2018-2019 Canadian Ladies News and Updates!

[mag]

As I posted in the ISU Challenger GSD thread earlier today, Skate Canada has assigned Gabby Daleman to the U.S. Classic in Salt Lake City (Sept. 12-16) and Alaine Chartrand to Nebelhorn Trophy (Sept. 26-29).

Copying over what I posted in the Canadian competitions thread in Kiss & Cry re. Wild Rose:

Interesting that Daleman is going to Salt Lake rather than Autumn Classic in Ontario (at least I assume she is not doing both.) I would have thought they would want a high profile Canadian at the event, and given all the retirements and semi retirements Gabby is about as high profile as we have.

 

[Cant Skate]

It looks like Aurora Cotop has moved to Ice Palace...Has this been mentioned anywhere? (I dont subscribe to the kiss and cry area anymore)

https://www.facebook.com/1658411674484034/posts/2142101579448372/

 

[Sylvia]

In the NextGen bios, Cotop is still listed with her coaches from last season: https://skatecanada.ca/nextgen/#tab-388b16db5d9b6e349e3

Cotop's recently updated ISU bio lists Jonathan Mills as her coach: http://www.isuresults.com/bios/isufs00100975.htm

The full list of NextGen ladies:
Emily Bausback, 16, Vancouver, B.C.
Sarah-Maude Blanchard, 17, Sherbrooke, Que.
Victoria Bocknek, 16, Richmond Hill, Ont.
Sandrine Bouchard, 16, Lévis, Que.
Emma Bulawka, 15, Kelowna, B.C.
Catherine Carle, 14, Georgetown, Ont.
Daria Carr, 14, Kelowna, B.C.
Aurora Cotop, 16, Thornhill, Ont.
Hannah Dawson, 17, Vankleek Hill, Ont.
Olivia Gran, 15, Kelowna, B.C.
Leah Lee, 14, Vancouver, B.C.
Lissa Anne McGaghey, 17, Campbellton, N.B.
Amelia Orzel, 15, Woodbridge, Ont.
Alison Schumacher, 15, Tecumseh, Ont.

 

[Cant Skate]

Maybe she was just there for some summer training. Sometimes a change of scenery is refreshing!

 

[doritos]

My sources have confirmed that Cotop is training in Edmonton with Ravi full time; she moved three or so weeks ago, and that is why she was moved off of the first event in Bratislava - so she could have more time to get acclimated to her new location and rink. She previously worked with Ravi last summer for a few weeks and enjoyed it.

My sources also tell me that she is doing one JGP (#5 or #6) and one Senior B in order to get a Senior minimum score, as Canada has three spots for ladies at Worlds.

I was only able to catch her free skate from this past weekend, but she looked very good on the live stream from Wild Rose. Much more mature and powerful than last season, with some big jumps.

I hope she is happy with her new training environment and I look forward to seeing her on the circuit this season.

 

[Sylvia]

So it appears Alison Schumacher was listed for JGP #1 in SVK on the ISU site as of July 31 in place of Cotop? Schumacher's ISU bio is updated: http://www.isuresults.com/bios/isufs00102659.htm

Subs for SVK (10):
Sarah-Maude BLANCHARD
Victoria BOCKNEK
Emma BULAWKA
Catherine CARLE
Daria CARR
Hannah DAWSON
Olivia GRAN
Leah LEE
Lissa Anne MCGAGHEY
Amelia ORZEL

Skate Canada still lists Cotop for JGP #1 on their website, however: https://skatecanada.ca/event-schedule/#tab-31263c319f20cf01436
I believe Emma Bulawka was added to JGP #2 recently there (Schumacher was listed originally as of July 12).

 

[Flora]

It's a good move for her. She has some bad technique (her axel especially) and hopefully Ravi can help her. Her body has really matured since she won the junior women's title two years ago and moving forward, having a strong technical foundation will be critical to her success I imagine.

 

[mag]

It's a good move for her. She has some bad technique (her axel especially) and hopefully Ravi can help her. Her body has really matured since she won the junior women's title two years ago and moving forward, having a strong technical foundation will be critical to her success I imagine.

Ravi will also put some focus on her skating skills which should help a lot with her jumps. I think she has huge potential and I hope she gets the senior minimums just to add some spice to Nationals.

 

[danafan]

I look forward to seeing how Cotop will develop. And sending her to a senior international is a great idea and I hope she takes advantage of it and gets the tech minimums. With three spots at worlds, there are only four skaters with tech minimums - Osmond, Daleman, Chartrand, and Pineault. Austman had them but they expired so she needs to earn them again.

Off topic but I hope Skate Canada will also give senior internationals to Orzel and Phan.....

Not on the next gen list but I hope she caught Skate Canada's attention today is Maya Isabelle. She skated a great short at Quebec Summer skate, including a huge triple flip and a triple lutz double toe combo. I looked up results from last season and she didn't even qualify for nationals and wasn't attempting the triple flip or lutz at the challenge. I look forward to seeing her develop.

 

[kwanfan1818]

Austman had them but they expired so she needs to earn them again.

Were Ladies TES raised from 27/47 for Worlds? According to the ISU website, Austman's TES from 2017 competitions are 27.93 and 51.65 from Challenge Cup 2017:

45 Larkyn AUSTMAN CAN Challenge Cup 2017 23.02.2017 27.93 S Challenge Cup 2017 23.02.2017 51.65 S

 

[danafan]

Were Ladies TES raised from 27/47 for Worlds? According to the ISU website, Austman's TES from 2017 competitions are 27.93 and 51.65 from Challenge Cup 2017:

45 Larkyn AUSTMAN CAN Challenge Cup 2017 23.02.2017 27.93 S Challenge Cup 2017 23.02.2017 51.65 S

But those scores were from the 2016-2017 season. TES minimums for 2019 Championships must be earned in the current (2018-2019) or previous (2017-2018) seasons, correct?

 

[kwanfan1818]

But those scores were from the 2016-2017 season. TES minimums for 2019 Championships must be earned in the current (2018-2019) or previous (2017-2018) seasons, correct?

Argh, you're right: they haven't updated them yet.

She wasn't that far off at the Olympics and Worlds, scoring 25+ in her SP's, and she was very close (.69) in her FS at 2017 Nepela. But she also had some very low TES as well last season.

 

[danafan]

The top three at Quebec Summer Skate all broke 60 in the senior short today. Veronik Mallet is back, and she skated a beautiful program with a triple toe double toe and triple loop. Alicia Pineault skated fairly clean (maybe 2nd 3toe was UR?) and Emy Decelles had the skate of her life and reacted like she won the Olympics LOL. I think that was the top three, not sure the order.

Chartrand debuted her short but did basically an overrotated double loop as her solo jump and scored only 53 something.

I'm looking forward to the free skates tomorrow and I think the top three here have set themselves up well for an international assignment.

 

[haribobo]

Veronik was impressive. Great loop. I see her in the 2-3 range at Nationals. Alicia was goodish, 60 felt a bit on the high end. I wish she would skate to something new- I feel like I've seen that Amy Winehouse program 85 times already. Chartrand had a cool program but spins need work. And that loop, ack. I fell asleep for Emy, hopefully can watch later. Giroux had an awesome original spin going on and then fell, I hope she can nail it at some point. Most of the rest were not terribly exciting, like I was hypnotized...not sure what I just watched

 

[haribobo]

Not so controversial take- the top 3 Canadian ladies (assuming Osmond out all season) are Gabby, Veronik, and Sarah-Maude Blanchard. After seeing Quebec, I don't think anyone else even comes close, but I haven't seen Cotop or Austman lately. Does anyone know if Sarah-Maude plans to go senior this year? I know she has been doing junior comps this summer but so has Cotop...

 

[4rkidz]

Not so controversial take- the top 3 Canadian ladies (assuming Osmond out all season) are Gabby, Veronik, and Sarah-Maude Blanchard. After seeing Quebec, I don't think anyone else even comes close, but I haven't seen Cotop or Austman lately. Does anyone know if Sarah-Maude plans to go senior this year? I know she has been doing junior comps this summer but so has Cotop...

Really impressed with Mallet and love her program to Adele. Not impressed with any other women so far, will stay tuned.

 

[Marco]

Hoping Alaine could bounce back strong this season.

 

[barbarafan]

Really impressed with Mallet and love her program to Adele. Not impressed with any other women so far, will stay tuned.

Mallet did look very strong and of course the beauty of her skating puts her apart from the crowd.

I really like Emy Decelles. She finally landed her triple triple in the short.Her long program is new...I like it but first outing had quite a few costly mistakes. I am not sure how it would score clean but last yrs she was scoring over 160 at her competitions last year. I hope she gets sent to something this year.

 

[barbarafan]

Hoping Alaine could bounce back strong this season.

I did see a marked improvement in Alaine but still quite a bit of work to be done. I like the combination of new coach and I hope she keeps improving. Sticking with one coach is a huge improvement.

 

[danafan]

I think Pineault and Emy Decelles will get an international based on their short programs where they landed a triple triple. I think Mallet will get one too, but I'm not sure she'll get scores like that internationally doing only two different triples, but we'll see. Maybe she'll have her triple flip back (she never used to even do a triple salchow and she had a bad flutz).

I think it's important to send more women to internationals to try to get more skaters with the tech minimum for worlds. Now I'm hoping that Osmond will compete this season, if she does not - as it stands now there are only three others with the tech minimums (Daleman, Chartrand, Pineault). I think it would be a shame to have the world team be by default. Of course Long, Emy Decelles, Tamura and Austman have the 4CC minimum, so could be named provisionally to worlds, pending they get the score there.

 

[barbarafan]

I think Pineault and Emy Decelles will get an international based on their short programs where they landed a triple triple. I think Mallet will get one too, but I'm not sure she'll get scores like that internationally doing only two different triples, but we'll see. Maybe she'll have her triple flip back (she never used to even do a triple salchow and she had a bad flutz).

I think it's important to send more women to internationals to try to get more skaters with the tech minimum for worlds. Now I'm hoping that Osmond will compete this season, if she does not - as it stands now there are only three others with the tech minimums (Daleman, Chartrand, Pineault). I think it would be a shame to have the world team be by default. Of course Long, Emy Decelles, Tamura and Austman have the 4CC minimum, so could be named provisionally to worlds, pending they get the score there.

I would love that...Emy got good marks on her axel in the short ...although not in the long...It still is early in the season. I hope there are more competitions for them locally as well to get used to the adrenaline.

 

[Rock2]

Mallet did look very strong and of course the beauty of her skating puts her apart from the crowd.

I really like Emy Decelles. She finally landed her triple triple in the short.Her long program is new...I like it but first outing had quite a few costly mistakes. I am not sure how it would score clean but last yrs she was scoring over 160 at her competitions last year. I hope she gets sent to something this year.

Mallet looked strong and fast, although no big jumps.

The first and last cut of music in Emy's long are really good. The 'Good King Wenceslas' in the middle....? Not so much.

 

[Rock2]

I did see a marked improvement in Alaine....

Maybe vs. last season but not any other.

I was crossing my fingers for a sense of re-birth. Instead felt more like re-cycle. Sigh.

 

[Rock2]

My sources have confirmed that Cotop is training in Edmonton with Ravi full time;

My sources also tell me that she is doing one JGP (#5 or #6) and one Senior B in order to get a Senior minimum score, as Canada has three spots for ladies at Worlds.

I was only able to catch her free skate from this past weekend, but she looked very good on the live stream from Wild Rose. Much more mature and powerful than last season, with some big jumps.

I just watched her short on Daily Motion and there is definite trend toward improvement although it's not major yet. I found that last year her skating didn't catch up to her changing body. This year it has. Already some speed, less choppy stroking (Go, Ravi!), she's maturing and taming the use of her arms and her first 3T in the combination was MASSIVE.

My guess is she's parking her lutz for the time being so Ravi can rework it.

She looks 'senior' this year. Yes, send her to a B; she has a good a shot as anyone for the world team if she can produce some TES.

Gran really struck me as well. She looks like 23 now. Very tall and much more filled out. Managing to still keep up with her changing body. Can do the toe-toe but sadly the flip is the requirement in the short and it's not there yet. My big complaint is her growth is accentuating her lack of speed, and in the short I watched, an apparent disinterest in her choreo. Movements were half-hearted although she didn't have an overall vibe of not wanting to be out there.

My assessment of her, as best as I can explain it, is that she will need to see herself as more of an athlete to bring the energy and power in her skating that will be necessary to score. Her regal stature and appearance won't be enough. Girl's gotta move.

 

[barbarafan]

Maybe vs. last season but not any other.

I was crossing my fingers for a sense of re-birth. Instead felt more like re-cycle. Sigh.

I am actually holding back on judging yet as she spent most of her time since competitions in BC and finally went to Ontario and settled on a university which I think was York. She prob.has had very little time with the new coach so I am still hoping.Once certain things get in your head it can take a while to erase them.

 

[Rock2]

I am actually holding back on judging yet as she spent most of her time since competitions in BC and finally went to Ontario and settled on a university which I think was York. She prob.has had very little time with the new coach so I am still hoping.Once certain things get in your head it can take a while to erase them.

Fair point.
For all skaters, if there was a year where you have to give them a break for not looking great in summer comps it's the season following the Olympics.

At some point, athletes need to decompress, get away from skating and plan their moves for the next cycle. For some, they won't look fully trained and ready until around Nationals. I certainly would judge against that strategy.

 

[kwanfan1818]

In the middle section of Chris Mabee's interview with Elizabeth Putnam for the Skate Canada Alumni podcast, there's an interesting discussion of Larkyn Austman's 2017-18 season leading up to the Olympics:
https://alumni.skatecanada.ca/2018/07/episode-2-elizabeth-putnam/

 

[ichiro]

I loved Emy's LP music. Sort of woke me up in comparison to all the mellow twinkly music. Chartrand and Gabby need a program like this!

 

[Rock2]

Randomly, Cotop's packaging this year along with some of her movements in the SP (not the music) are a smidge reminiscent of Rochette's 04/05 SP

Cotop (at the end, around 3 hr 33 min mark) https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x6rdl7q

Rochette https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCnb_DEu0Mk

 

[kwanfan1818]

From the video, Cotop looked like she was moving well and confidently. She also didn't drop her knee going into the donut spin .