2014 Canadians will be in Ottawa

[SpeedySucks]

Worlds was in Vancouver in 2001.

And there were only two pre-Olympics events in Vancouver: Four Continents and Canadians.

Worlds haven't been in Ontario for almost 30 years, since Ottawa in 1984. The last four Worlds in Canada were out east (Halifax 1990) or west (Edmonton 1996, Vancouver 2001, Calgary 2006).

[13KJC13]

Calgary also hosted Jr. Nats in 2009, I believe.

[googooeyes]

Some of the skaters have been calling the events in Ontario this year 'the 401 series' (the main highway through Ontario).
It does make economic sense to have events in southern Ontario because of the concentration of skaters and population, and with the airport being a hub. No expensive extra short flight is needed for the skaters and officials. You usually have to fly through Toronto to get to somewhere else anyway.
I think that there is good intention to spread the competitions out but it is not always easy. Cities have to have bid packages in well in advance and for big competitions there has to be a well oiled volunteer machine up and running. Sponsors and TV time zones matter sometimes more than the need to fill the seats. ($)
Regina has had Challenge for a couple of years and will again next year. I think after this year there will be more competitions out west for a while.

[overedge]

Worlds haven't been in Ontario for almost 30 years, since Ottawa in 1984. The last four Worlds in Canada were out east (Halifax 1990) or west (Edmonton 1996, Vancouver 2001, Calgary 2006).

I have no opinion on whether Worlds should be any particular place in Canada, or whether any particular region is getting shortchanged for competitions. As I said above, my post was simply to clarify the information from a previous poster.

[Picton]

All of the info states that 2014 Nationals is Jan. 9 to 15. This seems strange as the 15th is on a Wednesday in 2014. Is there a mistake with the dates?

[Rock2]

Canadian Tire: interesting sponsor. I know they sell skates but this is the ultimate man's retail store here. Goes double for Mark's work warehouse. No idea what made these sponsors jump on board, but I'm sure the federation is lovin' the money.

[Parsley Sage]

Canadian Tire: interesting sponsor. I know they sell skates but this is the ultimate man's retail store here. Goes double for Mark's work warehouse. No idea what made these sponsors jump on board, but I'm sure the federation is lovin' the money.

Mark's has really been trying to expand their women's wear department the past few years. I know most of the stores near me are now placing more emphasis on Marks rather than the Work Wearhouse. The store closest to me actually has 8-10 women's change rooms.

[AragornElessar]

The last couple of years there haven't been any so called "big named Sponsors", other than "Cozy Shack : The Official Pudding of Skate Canada" that is. These are two rather successful and AFAIK are also two very secure stores financially wise and everyone knows who they are. It's lovely to see these two come on board and also at a very badly needed time. We're awfully close to only being a year away from Sochi and all of our Winter Athletes need money badly in order to prepare they best they can.

So IMO, this is fantastic news and good timing on the announcement too.

Parsley Sage is right too. Mark's is really expanding things w/their Womens line of clothing. I have quite a few of their Summer and Winter PJ's and adore them. Not to mention a few of their sleeveless Summer shirts, which I lived in this past Summer they were so light and let the air circulate like next to nothing else in my Summer clothing stuff.

Looking forward to seeing what they come up w/in terms of their sponsorship.

[4rkidz]

I love Mark's.. in fact it is one of the few stores that both myself.. my hubby and our daughter (23) all shop.. actually so does my mom.. so it offers multi generational clothing.. great that Canadian Tire is a sponsor too.. should be an interesting partnership..

[overedge]

The last couple of years there haven't been any so called "big named Sponsors", other than "Cozy Shack : The Official Pudding of Skate Canada" that is.

BMO was a fairly big name sponsor.

[victorskid]

BMO has been out of the picture for a couple of years...

[overedge]

I guess it depends how you defined the "last couple of years" that Aragorn mentioned. BMO sponsored Canadians until 2011 (?), I think.

[kwanfan1818]

Unless BMO pulled out before 2011, that's what the 2010 press release says:
http://www.saveonfoodsmemorialcentre...dar/view/28/22

[pat c]

I thought Homesense was in there as well, or did they just do SCI?

[AragornElessar]

Both BMO and HomeSense decided to pursue other Sponsorship avenues after 2010. Along w/quite a few companies in Canada and the various respective Winter Sports NGO out there. At least we still had some sponsors, but no really big name companies, but at least Skating was in a far better place than some of their Winter Counterparts. Bobsleigh/Skeleton Canada literally had to beg for Sponsors or they would have been bankrupt after last Season/going into an Olympic year. Thankfully VISA's come back on for them, but they should have never publicly beg the way they did last year.

I hate the fact that just because the Vancouver Olympics are now over and there isn't a Home Games in the future, so many Sponsors jumped ship the way they did.

BMO's w/drawal really left a void for the CanSkate program IIRC, as they were a very heavy donor to the Program, which was part of the Agreement of course, but I was also under the impression they went a bit above and beyond of what the original Sponsorship Agreement was in that regard. Both from a long time Family Friend who coaches, a Cousin who coaches and from a few of the members here at FSU and other sites. So Cdn Tire stepping in and taking over that chunk of funding is very, very good news indeed.

[manhn]

I swore I got my pink blanket in Victoria in 2011. Didn't Homesense do the pink blankets?

[yukky]

I swore I got my pink blanket in Victoria in 2011. Didn't Homesense do the pink blankets?

do you mean 2006 Skate Canada in Victoria ?

[manhn]

Definitely not in 2006, otherwise I should make an appointment to see my doctor. Where I bought my seats in 2006, no way would a free blanket be offered to me.

[pat c]

No, that was Insurance Brokers of Canada in 2011. I got one too.

But BMO had it up until nats 2007. I think Homesense got it after that.

[manhn]

Ah yes, the Insurance people! I wonder what Canadian Tire will give out. They can drop Canadian Tire money from the roof.