struck gold for the second straight year in pairs on Saturday at the ISU World Figure Skating Championships.

It is first time Canada has repeat champions in pairs since Barbara Wagner and Robert Paul won four straight from 1957-1960.

Duhamel and Radford posted a personal best 231.99 with Wenjing Sui and Cong Han of China second at 224.47 and Aliona Savchenko and Bruno Massot of Germany third at 216.17.

“We are so happy and so proud to come here and deliver the performances that we worked so hard for,” said Duhamel. “We believed in ourselves and we knew this result was possible.”

While on paper it appears the Canadians enjoyed a strong season with two gold and silver on the Grand Prix circuit and a national title, it wasn’t as smooth as the previous winter.  They felt that made them underdogs in Boston.

“We weren’t considered as strong contenders as compared to last season,” said Radford. “It feels great because it is difficult not to doubt yourself when everybody else has that expectation of you. As long you can believe you can do it, you can make it happen.”

Lubov Iliushechkina and Dylan Moscovitch of Toronto were seventh at 199.52 and Kirsten Moore-Towers of St. Catharines, Ont., and Michael Marinaro of Sarnia, Ont., followed in eighth at 190.90. It was also personal bests for both.

“It was a bit of work but a lot of fun,” said Moscovitch. “We did a great job of working our way through the program. We kept our focus on the choreography and enjoyment of the program and that really pulled us through.”

Moore-Towers and Marinaro climbed form 10th after the short.

“With two personal best performances here it sets us up well for next season,” said Moore-Towers. ” I’m thrilled.”

Daleman shines in women’s final

Evgenia Medvedeva of Russia won the gold medal in the women’s free skate with 223.86 points. Ashley Wagner of the U.S. followed at 215.39 for silver and Anna Pogorilaya of Russia was third at 211.29.

Gabrielle Daleman of Newmarket, Ont., completed an impressive showing finishing ninth. She smashed her personal best earning 195.68 points.

“I was very nervous going in and I decided I was skating for myself and country,” she said. “I just stayed in the moment throughout and took one element at a time.”

Canadian champion Alaine Chartrand of Prescott, Ont., was 17th.

Full results: ISU World Figure Skating Championships 2016

Weaver and Poje place fifth at ISU World Championships

/0 Comments/in /by

BOSTON – Kaitlyn Weaver and Andew Poje of Waterloo, Ont., took fifth place in ice dancing on Thursday at the ISU World Figure Skating Championships.

Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron of France successfully defended their world title winning the gold medal with 194.46 points. Maia Shibutani and Alex Shibutani of the U.S. followed for silver at 188.43 and Madison Chock and Evan Bates of the U.S. were third at 185.77.

Weaver and Poje, third at last year’s worlds, earned a season’s best 182.01. It was the first time in 10 years Canada’s has not reached the world podium in ice dancing.

“We felt really prepared for the competition,“ said Poje. “But that didn’t come through in the performance. We are still proud of the effort we put into it and the growth we still have to push into the future.”

Weaver says the couple must keep pushing the envelope.

“It took us a long time to master (the free dance),” she said. “Unfortunately the past two outings we haven’t shown what we are capable of. These are the programs that will push us to a new level and make us even better next year.”

Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier of Toronto were eighth, with a personal best 173.07.

“We gave it a little too hard at the beginning and we both felt tired at the end,” said Poirier. ‘’We are so proud how we’ve been able to push the programs the last few weeks and to finish the season with two personal bests is really exciting.’’

In women’s competition after the short program, Gracie Gold of the U.S. is first at 76.43, Anna Pogorilaya of Russia second at 73.98 and her compatriot Evgenia Medvedeva third at 73.76.

Gabrielle Daleman of Newmarket, Ont., produced a clean program and is eighth at 67.38.  It wasn’t as smooth for Alaine Chartrand of Prescott, Ont., who ranked 17th at 55.67.

The 18-year-old Daleman raised her arms triumphantly after her performance.

“I’ve had trouble with my short program this season,” said Daleman, a 2014 Olympian. “Just to finally lay a clean short program and doing it that well I was so overwhelmed.  On the ice, I just told myself: breathe, confident and comfortable.”

Chartrand, the Canadian champion, didn’t mince words with her performance. She stumbled on the second part of her opening combo jump and fell on the all-important double Axel.

“I just rushed it a little bit, got ahead of myself,” said Chartrand, 20, about her fall. “It was a costly mistake. Things were going pretty good up to that point. I wasn’t satisfied with my combo either. I did a perfect one in the warm-up. It should be an easy combination.”

Competition continues Friday with the pairs short program and men’s free skate.

Full results: ISU World Figure Skating Championships 2016

MEET CANADA’S WORLD TEAM: LADIES

/0 Comments/in /by

Alaine Chartrand

Alaine Chartrand 

A year ago, Alaine came achingly close to her first national title, finishing less than two points behind Gabrielle Daleman. In 2016, she turned the tables, edging Daleman in Halifax for the Canadian championship. Alaine spends most of her week training in her hometown of Prescott, Ont. before travelling to the Toronto area to train on weekends. The travelling has paid off, as the powerful jumper can now add Canadian champion to her growing resume. Although she says she was too young to remember, Alaine has been told she landed her first axel when she was just six years old.

“I don’t know if my mindset is any different,” Alaine says of attending her first worlds as Canadian champion. “I definitely gained a lot of confidence from my performances at nationals. I know I can do two clean programs in one competition and that’s one thing I’ve struggled with in the past.”

FUN FACT: On long skating trips, Alaine often rides in the family RV. In her younger years, Alaine’s father racked up more than 500,000 km on his six-seat pickup truck.

Gabrielle Daleman

Gabrielle Daleman

After what she referred to as an “extremely disappointing” short program at the Canadian Tire National Skating Championships, Gabrielle bounced back in a big way in the free to win silver, coming up just short in her bid for a second straight national title. At just 16 years of age, Gabrielle was the youngest member of the entire Canadian Olympic Team at the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi. A former gymnast, “Gabby”, uses her lightning speed as the springboard for her powerful jumps.

FUN FACT: Gabby always has to have her special travel companion with her when she is on the road: her purple blanket.

Canadian team prepared for 2016 ISU World Figure Skating Championships

/0 Comments/in , , , , , , , /by

OTTAWA, ON: Skate Canada will send 10 entries for a total of 16 skaters to the 2016 ISU World Figure Skating Championships in Boston, MA, USA, from March 28 – April 3. Canada will have two entries per category in men’s and ladies and three entries per category in pair and ice dance.

Three-time World Champion and double Olympic silver medallist (men’s and team) Patrick Chan, 25, Toronto, Ont., is the first of two Canadian entries in men’s. Chan returns to the world championships for the first time since 2013, when he won gold. In his return to competition this season, the representative of the Granite Club won gold at Skate Canada International, placed fifth at Trophée Éric Bompard, fourth at the ISU Grand Prix Final, and won gold at the ISU Four Continents Championships. The eight time Canadian champion is coached by Kathy Johnson and trains at the Detroit Skating Club.

Nam Nguyen, 17, Toronto, Ont., will be the second Canadian entry in men’s. Last season, he placed fifth at this event, and in 2014, he placed 12th. This season, Nguyen placed fifth at Skate Canada International, seventh at the Rostelecom Cup and fourth at the 2016 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships. He is coached by Brian Orser and Ernest Pryhitka at the Toronto Cricket Skating & Curling Club.

Canadian Champion Alaine Chartrand, 19, Prescott, Ont., is one of two Canadian entries in the ladies category. Last year, Chartrand placed 11th at this event. This season, she placed 12th at Skate America, sixth at the Rostelecom Cup and 11th at the ISU Four Continents Championships. The representative of the Nepean Skating Club is coached by Michelle Leigh and Brian Orser.

Gabrielle Daleman, 18, Newmarket, Ont., will be the second Canadian entry in ladies. Daleman placed 21st at this event in 2015 and 13th in 2014. Earlier this season, she placed fifth at Skate Canada International, sixth at Trophée Éric Bompard at won silver at the 2016 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships. Daleman is coached by Lee Barkell and Brian Orser at the Toronto Cricket, Skating & Curling Club.

Defending World Champions and Olympic silver medallists (team) Meagan Duhamel, 30, Lively, Ont., and Eric Radford, 31, Balmertown, Ont., lead the Canadian entries in pairs. The representatives of CPA Saint-Léonard have previously competed at this event five times, winning medals the past three years. This season, they won gold at Skate Canada International and at the NHK Trophy, and won silver at the ISU Grand Prix Final. The five-time consecutive Canadian champions are coached by Richard Gauthier, Bruno Marcotte, and Sylvie Fullum.

Lubov Ilyushechkina, 24, Moscow, Russia, and Dylan Moscovitch, 31, Toronto, Ont., are the second Canadian pair entry at the event. Last year, they placed 13th at the World Championships. Earlier this season, the representatives of the Toronto Cricket, Skating and Curling Club placed seventh at the Cup of China, fifth at the NHK Trophy and fifth at the ISU Four Continents Championships. The two time Canadian medallists are coached by Lee Barkell, Bryce Davison and Tracy Wilson.

Kirsten Moore-Towers, 23, St. Catharines, Ont., and Michael Marinaro, 24, Sarnia, Ont., are the third Canadian entry in pair. This will be their first time competing at this event. Earlier this season, Moore-Towers and Marinaro won bronze at Skate Canada International, placed seventh at the Rostelecom Cup and placed fourth at the 2016 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships. The representatives of Kitchener-Waterloo SC and Point Edward SC are coached by Bruno Marcotte, Richard Gauthier, Sylvie Fullum, Julie Marcotte and Cynthia Lemaire at CPA Saint-Léonard.

Two-time world medallists Kaitlyn Weaver, 26, Toronto, Ont., and Andrew Poje, 29, Waterloo, Ont., are the first of three Canadian entries in ice dance. This will be their eighth time competing at this event; last year, they won the bronze medal. This season, the representatives of Sault FSC and Kitchener-Waterloo SC won gold at Skate Canada International, Rostelecom Cup and the ISU Grand Prix Final, and won bronze at the ISU Four Continents Championships. Weaver and Poje also won their second consecutive Canadian title. They are coached by Angelika Krylova, Pasquale Camerlengo and Shae-Lynn Bourne in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan.

Canadian silver medallists Piper Gilles, 24, Toronto, Ont., and Paul Poirier, 24, Unionville, Ont., will be the second Canadian entry in ice dance. This will be their fourth time competing at this event, at which they placed sixth in 2015. This season, they won bronze at Skate America, silver at Trophée Éric Bompard and placed fifth at the ISU Four Continents Championships. The representatives of Scarboro FSC also won their second consecutive Canadian silver medal. Gilles and Poirier are coached by Carol Lane and Juris Razgulajevs at Ice Dance Elite in Scarborough, Ont.

Canadian bronze medallists Élisabeth Paradis, 23, Loretteville, Que., and François-Xavier Ouellette, 24, Laval, Que., are the final Canadian entry in ice dance. This will be their first time competing at this event. Earlier this season, the representatives of CPA Loretteville and CPA Les Lames D’Argent De Laval Inc. placed eighth at Skate Canada International, sixth at the ISU Four Continents Championships and won their first Canadian medal (bronze) at the 2016 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships. They are coached by Marie-France Dubreuil, Patrice Lauzon and Romain Haguenauer.

Skate Canada High Performance Director Mike Slipchuk will be the team leader along with Cynthia Ullmark of Canmore, Alta. Dr. Bob Brock of Toronto, Ont., and physiotherapist Agnes Makowski, also of Toronto, Ont., will be the Canadian medical staff onsite. Andrea Derby of Windsor, Ont., Jean Senft of West Vancouver, B.C., and Benoit Lavoie of Baie St-Paul, Que., will be the Canadian officials at the event.

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

CANADIAN ENTRIES AT 2016 ISU WORLD FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS

Discipline Name Age Hometown Club Coach
Mens Patrick Chan 25 Toronto, Ont. Granite Club Kathy Johnson
Mens Nam Nguyen 17 Toronto, Ont. Toronto Cricket Skating & Curling Club Brian Orser / Ernest Pryhitka
Ladies Alaine Chartrand 19 Prescott, Ont. Nepean Skating Club Michelle Leigh / Brian Orser
Ladies Gabrielle Daleman 18 Newmarket, Ont. Toronto Cricket, Skating and Curling Club Lee Barkell / Brian Orser
Pair Meagan Duhamel / Eric Radford 30/31 Lively, Ont. / Balmertown, Ont. CPA Saint-Léonard / CPA Saint-Léonard Richard Gauthier / Bruno Marcotte / Sylvie Fullum
Pair Lubov Ilyushechkina / Dylan Moscovitch 24/31 Moscow, Russia / Toronto, Ont. Toronto Cricket, Skating and Curling Club / Toronto Cricket, Skating and Curling Club Lee Barkell / Bryce Davison / Tracy Wilson
Pair Kirsten Moore-Towers / Michael Marinaro 23/24 St. Catharines, Ont. / Sarnia, Ont. Kitchener-Waterloo SC / Point Edward SC Inc. Bruno Marcotte / Richard Gauthier / Sylvie Fullum / Julie Marcotte / Cynthia Lemaire
Ice Dance Kaitlyn Weaver / Andrew Poje 26/29 Toronto, Ont. / Waterloo, Ont. Sault FSC / Kitchener-Waterloo SC Angelika Krylova / Pasquale Camerlengo / Shae-Lynn Bourne
Ice Dance Piper Gilles / Paul Poirier 24/24 Toronto, Ont. / Unionville, Ont. Scarboro FSC / Scarboro FSC Carol Lane / Juris Razgulajevs
Ice Dance Élisabeth Paradis / François-Xavier Ouellette 23/24 Loretteville, Que. / Laval, Que. CPA Loretteville / CPA Les Lames d’Argent de Laval Inc. Marie-France Dubreuil / Patrice Lauzon / Romain Haguenauer

Gabrielle Daleman, Julianne Séguin and Charlie Bilodeau withdraw from 2016 ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships

/0 Comments/in /by

OTTAWA, ON: Canadian figure skaters Gabrielle Daleman, Julianne Séguin and Charlie Bilodeau have withdrawn from the 2016 ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships in Chinese Taipei. The athletes had been scheduled to compete at the event which takes place from February 16-21, 2016, at the Taipei Arena in Taipei City.

In the ladies division, Gabrielle Daleman, 18, Newmarket, Ont., sustained a minor injury in training and will be replaced by Véronik Mallet, 21, Sept-Îles, Que.

In the pair discipline, Julianne Séguin, 19, Longueuil, Que., also sustained a minor injury in training, leading to the withdrawal of her and partner Charlie Bilodeau, 22, Trois-Pistoles, Que. They will be replaced by Vanessa Grenier, 23, Johnville, Que., and Maxime Deschamps, 24, Vaudreuil-Dorion, Que.

“These decisions have been made for precautionary reasons as we progress towards the world championships,” said Mike Slipchuk, Skate Canada’s Director, High Performance. “We are focused on allowing our athletes to return to competition in prime condition.”

Daleman, Séguin and Bilodeau are all scheduled to return to competition at the 2016 ISU World Figure Skating Championships in Boston, MA, USA.

Meet the Senior Women

/0 Comments/in /by

GABRIELLE DALEMAN

At just 16 years of age, Gabrielle was the youngest member of the entire Canadian Olympic Team at the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi. A former gymnast, “Gabby”, the defending Canadian women’s champion, uses her lightning speed as the springboard for her powerful jumps. Her favourite motto? “Play like you’re in first, but train like you’re in second.”

FUN FACT: Gabby always has to have her special travel companion with her when she is on the road: her purple blanket.

1234

KAETLYN OSMOND

Just weeks after winning Skate Canada Challenge to qualify for the Canadian Tire National Skating Championships in 2012, Kaetlyn turned a lot of hands with a bronze medal performance at nationals. Later that year, she added titles at Nebelhorn Trophy and Skate Canada International before winning Canadian championships in 2013 and 2014. The affable Osmond, who always seems to have a smile on her face, missed last season following surgery for a broken leg.

FUN FACT: Kaetlyn has to tie her skates twice – and drink orange juice – before she competes.

1234

ALAINE CHARTRAND

A bronze medal finish at the Rostelecom Cup in 2014 set the table for Alaine at the 2015 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships, where she finished second, less than two points behind champion Gabrielle Daleman. Although she says she was too young to remember, Alaine has been told she landed her first axel when she was just six years old.

FUN FACT: On long skating trips, Alaine often rides in the family RV, a step up from her previous mode of transportation: her father racked up more than 500,000 km on his six-seat pickup truck in Alaine’s younger years.

1234

VÉRONIK MALLET

When she isn’t finishing on the podium at the national championships, Véronik, the reigning Canadian bronze medallist, is setting up for her future. The native of Sept-Îles, Quebec would love to remain in skating as a coach, but she is currently studying Human Science at CEGEP in Sorel-Tracy, Que. in the hopes of one day becoming a primary school professor.

FUN FACT: In addition to skating and school, Veronik finds time to juggle in her spare time.

1234

ROXANNE RHEAULT

A rookie on the national team, Roxanne has dealt with injury issues over the past few seasons. She made her mark on the national scene in 2011, winning the Canadian junior women’s title. In 2007, Roxanne also won the national juvenile title – the same year a young Nam Nguyen won the juvenile men’s crown.

FUN FACT: An avid dancer, Roxanne has also studied ballet to help improve her artistry and presentation on the ice.

1234

KIM DEGUISE LÉVEILLÉE

Thanks to a fifth-place showing at the Canadian Tire National Skating Championships last year, Kim, the 2014 junior champion, punched her ticket on to the national team for first time. The young skater, who enjoyed a pair of top-ten finishes on the ISU Junior Grand Prix circuit in 2014, has worked hard with coaches Josée Picard and Marc-André Craig to boost her confidence as she makes the transition to the senior level.

FUN FACT: Kim ties her skates standing up, not sitting down.

1234

Canada’s Top Figure Skaters Descend on Halifax for the 2016 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships

/0 Comments/in /by

HALIFAX, NS – From January 18 to 24, the 2016 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships will bring together Canada’s top 250 figure skaters for a week of on-ice competition in Halifax. The all-Canadian championships take place at the Scotiabank Centre and will feature competition in the men’s, women’s, pair and ice dance disciplines at the senior, junior and novice levels.

“From our reigning champions to the novice skaters attending the event for the first time, the Canadian Tire National Skating Championship is the pinnacle of Canadian skating season,” explains Dan Thompson, Skate Canada CEO. “Skate Canada, together with our title partner, Canadian Tire are thrilled to be in Halifax to celebrate the 102nd instalment of this historic event.”

“At Canadian Tire, we believe in the power of sport to change lives, bring communities together and inspire greatness,” says Allan MacDonald, Chief Operating Officer, Canadian Tire. “Nova Scotia is my home province and I’m so proud to welcome and cheer on Canada’s top skaters, as well as their coaches, families and friends as they advance the sport of figure skating in Canada.”

The week long competition will begin with the novice ice dance on Monday, January 18 and the senior events will begin on Friday, January 22. Athletes will vie for spots on the Skate Canada National Team and the Canadian teams that will compete at the 2016 ISU World Figure Skating Championships, 2016 ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships, and 2016 ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships.

Leading the senior events are 2015 World Pair Champions Meagan Duhamel, 30, from Lively, ON, and Eric Radford, 30, from Balmertown, ON. The four-time Canadian champions will look to win their fifth consecutive title, taking on Canada’s best.

In ice dance, two-time world medallists Kaitlyn Weaver, 26, from Waterloo, ON, and Andrew Poje, 28, from Waterloo, ON, plan to capture their second Canadian title. They will be challenged by a rising field of ice dance talent.

Current Canadian champion Nam Nguyen, 17, from Toronto, ON, will go head-to-head with three-time world champion Patrick Chan, 25, from Toronto, ON, as he returns to the Canadian Tire National Skating Championships after a year off.

In women’s Gabrielle Daleman, 17, from Newmarket, ON, will defend her 2015 Canadian title against two-time Canadian champion Kaetlyn Osmond, 20, from Marystown, NL, and Sherwood Park, AB, who will return to competition after missing last season due to injury.

For full entries and the event start orders please click here.

Skate Canada is adding some extra sheen to the event with the addition of three-time World Champion, Elvis Stojko. He will be returning to the competitive sphere, but this time as the 2016 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships Athlete Ambassador. Representing his fellow athletes, Stojko will lend his engaging personality and time to public appearances, media interviews and in-venue fan activities.

Kids will add to the glow of the week through the Skate Canada School Program. As part of Skate Canada’s vision to help youth develop a love for skating, over 1,000 kids from grades three to five will have the opportunity to participate in a free session to watch and learn about the sport during the senior practices on Thursday, January 21.

The spotlight will also shine on 2008 world champion Jeffrey Buttle who will be officially inducted into the Skate Canada Hall of Fame on Sunday, January 24. There will be a special ceremony to honour his tremendous career in skating during the Gala. In addition, Buttle will skate a solo in the Gala and choreograph the closing group number.

TICKETS

Tickets can be purchased online at www.ticketatlantic.com, by phone at 902-451-1221 or toll free 1-877-451-1221 or in person at the Ticket Atlantic box office located on the Scotiabank Centre Promenade.

Senior competition prices range from $30-$55 per session, plus surcharges. Promotional four-packs are available for $100-$175, for senior events only.

Tickets for the junior and novice competition are $15-$20 per day. Seating for the junior and novice competition days is general admission. Children 12 and under are free for the junior and novice events only.

In addition, all-event ticket packages are still available for purchase. All-event ticket packages range from $125-$175, plus applicable surcharges.

ABOUT SKATE CANADA

Skate Canada is the nation’s governing body for skating and dedicated to creating a nation of skaters both recreationally and competitively. At over 125 years old, it is the world’s oldest skating organization and Canada’s preeminent leader in skate training and education, providing high performance coaching and skating development education. Over 130,000 Canadians participate in Skate Canada educational programs each year.

Canada’s most successful governing sport body, Skate Canada athletes have won 25 Olympic medals and 32 world championships. Today’s Canadian world and Olympic medalists all began at one of our 1,200 local Skate Canada clubs or skating schools. Through our programs, more than 5,200 certified professional coaches encourage Canadians of all ages to skate together as a family, pursue competitive ice sports and enjoy an active lifestyle.

Skate Canada has a National Service Centre in Ottawa, marketing headquarters in Toronto and High Performance facilities in Toronto and Calgary.

ABOUT CANADIAN TIRE CORPORATION

Canadian Tire Corporation, Limited, (TSX:CTC.A) (TSX:CTC) or “CTC,” is a family of businesses that includes a retail segment, a financial services division and CT REIT. Our retail business is led by Canadian Tire, which was founded in 1922 and provides Canadians with products for life in Canada across its Living, Playing, Fixing, Automotive and Seasonal categories. PartSource and Gas+ are key parts of the Canadian Tire network. The retail segment also includes Mark’s, a leading source for casual and industrial wear, and FGL Sports (Sport Chek, Hockey Experts, Sports Experts, National Sports, Intersport, Pro Hockey Life and Atmosphere), which offers the best active wear brands. The nearly 1,700 retail and gasoline outlets are supported and strengthened by our Financial Services division and the tens of thousands of people employed across the Company. For more information, visit Corp.CanadianTire.ca.

Skaters headed to 2016 Skate Canada Challenge in Edmonton

/0 Comments/in /by

OTTAWA, ON: Approximately 500 skaters from across Canada are headed to Edmonton, Alta., for the 2016 Skate Canada Challenge. This year’s event will be taking place from December 2-6, 2015, at the Terwillegar Community Recreation Centre.

This is the sole qualifying event for novice, junior, and senior skaters to earn entries to the 2016 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships taking place in Halifax, N.S., from January 18-24, 2016. Skaters have qualified for the 2016 Skate Canada Challenge by advancing through their home sectional championships.

The 2016 Skate Canada Challenge will also see the crowning of the 2016 Canadian Pre-Novice Champions in men’s, women’s, pair, and ice dance.

National team member and Alberta/Northwest Territories/Nunavut Section representative Keegan Messing, 23, Girdwood, AK., will be competing in his home section in the senior men’s competition. Other national team members entered in the competition are Canadian champion Gabrielle Daleman, 17, Newmarket, Ont., (senior women’s), Canadian bronze medallist Véronik Mallet, 21, Sept-Îles, Que., (senior women’s), Roxanne Rheault, 20, Victoriaville, Que., (senior women’s), Kim DeGuise-Léveillée, 17, Sorel-Tracy, Que., (senior women’s), and Vanessa Grenier, 23, Johnville, Que., and Maxime Deschamps, 23, Vaudreuil-Dorion, Que., (senior pair).

Local Edmonton skating clubs will have a strong representation at the event with a total of 25 entries across all categories and disciplines, including six senior entries, five junior entries, three novice entries and 11 pre-novice entries.

For schedule, entries and start orders please click here.

General admission tickets will be available for purchase at the Terwillegar Community Recreation Centre throughout the event. All-event tickets are $50, day tickets will be available for purchase for $10 on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and $20 on Saturday and Sunday. Admission is free for children ages 12 and under.

Media who have not already applied for accreditation are asked to contact Allan Gordon, Communications Coordinator. He will be the media contact at the event and can be reached at [email protected].

Gabrielle Daleman top Canadian at ISU Four Continents

/0 Comments/in /by

SEOUL – Canadian champion Gabrielle Daleman of Newmarket, Ont., produced the best international performance of her career on Sunday to finish seventh in women’s competition at the ISU Four Continents figure skating event.

Polina Edmunds of the U.S. soared from fourth after the short program to win the gold medal ahead Japanese skaters Satoko Miyahara in second and Rika Hongo.

The 17-year-old Daleman, a 2014 Olympian, delivered a clean program and earned a personal best international score with 167.09 points. At the end of her free skate, Daleman raised her arms in triumph and added a couple of fist pumps to show she was delighted with the performance.

Alaine Chartrand of Prescott, Ont., was 10th and Veronik Mallet of Sept-Iles, Que., 14th.

Canada ends the competition with two gold medals earned by Kaitlyn Weaver and Andrew Poje of Waterloo, Ont., in ice dancing and Meagan Duhamel of Lively, Ont., and Eric Radford of Balmertown, Ont. in pairs. Both couples continued undefeated seasons with their wins.

Full results: http://www.isuresults.com/results/fc2015/index.htm