Canadian Skating/Skaters news & articles

[Sylvia]

Calgary Herald article: Skaters anxious to hit the ice at delayed worlds

“The waiting has been very long, and for sure, it was a big delay for us and the season is starting to get very long,” Cynthia Phaneuf of Contrecoeur, Que., who is one of two Canadian representatives in the women’s singles event, told reporters on a conference call Monday.

“These worlds, we are going to remember them for a long time. For sure, they are unlike no others before. I’m sure it’s going to be different. I’m very excited how people are going to be prepared and how people are going to be motivated.”
...
“With the delay, it kind of gave us a bit of time to come down a little bit, slow down our training so we can peak at the appropriate time,” said Moore-Towers, who skates with Moscovitch at the Kitchener-Waterloo Skating Club. “I think it actually helped us, because the season was getting a little long and making us feel a little run down. But we are definitely energized and ready now.”

Moore-Towers and Moscovitch article in the Waterloo Record: http://www.therecord.com/sports/loca...ags-for-russia

[Sylvia]

Virtue/Moir spoke to the press today: http://www.universalsports.com/news-...id=530338.html

On Virtue's quad injury at Four Continents

TV: The issue with my quad was actually coming from my pelvis and my back. Around Four Continents it seemed to be stemming from a particular lift we were doing, which was a split lift. Upon returning home to Michigan we changed that lift immediately, so now we do an upside-down position instead of a split. That wasn't putting quite the torque on my pelvis and my back, so I haven't felt the repercussions in my quads since.
...
On training with their toughest competitors

TV: We don't take it for granted. Walking into the rink and watching Meryl [Davis] and Charlie [White] train the way they do, they always work hard. You can't slack off. You see that. It's inspiring. It's also comforting to have people going to the same thing. There are so few people that truly understand what our lives our like...It's a very interesting dynamic. When we step on the ice we're competitors, and yet we support each other. We want to compete against the best. We want Meryl and Charlie at their best and they're looking great, so they will be.

Icenetwork article: Virtue, Moir say delay has helped them

To gain even more practice miles, the team will depart Detroit for Moscow on Saturday...

The early departure gives them the benefit of each official practice on Moscow ice.

[alilou]

Meagan Duhamel heads to worlds for pairs championship
http://www.northernlife.ca/news/spor...el-200411.aspx

"I don't think it ever really occurred to us to start skating together until our coach mentioned it — and even when he did mention it, I think we were both a little skeptical," Radford said.

Apparently for good reason.

"Our first tryouts that we did weren't very good," Duhamel said, with a laugh. "Just the dynamics of doing a lift with someone as tall as Eric. The throws weren't very good because we both had different timing. But our coaches were really confident that it was going to be fine.”

[flowerpower]

Meagan Duhamel heads to worlds for pairs championship
http://www.northernlife.ca/news/spor...el-200411.aspx

Nice article, thanks for posting!

Loved this bit:

"And they also got to enjoy a walk down memory lane. In the winter of 1997, Duhamel and Radford were both at the McClelland Arena, competing at the northern Ontario Interclub meet. In fact, both skaters won their respective pre-juvenile singles groupings at that time.

Some 14 years later, they're hopeful that a pairing of their respective talents will produce similar results half a world away."

I think it's great that after so many years of perseverance, two skaters who are the same age (25, I think) and who have known each other since they were kids have formed a partnership that seems so positive. The smiles on their faces during the 4CC LP were just great to watch.

[alilou]

2 quads not an option for Reynolds at worlds
http://www.cbc.ca/sports/blogs/pjkwo...at-worlds.html

[kittyjake5]

^^ Thanks for the article. I wish Kevin the best at Worlds.
How old is Kevin?

[mark247]

2 quads not an option for Reynolds at worlds
http://www.cbc.ca/sports/blogs/pjkwo...at-worlds.html

Thanks for the article. Hope to see more out of this kid.

[Japanfan]

2 quads not an option for Reynolds at worlds

That's unfortunate, as Kevin landing two quads successfully in the short would help tremendously to get us three men's spots for men next year. If Patrick finishes first or second Kevin will need to finish 11th or 12th (I think it's 13 for 3 sports?). Kevin should be able to do that but the less quads, the less likely it will be.

[shutterbug]

Meagan Duhamel heads to worlds for pairs championship
http://www.northernlife.ca/news/spor...el-200411.aspx

Thanks for sharing alilou! Great article.

"Our first tryouts that we did weren't very good," Duhamel said, with a laugh. "Just the dynamics of doing a lift with someone as tall as Eric. The throws weren't very good because we both had different timing. But our coaches were really confident that it was going to be fine.”

Good for them for sticking with it even though things did not go terribly well initially. They may very well surprise a few people in Moscow.

[yfbg722]

Here is an article from the Toronto Star today that explains what goes into Patrick's quads:

http://www.thestar.com/sports/figure...-big-leap?bn=1

[Proustable]

Another one on Chan

[alilou]

Canada's Patrick Chan the man to beat at delayed world championships
http://www.google.com/hostednews/can...?docId=6662964

Chan ready to win 1st world title
http://www.cbc.ca/sports/figureskati...an-worlds.html

[alilou]

Duhamel pleased by worlds
http://www.thesudburystar.com/Articl...aspx?e=3108107

"Adrenaline is a magical thing it and got us through the short," she said.

"In the middle of the short, I told him we should stop, but the body just goes to muscle memory and we just went on skating. Even if our minds weren't focused on the skate, our bodies knew what to do."

[Sylvia]

Article on the 2011 Junior dance champions Nicole Orford, 18, and Thomas Williams, 20: http://goldenskate.com/articles/2010/050811.shtml

As they prepare for next season, Orford and Williams realize that there is much work to be done, and are looking forward to having a full off-season to properly prepare for their senior debut at Canadians.

"Next season is going to be an extremely busy season as we'll be competing at both the junior and senior levels—internationally we will compete junior and nationally we will compete senior," Williams explained. "Over the summer I hope to improve my expression and performance level. I also need to improve my field movements like spread eagles and Ina Bauers. As a team we hope to improve on our connection with each other and our footwork."

Orford/Williams recently performed in the BC/YT Gala in Burnaby -- link to a detailed report on the show: http://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/showthread.php?t=78767

[geoskate]

Thanks, alilou, for the link on Duhamel/Radford. I found this quote interesting:

"You want music you enjoy and we decided on that a while ago and have been listening to the music for the last month," she said. "We have to have good music we enjoy and we have to pass it by our coach and the choreographer and then the choreographer sends it to person who edits it.

That can be difficult, too. One piece we had, we had to add 20 seconds to the music and it has to be a certain pace and speed for it to work."

There have been discussions on this board about who chooses music for skaters - the choreographers, the coach, or the skaters themselves. For D/R, at least, it appears that it is the skaters themselves.

[mag]

...Orford/Williams recently performed in the BC/YT Gala in Burnaby -- link to a detailed report on the show: http://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/showthread.php?t=78767

I'm not sure if this qualifies as Canadian or Finnish news, but at the same BC/YT Gala Sara Agahi (not sure of the spelling) was dancing with a new partner. She skated at 2011 Canadian Nationals with Qwynn Dalmer and is now paired with a Finnish skater and they will apparently be competing for Finland. I'm sorry I don't know his name.

[~tapdancer~]

Although I really enjoy watching D/R and MT/M skate, I'm hoping that Paige and Rudy (L/S) come back this season with more improvements. I love their pair elements, here's hoping they've been working on those sbs jumps and getting their sbs spin closer. I really liked their programs from last season. To me, they are the Canadian pair team to watch, I look forward to seeing them again this fall.

[Sylvia]

Richmond Hill skating academy celebrates 25 years with show

Now a resident of British Columbia, [Emanuel] Sandhu was also a finalist in So You Think You Can Dance Canada in 2008 and will be one of the feature skaters in the academy’s anniversary evening May 13 at Ed Sackfield Arena.
...
Joining Sandhu as one of the headliners of this show will be Alexandra Najarro, 17, who was recently named by Skate Canada to the Canadian women’s team.
“It’s exciting to see Emanuel come back here and perform because he is such a great skater,” said Najarro, the 2008 Canadian novice champion.
With approximately 180 skaters participating Friday, Najarro expects a great show.
“We have all been training and working very hard on our programs,” she added. “It should be very entertaining for everyone.”
The show runs from 7 to 9 p.m. Adult admission is $5 and for children under 12 is $2. For more information, visit http://www.yrsawc.on.ca

Royal Glenora Club celebrates 50 Years

For 50 years, the Royal Glenora Club in Edmonton, Alberta, has proved the training base for champions. This year's Royal Glenora Club ice show, scheduled for May 19-22, will reunite that collection of talent.

For more info about the show: http://www.royalglenora.com/news/ice...ows-at-the-rgc

Participants include:
Jamie Salé and David Pelletier,
Anabelle Langlois and Cody Hay,
Kurt Browning,
Anisette Torp-Lind Gent,
Susan Humphreys,
Michael Slipchuk,
and many more!

ETA link to a Patrick Chan post-Worlds article thread: http://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/showthread.php?t=78817

[flowerpower]

Royal Glenora Club celebrates 50 Years ....Participants include:
Jamie Salé and David Pelletier,
Anabelle Langlois and Cody Hay,
Kurt Browning,
Anisette Torp-Lind Gent,
Susan Humphreys,
Michael Slipchuk,
and many more!

Wonder if Mike Slipchuk is actually planning to skate a routine?!

[alilou]

wrong thread