Posts

Whitley and Graham top Canadians at ISU Junior Grand Prix

/0 Comments/in /by

OSTRAVA, Czech Republic – Hannah Whitley of Barrie, Ont., and Elliott Graham of Angus, Ont., placed fifth in ice dance on Friday for Canada’s best result so far at the second stop on the ISU Junior Grand Prix circuit.

Lorraine McNamara and Quinn Carpenter of the U.S. took the gold with Nicole Kuzmich and Alexandr Sinicyn of the Czech Republic second and Arina Ushakova and Maxim Nekrasov of Russia third.

Whitley and Graham posted their best international score with 126.27 points to also improve on their seventh place finish from last year’s ISU Junior Grand Prix stop.

“We skated two of our best programs and we’re impressed to make the top-five,’’ said Whitley, 16, who sat out part of last season due to a shin injury. “We learned a lot and going home we have a lot to work on for our next competition. Our speed is one area in particular that needs improvement. For me it’s great to be back on the ice pain free.’’

Danielle Wu and Nik Mirzakhani of Burnaby, B.C., were seventh in their international debut.

‘’It was quite a learning experience,’’ said Wu. ‘’The short dance was a bit disappointing but we came back with a strong free. We are learning to connect together as a team and we can see a lot of improvement.’’

In pairs, Anna Duskova and Martin Bidar of the Czech Republic were the winners. Amina Atakhanova and Ilia Spiridonov of Russia were second and Chelsea Liu and Brian John son of the U.S. third.

Lori-Ann Matte and Thierry Ferland of Levis, Que., were sixth with a career-best 137.89 points while Justine Brasseur of Brossard, Que., and Mathieu Ostiguy of Ste-Angèle-de-Monnoir, Que., were 11th.

‘’We are very proud of our performances here,’’ said Ferland. ‘’We achieved our goals and proud with how well we did in our first Grand Prix. We had never measured ourselves against skaters from other countries so we kept our goals focused on our own performances.’’

In the men’s short program on Friday, Canadian junior champion Joseph Phan of Laval, Que., is sixth and Samuel Turcotte of Varennes, Que., 10th.

In Thursday’s women’s short program Alicia Pineault of Varennes is 10th.

The men’s and women’s free skates are Saturday.

Complete results: http://www.isuresults.com/results/season1617/jgpcze2016/index.htm.

Canadian skaters head to Czech Republic for second stop on ISU Junior Grand Prix circuit

/0 Comments/in /by

OTTAWA, ON: Skate Canada will send seven entries, for a total of 11 skaters to Ostrava, Czech Republic, for the second stop on the ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating. Canada will have two entries per category in men’s, pair and ice dance, and one entry in ladies. The competition takes place from August 31-September 4, 2016.

Joseph Phan, 15, Laval, Que., is the first of two Canadian men’s entries. This will be the first ISU Junior Grand Prix assignment for the 2016 Canadian junior champion. Last season, he won silver in the junior category at the 2015 Skate Canada Autumn Classic International. He is coached by Yvan Desjardins and represents CPA Laval.

Samuel Turcotte, 16, Varennes, Que., will also represent Canada in men’s and will be competing at his first ISU Junior Grand Prix assignment. Last season, he won the silver medal at the 2016 Skate Canada Challenge in the novice category. He is coached by Andree Beauchemin and represents CPA Varennes.

Alicia Pineault, 17, Varennes, Que., will be the Canadian entry in the ladies discipline. Last season, she won silver in the junior category at the 2015 Skate Canada Autumn Classic International and also won silver in the junior category at the 2016 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships. She is coached by Stéphane Yvars and represents CPA Varennes.

Justine Brasseur, 15, Brossard, Que., and Mathieu Ostiguy, 19, Sainte-Angèle-de-Monnoir, Que., one of two Canadian pair entries at the event. Representing CPA Brossard and CPA Saint-Césaire, they placed sixth in Latvia and fourth in Austria at their ISU Junior Grand Prix assignments last season. They also placed fourth at the 2016 Youth Olympic Games, fourth in the junior category at the 2016 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships, and seventh at the 2016 ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships. Brasseur and Ostiguy train in Saint-Léonard, Que., with coaches Richard Gauthier and Bruno Marcotte.

Lori-Ann Matte, 17, Lévis, Que., and Thierry Ferland, 19, Lévis, Que., are the second Canadian pair entry at the event. This will be their first ISU Junior Grand Prix assignment. Last season, they placed sixth at the 2016 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships in the junior category. Matte and Ferland are coached by Martine Simard and represent CPA St. Romuald – St. Jean.

Hannah Whitley, 16, Barrie, Ont., and Elliott Graham, 18, Angus, Ont., are one of two entries in ice dance. Last season, they placed seventh at their international assignment in Latvia. Whitley and Graham are coached by David Islam and Kelly Johnson at the Mariposa School of Skating in Barrie, Ont.

Danielle Wu, 18, Burnaby, B.C., and Nik Mirzakhani, 20, Burnaby, B.C., are the second Canadian entry in ice dance. Last season, they placed ninth in the junior category at the 2016 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships. They are coached by Megan Wing and Aaron Lowe at the Champs International Skating Centre.
André Bourgeois, Skate Canada NextGen Director, and Scott Rachuk of Strathroy, Ont., will be the Canadian team leaders at the event. Physiotherapist Josiane Roberge of Sillery, Que., will be the Canadian team medical staff on site. Veronique Gosselin of Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Que., and Jacqueline Wickett Warren of Ottawa, Ont., will be the Canadian officials at the event.

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

CANADIAN ENTRIES AT ISU JGP #2 – Ostrava, Czech Republic

Discipline Name Age Hometown Club Coach
Mens Joseph Phan 15 Laval, Que. CPA Laval Yvan Desjardins
Mens Samuel Turcotte 16 Varennes, Que. CPA Varennes Andree Beauchemin
Ladies Alicia Pineault 17 Varennes, Que. CPA Varennes Stéphane Yvars
Pair Justine Brasseur / Mathieu Ostiguy 15/19 Brossard, Que. / Sainte-Angèle-de-Monnoir, Que. CPA Brossard CPA Saint-Césaire Richard Gauthier / Bruno Marcotte
Pair Lori-Ann Matte / Thierry Ferland 17/19 Lévis, Que. / Lévis, Que., CPA St. Romuald – St. Jean / CPA St. Romuald – St. Jean Martine Simard
Ice Dance Hannah Whitley / Elliott Graham 16/18 Barrie, Ont. / Angus, Ont. Barrie SC / Barrie SC David Islam / Kelly Johnson
Ice Dance Danielle Wu / Nik Mirzakhani 18/20 Burnaby, B.C. / Burnaby, B.C. Champs International Skating Centre / Champs International Skating Centre Megan Wing / Aaron Lowe