Canadian Skating/Skaters news & articles

[Sylvia]

Article on 2011 Junior Men's champion Nam Nguyen, age 12 (he will turn 13 in May and be JGP age-eligible this fall): http://www.goldenskate.com/articles/2010/040711.shtml

Article on 2011 Junior Ladies champion Roxanne Rheault, age 15: http://www.goldenskate.com/articles/2010/033111.shtml

[alilou]

From the article on Nam

Nguyen trains at the BC Centre of Excellence in Burnaby with famed coach Joanne McLeod who is not only responsible for his technical training....

(bold mine) This makes me so sad. I'm afraid Nam will have the same poor (leaning down on entry) jump technique as all the skaters trained by McLeod He could be as talented as Patrick, but unlike Patrick, who started with one of the best coaches in the country, Nam is starting with the worst. He needs to get his jump technique fixed now.

[oakl0008]

oops

[Sylvia]

I posted that article link earlier in the Shawn Sawyer thread in GSD.

Here's a recent interview with Amélie Lacoste who is replacing the injured Myriane Samson in Moscow (it will be Lacoste's first Worlds): http://web.icenetwork.com/news/artic...&vkey=ice_news

ETA:
Here's an article about Lee Chandler, the only male skater on the NEXXICE synchronized skating team who made history this past week as the first Canadian male to compete at the world championships: http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/spo...119386684.html

[victoriajh]

From the article on Nam
(bold mine) This makes me so sad. I'm afraid Nam will have the same poor (leaning down on entry) jump technique as all the skaters trained by McLeod He could be as talented as Patrick, but unlike Patrick, who started with one of the best coaches in the country, Nam is starting with the worst. He needs to get his jump technique fixed now.

funny how the only people who think joanne is 'well repsected' are the reporters...

[Sylvia]

Sudbury Star article: Duhamel on a mission to Moscow

"This time of year, we have ice shows booked, so it's kind of funny to do ice shows on the weekend and then come back and train," Duhamel said. "It takes away down time, but our training is back on schedule and we're trying to taper a bit because we don't want to be tired beforehand because our bodies are not used to it. But we're having good training sessions and we'll be ready to compete at the end of April."

Combined, it has made for some busy weeks for Duhamel.

"I'm skating, studying, teaching and doing ice shows, so not a lot of time to rest, but I like it that way," she said.

Very that her parents finally will be making the trip abroad to watch their daughter compete internationally!

"I told my mom at nationals if I make worlds I will buy you a ticket. In 11 years I have been skating, they have never made it overseas so it's really nice.

"They have worked just as hard, actually probably harder, for my skating success than I have," she added. "It's going to be really nice for them to get to see the world like I have through skating."

[Jayar]

funny how the only people who think joanne is 'well repsected' are the reporters...

I don't think that the author said 'well respected'. I believe he said 'famed'.

[Japanfan]

From the article on Nam
(bold mine) This makes me so sad. I'm afraid Nam will have the same poor (leaning down on entry) jump technique as all the skaters trained by McLeod He could be as talented as Patrick, but unlike Patrick, who started with one of the best coaches in the country, Nam is starting with the worst. He needs to get his jump technique fixed now.

Is he exhibiting that poor technique already? (Didn't really notice)

IMO Nam's success borders on the freaky and I feel sorry for him in the sense that he has grown accustomed to being a superstar at 12, but that is going to change when he enters the senior ranks and goes through the inevitable growth spurt. The limelight is going to go away and winning won't come so easy. Add to that McLeod's technical weakness, he could be hard pressed to get a consistent triple axel.

It's possible that Nam has gotten too much, too soon, and too easily. Becoming a teenager is harder enough already and it would take a very special coach to provide the right sort of psychological support to a kid going through all that Nam will go through. And if he starts to falter technically, it will add to the loaded psychological mix. That's a tall order for any coach.

Hopefully his parents are healthier than Mira's, who recognized that Joanne coaching wasn't working but for the wrong reasons and didn't understand what would best for Mira. In a few years time that could make all the difference to Nam's future.

[clarie]

From the article on Nam
(bold mine) This makes me so sad. I'm afraid Nam will have the same poor (leaning down on entry) jump technique as all the skaters trained by McLeod He could be as talented as Patrick, but unlike Patrick, who started with one of the best coaches in the country, Nam is starting with the worst. He needs to get his jump technique fixed now.

The kid is such a talent and such a great little showman. It would really be a pity if he doesn't get the input/training he needs to compete in seniors. I hope his parents read FSU

[Dave of the North]

The kid is such a talent and such a great little showman. It would really be a pity if he doesn't get the input/training he needs to compete in seniors. I hope his parents read FSU

I hope not. IIRC, there was a thread last year that was pretty vicious about his father...

[alilou]

^^^^Either way I do wish somehow he/his father could get the message that he needs to get his jump technique fixed now, before growing and more years of muscle memory of the bad technique.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnA4FsbPU-g Link to his Canadians free skate. You can see how far down he bends to go up into a jump. This was pointed out to me by a fellow FSUer who's far more in teknik than I am. It's fine while he's tiny but won't work when he grows. I think he's a prodigy, but it could all be for nothing if he doesn't get good technical coaching.

[Sylvia]

Reposting this article link here that was posted yesterday in the US/Canada Club & Benefit Shows thread in GSD:

The Royal Glenora Club in Edmonton is holding a special 50th Anniversary Show May 20-22nd. Cast includes Kurt Browning, Sale & Pelletier, Michael Slipchuk, Susan Humphreys, and Langlois & Hay. Tickets are on sale now - see article linked below for more info:

http://www.edmontonjournal.com/Forme...dmontonjournal

ETA link to PJ Kwong's latest blog article: Focus main priority for Canadian [world] alternates (re. Alexandra Paul and Mitchell Islam)

[tapper88]

It would be nice to read something about Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir soon! They've been virtually silent since 4CC's! Only two more weeks till Worlds though at least

[Pratfall]

I was trying to see if CBC had their schedule up for World's yet, and I came across this from pj about P/I. interesting tid-bits ( speed etc.) plus a mention of choreographers that will make you scratch your head.

http://www.cbc.ca/sports/blogs/pjkwo...lternates.html

[flowerpower]

Catching up with Bryce Davison...

http://www.cottagecountrynow.ca/spor...ng-on-thin-ice

Although he'd like to compete again, he acknowledges there is no guarantee that his knee condition can be fully rehabilitated. I hope he doesn't harm his long-term health by pounding that knee with jump landings. He has many other good options (returning to university, coaching, etc.) and I wish him the best for the future, regardless of which path he chooses.

[tapper88]

My heart breaks for Bryce when he talks about Jessica There seems to be so much hurt.

[flowerpower]

My heart breaks for Bryce when he talks about Jessica There seems to be so much hurt.

I actually disliked the way the writer addressed that element, and was uncomfortable with the tone of the article overall. Lines like, "Davison was not by himself as he took stride after stride around the ice surface....Pain was his companion, and has been for nearly six months now..." (going on to emphasize the emotional pain of missing a season and losing his partner, more so than the physical pain of his injury...).

I can appreciate that it is very hard to deal with unexpected changes, and Bryce had hoped to continuing competing, but to be honest, I think Jessica made a good decision, given their troubled partnership over the last couple of years. I think most people had expected them to retire after the Olys.

This writer seems to be emphasizing and fostering a level of drama that is uncalled for, IMO.

[Pratfall]

I agree. It's definitely a sob sister piece.

[dramagrrl]

Ouch. Poor Bryce.

[victoriajh]

interesting to read this after the skate canada press release that really made it seem amicable - where this does not- i guess the truth lies somewhere within .....