Posts

Gold for Canada’s Edwards and Pang at ISU Junior Grand Prix

/0 Comments/in , /by

AICHI, Japan – Madeline Edwards of Port Moody, B.C., and ZhaoKai Pang of Burnaby, B.C., won the gold medal in ice dancing on Sunday at the fourth stop on the ISU Junior Grand Prix figure skating circuit.

Edwards and Pang earned their second medal this season on the circuit tabulating 134.42 points. The performance should assure them a spot in the Junior Grand Prix final. Alla Loboda and Pavel Drodz of Russia were second at 133.98 and Rachel Parsons and Michael Parsons of the U.S., the leaders after the short dance, took third at 131.42.

The Canadians were bronze medallists at the world junior championships last season, and have now stepped on the podium at six consecutive Junior Grand Prix but this was their first gold.

‘’It feels amazing to get the gold,’’ said Edwards. ‘’It is one of the big highlights of our career. We just felt really relaxed in our free skate today and really into it.’’

In the free dance, Edwards and Pang were the first to skate in the last group.

‘’I would actually rather have it that way,’’ said Pang. ‘’You can go out there and skate and not worry about the other performances. We are just ecstatic that it held up.’’

Lauren Collins of Minesing, Ont., and Shane Firus of North Vancouver were sixth.

It was also a big day for Nicolas Nadeau of Boisbriand, Que., in the men’s free skate as he roared from 10th after the short program to fifth overall. Boyang Jin of China won the gold.

The fifth stop on the circuit is in two weeks in Tallinn, Estonia.

Videos of routines available on the ISU YouTube channel

Full results: http://www.isuresults.com/results/jgpjpn2014/index.htm

Canadian ice dancers in medal hunt at ISU Junior Grand Prix

/0 Comments/in /by

AICHI, Japan – Madeline Edwards of Port Moody, B.C., and ZhaoKai Pang of Burnaby, B.C., are once again in the medal hunt at an international figure skating competition after placing second in Saturday’s short dance at the fourth stop on the ISU Junior Grand Prix circuit.

Rachel Parsons and Michael Parson of the U.S., are in first place with 55.71 points slightly ahead of Edwards and Pang at 55.33. Alla Loboda and Pavel Drodz of Russia are third at 52.25.

Edwards and Pang were third at the world junior championships last season and opened the 2014-15 campaign with a silver at the first stop on Junior Grand Prix circuit last month in France.

Lauren Collins of Minesing, Ont., and Shane Firus of North Vancouver are sixth at 42.52 as they made their international debut as a team.

Two 13-year-olds skated for Canada in the women’s competition which concluded Saturday. Grace Lin of Dollard-des-Ormeaux, Que., was 12th and Sarah Tamura of Burnaby, B.C., 14th. Serafima Sakhanovich of Russia won the gold medal.

‘’I was impressed with how super professional this event was,’’ said Lin. ‘’The atmosphere was great. I was happy with how I skated but I know I can do a lot better.’’

Tamura was also delighted with her experience.

‘’I know what I need to work on for the next time,’’ she said. ‘’I wasn’t pleased with how I skated but I fought through everything. My goal for this year is to successfully land all my jumps in the program.’’

In Friday’s men’s short program, Nicolas Nadeau of Boisbriand, Que., was 10th.

The free dance and men’s free skate are on Sunday.

Videos of routines available on the ISU YouTube channel

Full results: http://www.isuresults.com/results/jgpjpn2014/index.htm

 

Canadian Skaters En Route to ISU Junior Grand Prix Japan

/0 Comments/in /by

OTTAWA, ON: Skate Canada will send five entries, for a total of seven skaters to the fourth stop on the ISU Junior Grand Prix circuit in Aichi, Japan, from September 10-14, 2014. Canada will have one entry in men’s, two entries in ladies, and two entries in ice dance. There will be no pair competition at the event.

World junior bronze medalists Madeline Edwards, 18, Port Moody, B.C., and ZhaoKai Pang, 19, Burnaby, B.C., will lead the way for Canada in ice dance. Edwards and Pang won silver at the first ISU Junior Grand Prix this season in Courchevel, France. Last season, they placed seventh at the 2014 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships in the senior category. The representatives of Burnaby FSC are coached by Megan Wing and Aaron Lowe at the Champs International Skating Centre.

Lauren Collins, 18, Minesing, Ont., and Shane Firus, 20, North Vancouver, B.C., are the second Canadian entry in ice dance. Both Collins and Firus have previously competed for Canada on the ISU Junior Grand Prix circuit, but the representatives of Barrie SC and Vancouver SC will be making their international debut together, having teamed up in early 2014. They are coached by David Islam and Kelly Johnson at the Mariposa School of Skating in Barrie, Ont.

Nicolas Nadeau, 16, Boisbriand, Que., will be the sole Canadian entry in the men’s division, making his ISU Junior Grand Prix debut. Last season, the representative of CPA Boisbriand placed fourth at the 2014 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships in the junior category. He is coached by Yvan Desjardins at the École Excellence Rosemère.

Sarah Tamura, 13, Burnaby, B.C., is one of two Canadian entries in ladies. This will be her first ISU Junior Grand Prix assignment. Representing Burnaby FSC, she is the 2014 Canadian novice women’s champion. Tamura is coached by Joanne McLeod, Jill-Marie Harvey, and Neil Wilson at the Champs International Skating Centre.

Grace Lin, 13, Dollard-Des-Ormeaux, Que., will also represent Canada in ladies, and will also be competing at her first international assignment. Last season, representing Dollard FSC, she placed 12th at the 2014 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships in the novice category. She is coached by Yvan Desjardins and Violaine Emard in Rosmere, Que.

Cynthia Ullmark of Canmore, Alta., will be the Canadian team leader and physiotherapist Karen Seymour of Toronto, Ont., will be the Canadian medical staff onsite. Glenn Fortin of Aurora, Ont., and Sylvain Guibord of Brossard, Que., are the Canadian officials at the event.

The ISU will be live streaming the competition via the ISU Junior Grand Prix YouTube channel. For results and full entries please visit www.isu.org.

CANADIAN ENTRIES AT ISU JGP #4 – Aichi, Japan

Discipline Name Age Hometown Club Coach
Mens Nicolas Nadeau 16 Boisbriand, Que. CPA Boisbriand Yvan Desjardins
Ladies Sarah Tamura 13 Burnaby, B.C. Burnaby FSC Joanne McLeod / Jill-Marie Harvey / Neil Wilson
Ladies Grace Lin 13 Dollard-Des-Ormeaux, Que. Dollard FSC Yvan Desjardins / Violaine Emard
Ice Dance Madeline Edwards / ZhaoKai Pang 18/19 Port Moody, B.C. / Burnaby, B.C. Inlet SC / Inlet SC Megan Wing / Aaron Lowe
Ice dance Lauren Collins / Shane Firus 18/20 Minesing, Ont./ North Vancouver, B.C. Barrie SC/ Vancouver SC David Islam / Kelly Johnson