Canadian Skating/Skaters news & articles

[Former Lurve Goddess]

I was trying to see if CBC had their schedule up for World's yet,

CBC has the men's short & free & pairs free listed now:

http://www.cbc.ca/programguide/weekl...bc_television/

[Bailey_]

Yeah, you don't have to worry too much about scheduling conflicts with other shows when it's being broadcast at midnight... Or talk shows in the afternoon. No prime time coverage... but then again, it's great that they are showing it after it had to be rescheduled. Does anyone know for sure that BOLD will be broadcasting the whole event?

[alilou]

As posted in the Worlds forum - tv coverage thread - PJ has already said that worlds will be on Bold. Also it was announced during CBC coverage of 4CC that worlds would be on Bold, CBC and cbc.ca

[mag]

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.

ITA with this. I suppose they think drama will sell

What I find strange is that the article appears to be saying that Bryce didn't see this coming, which could be interpreted as he didn't realize how unhappy Jessica was. I find that very hard to believe. If he really didn't realize how unhappy Jessica was, it explains a lot about why she was unhappy. It indicates a significant lack of sensitivity on Bryce's part.

I realize the article was trying to make Bryce look sensitive and introspective, but IMHO it does the opposite. That said, I do hope he recovers from his injury and is able to find a partner to compete with. They are both lovely skaters and the Canadian skating scene would benefit greatly from having them both back in some capacity.

[shutterbug]

Sudbury Star article: Duhamel on a mission to Moscow

"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.

Major props to this girl. She has such a great work ethic. This will take her a long way. It’s wonderful that her family will finally get the opportunity to watch her compete at Worlds.

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

"Mitch likes to say 'I now know we won't be alternates again nextyear."

No lack of confidence here. Good for them. I just hope they don’t end up going to Zoueva for choreography. Their style and look is already far too similar to V&M IMHO.

What I find strange is that the article appears to be saying that Bryce didn't see this coming, which could be interpreted as he didn't realize how unhappy Jessica was. I find that very hard to believe. If he really didn't realize how unhappy Jessica was, it explains a lot about why she was unhappy. It indicates a significant lack of sensitivity on Bryce's part

Memo to male pair skaters: Sharpen your telepathic skills because you never know when you’ll be expected to read your partner’s mind. Jessica and Bryce underwent extensive couples therapy when their personal relationship ended and ongoing maintenance for some time afterward. If they don’t have excellent communication skills after all that then they should ask the psychologist for their money back. They were reportedly in constant communication during their separation. If Jessica was unhappy then it was her responsibility to speak up and see if a solution to the problem(s) could be found.

[ksneds]

The D&D split thread has been resurrected with links to this most recent article, so I think makes sense to continue the conversation over there:
http://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/show...=77934&page=11

[4rkidz]

good article on the emotional involvement of the coaches and their skaters in dealing with preparing them for worlds..

http://www.cbc.ca/sports/blogs/pjkwo...s-of-need.html

[flowerpower]

If Jessica was unhappy then it was her responsibility to speak up and see if a solution to the problem(s) could be found.

She is not obliged to skate with him forever.

On another board I saw people saying that no teams break up after 8 years....how horrible...how could she do this to him? People were crying for him...she was so unfair - it came out of the blue. (Maybe they are being shipped as a couple, I don't know.) I'm not sure how long those posters felt she needed to stay with the partnership - 4 more years maybe, or maybe for as long as he wanted to keep on skating?

I don't think very many people here at this board would be likely to say this "came out of the blue". They've struggled for the last couple of years, haven't looked happy on the ice (especially Jessica), but managed to scrape through to the Vancouver Olys - good for them.

But look at the good side. They have won 3 Canadian titles, world bronze, they've participated in two Olympic games - a very successful career, indeed. And they have had some very special performances - 2008 Worlds and the 2010 Canadians FD to name a couple. They should be very proud of all that, but moving on at some point is inevitable and surely Bryce knows that.

Given all of their emotional (and physical) traumas, I'm not surprised that she feels she is ready for the next chapter in her life now. Sometimes you don't decide or accept that it's time to move on until an outside event forces your hand - in this case, their season off this year, which forced her to make some changes and train on her own. This probably gave her a chance to take stock, and led to her decision.

I don't see a villain here. Perhaps in a couple of years, he'll even decide that she was right.

[Pratfall]

bold will show the whole thing - the schedule is up at last.

http://www.cbc.ca/sports/figureskati...-schedule.html

[flowerpower]

bold will show the whole thing - the schedule is up at last.

Fantastic! Thank you.

[laceup]

She is not obliged to skate with him forever.

The thing I find awful about her breaking up with him is that he stood by her through her injuries, surgeries and major rotten attitude. He was the consistent one in the team. He watched her miss salchow after salchow and always stood by her. She owed him more respect and dedication than she showed him.

Having said all that, he is much better off without her. I wish him a world of success in whatever he chooses to do

[flowerpower]

The thing I find awful about her breaking up with him is that he stood by her through her injuries, surgeries and major rotten attitude. He was the consistent one in the team. He watched her miss salchow after salchow and always stood by her. She owed him more respect and dedication than she showed him.

Having said all that, he is much better off without her. I wish him a world of success in whatever he chooses to do

As a partnership, they earned a world bronze medal and made it to the Olympics twice, so she must have done something right.

There are two sides to every story, especially when it comes to personal relationships, so I will remember their achievements and wish them both well.

[Vagabond]

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

The father has posted messages here.

[nlyoung]

In fairness to Jessica, how much longer should she be expected to put her skating on hold waiting for him to possibly be ready to return. I think his chances are pretty slim given the type of injury he has sustained, and the likelihood of it happening again...

[Sylvia]

Globe and Mail article (April 14, 2011): Chan tries to stay razor sharp

Chan wonders how the postponement of the world championships will affect skaters for next season. It put a crimp in his between-season rest time. He’s already trying to think of music for a new long program for next season, and yet he’s not finished with the old one. “I’m not good at multitasking,” he said.

And he’s also looking ahead at the rest of his life. Last month, he was accepted into a unique university in Colorado, which will allow him to train while studying international economics. He will take one course at a time, each running 3 ½ to 4 weeks before he writes an exam. The classes at Colorado College in Colorado Springs, where Chan trains, run from 9 a.m. to noon local time.

[Mevrouw]

Have you seen what Meagan Duhamel is practicing in her 'spare time'? It's only on land - no skates - and not her regular partner but this is the first one I've seen.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lM3MpBoQ4sU

[victorskid]

It appears that Cody Hay is no longer looking for a new partner, at least that's inferred in this article about the appearance of Langlois & Hay at a club show in Nova Scotia: http://www.ngnews.ca/News/Local/2011...-Sunday-show/1

[MysticHaze]

Oh my what an interesting photograph of Cody! I guess the tent is up.

[flowerpower]

Oh my what an interesting photograph of Cody! I guess the tent is up.

Yes, it worried me when the headline said "Young skater all eyes"!

But seriously, this is a lovely article. They seem really happy to be coaching and working together, and it does sound like Cody considers himself to be retired now. They're engaged, I believe - best wishes to them.

[alilou]

A couple of articles from Patrick's news conference today

Canada's Chan says Moscow world championships will be unlike any other
http://www.google.com/hostednews/can...?docId=6580097

Key quotes from Patrick Chan press conference
http://www.universalsports.com/news-...id=529841.html

I don't think there's such thing as tasting victory. I just believe in doing the right things...When I get to competition I just have to keep thinking about what I've been doing in practice..