2018-2019 Canadian Ladies News and Updates!

[Colonel Green]

So what's the story with Gabby? How did I miss that? Anyone have any links?

You didn't miss anything. We don't know much more than the press release.

Granted, if you follow her Instagram, it's fairly obvious that she's not had a great few months personally, between breaking up with her boyfriend, her IBS diagnosis, etc. Her social media is very heavy on empowerment slogans.

 

[believed]

You didn't miss anything. We don't know much more than the press release.

Granted, if you follow her Instagram, it's fairly obvious that she's not had a great few months personally, between breaking up with her boyfriend, her IBS diagnosis, etc. Her social media is very heavy on empowerment slogans.

Denis’ death really affected her as well.

 

[SmallFairy]

Gabby writes on her IG that she's taking a break from training to focus on her mental health. Get well soon Gabby!!!<3

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bo2OITmlX26/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=1re2y7g5r2ijv

I hope she gets the help she needs and that she can get back to skating, if that's what she wishes. I'm glad more and more people are being open about this issue, so that more and more people dare to come forward. No one should struggle with these things alone. My thought is that Gracie being open can help many.

 

[mag]

I don't think that SC's decisions have much of anything to do with it. While, like any fed, they do focus on some skaters, if somebody else wants their attention, go out and demonstrate the technical content. Skate Canada will pay attention to anybody who can do a triple-triple combination, and if you don't have that, it's not a lack of Grand Prix assignments that is holding you back.

Unfortunately this is simply not the case. Pineault landed a 3/3 in the short at Salt Lake last year. Austman was told she needed to land the 3/3 if she wanted Skate Canada(she has yet to land a clean one in competition) which is why she went for an unsuccessful attempt at a 3F/3T in the long at BC Summer Skate in 2017 after missing the 3S/3T again in the short. Even so, without landing it they gave her Skate Canada. Giving it to Pineault who earned it in Salt Lake would have been the right thing to do and would have sent a clear message to Austman and her team that she needs to get the 3/3 in the program. Even Tamura, who granted has her own issues, has landed a 3lz/3T in the short, why wasn’t she given SC? By the time Worlds came around
Austman wasn’t even bothering to look like she was trying a 3/3.

Now if the the 3/3 isn’t the requirement, that is fine, but SC was clear it was and then didn’t follow through. That is my problem with them. Set standards and then follow through. If you want to just be able to choose whoever you want, then have the guts to say that but don’t lead people on.

 

[Rafter]

Why is Skate Canada so high on Austman? I don’t get it.

Is it because of the BC Section/Ted Barton?

 

[barbarafan]

Unfortunately this is simply not the case. Pineault landed a 3/3 in the short at Salt Lake last year. Austman was told she needed to land the 3/3 if she wanted Skate Canada(she has yet to land a clean one in competition) which is why she went for an unsuccessful attempt at a 3F/3T in the long at BC Summer Skate in 2017 after missing the 3S/3T again in the short. Even so, without landing it they gave her Skate Canada. Giving it to Pineault who earned it in Salt Lake would have been the right thing to do and would have sent a clear message to Austman and her team that she needs to get the 3/3 in the program. Even Tamura, who granted has her own issues, has landed a 3lz/3T in the short, why wasn’t she given SC? By the time Worlds came around
Austman wasn’t even bothering to look like she was trying a 3/3.

Now if the the 3/3 isn’t the requirement, that is fine, but SC was clear it was and then didn’t follow through. That is my problem with them. Set standards and then follow through. If you want to just be able to choose whoever you want, then have the guts to say that but don’t lead people on.

Skate Canada domestically decides on who they want to do what and then wiggle the rules so they get their favs. Not fair for the rest of the girls especially when you sometimes have almost 200 girls in a province vying on a trip to nationals. Some of the girls have the jumps but need more experience to handle themselves when competing under pressure. We need to send more girls to competitions.

 

[RoseRed]

Unfortunately this is simply not the case. Pineault landed a 3/3 in the short at Salt Lake last year. Austman was told she needed to land the 3/3 if she wanted Skate Canada(she has yet to land a clean one in competition) which is why she went for an unsuccessful attempt at a 3F/3T in the long at BC Summer Skate in 2017 after missing the 3S/3T again in the short. Even so, without landing it they gave her Skate Canada. Giving it to Pineault who earned it in Salt Lake would have been the right thing to do and would have sent a clear message to Austman and her team that she needs to get the 3/3 in the program. Even Tamura, who granted has her own issues, has landed a 3lz/3T in the short, why wasn’t she given SC? By the time Worlds came around
Austman wasn’t even bothering to look like she was trying a 3/3.

Now if the the 3/3 isn’t the requirement, that is fine, but SC was clear it was and then didn’t follow through. That is my problem with them. Set standards and then follow through. If you want to just be able to choose whoever you want, then have the guts to say that but don’t lead people on.

They decide the spot based on summer comps + Nationals, not CS events. I'm not saying who should have gotten the spot, but Salt Lake wasn't relevant to the decision. I would say Larkyn mostly got it based on her Nationals result. And having looked back quickly at the results from last summer, I wouldn't say anyone else had really made a strong case (leaving aside whatever internal rule they had about 3-3s) - they seemed pretty comparable, so going by Nationals makes sense to me.

I agree that if you made that the rule, you should follow it. I just don't feel like Larkyn was a bad choice or anything.

 

[aftershocks]

Gabby writes on her IG that she's taking a break from training to focus on her mental health. Get well soon Gabby!!!<3

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bo2OITmlX26/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=1re2y7g5r2ijv

I hope she gets the help she needs and that she can get back to skating, if that's what she wishes. I'm glad more and more people are being open about this issue, so that more and more people dare to come forward. No one should struggle with these things alone. My thought is that Gracie being open can help many.

Best wishes to Gabby Daleman!

 

[haribobo]

I for one am very glad Larkyn got the opportunities she has over the last few years. Sure she hasn't crushed the world with her results or anything close to it...but those who finished below her at nationals did not possess the same quality, and its not as if their jumping was so phenomenal or consistent either by comparison. I feel a shift coming on this season and look forward to Mallet and Blanchard rising up the ranks, and its nice to see Pineault getting a GP as well. Internationally there isn't anyone currently hitting top 24 scores this season yet, but I hope nobody gets too discouraged about that, and I do think there is enough talent (with Gabby in form) to achieve 2 Worlds spots for next season. Challenge starts Nov. 28, that's still quite a way off...

FYI- some sectionals entries-

Albert/NWT/Nunavut- http://skateabnwtnun.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Sectionals-Final-Entry-List-4-Oct.pdf
BC/YUKON- http://www.skatinginbc.com/sites/de...onal_championships_entry_list_for_posting.pdf
Saskatchewan (results- already completed) - http://www.skatecanadasaskatchewan.com/competitions/
Quebec- https://patinage.qc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Liste-des-groupes-List-of-Groupes-SS2018.pdf
https://resultats.patinage.qc.ca/resultats-championnats-a-de-la-section-quebec-2019/ (not yet listed)

 

[Sylvia]

FYI- some sectionals entries-
...
Saskatchewan (results- already completed)

Those are Sask Skate results (Sept. 28-30); all the Sectionals take place in November. I've just posted links to all the Canadian Sectional competitions (7 total) in the Kiss & Cry forum here: https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/th...-competitions-2018.103909/page-3#post-5431350

 

[fsfann]

Skate Canada domestically decides on who they want to do what and then wiggle the rules so they get their favs. Not fair for the rest of the girls especially when you sometimes have almost 200 girls in a province vying on a trip to nationals. Some of the girls have the jumps but need more experience to handle themselves when competing under pressure. We need to send more girls to competitions.

I don't know how they decided it, but based on the Nationals Results from last year, she is our "top" lady that's currently skating. I would think that would carry a certain amount of weight. Pinneault came in 8th place.

If they had assigned SC to her over our bronze medalist I'm sure people would have questioned it...

At the end of the day, our ladies situation has gone from very promising (from the last couple of years) to very discouraging. Hoping one or two of these ladies really steps up and owns it. High hopes for Auroro Cotop this season too...

 

[Sylvia]

Alicia Pineault posted this 2 days ago: https://www.instagram.com/p/Bo2Ww6yjeTu/?hl=en&taken-by=aliciapineault

Still feels like a dream. It’s crazy to think that only couple years ago, I was sitting on my couch watching Skate Canada International thinking how much I would give to one day attend this prestigious event. I was and still am so proud of this little girl from Varennes and how far she’s come. This stubborn little girl with big dreams who refused to say no and is now one step closer from making it a reality Cheers ? to my senior Grand Prix debut!

 

[danafan]

I was happy to see Amelia Orzel and Catherine Carle on the entry list for the junior competition at the Golden Bear of Zagreb. It takes place October 24-28.

http://www.kkkmedvescak.hr/index.php/zm2018-5 is the website (entries are in a zip file and there are 53 junior ladies entered!)

Orzel and Carle won the last two Canadian novice titles, are on the next gen team and were subs for the JGP this year, so it's great to see them get this opportunity. As I recall Canadian Hannah Dawson won this competition last year.

 

[Habs]

I’m really hoping (but am not terribly optimistic) that Alaina Chartrand can pull it together this year. It’s easy to forget she was Canadian champion and 11th at worlds. I hope she still has that in her.

 

[barbarafan]

I was happy to see Amelia Orzel and Catherine Carle on the entry list for the junior competition at the Golden Bear of Zagreb. It takes place October 24-28.

http://www.kkkmedvescak.hr/index.php/zm2018-5 is the website (entries are in a zip file and there are 53 junior ladies entered!)

Orzel and Carle won the last two Canadian novice titles, are on the next gen team and were subs for the JGP this year, so it's great to see them get this opportunity. As I recall Canadian Hannah Dawson won this competition last year.

Is Hannah Dawson entered in any internationals this year?

 

[RoseRed]

Is Hannah Dawson entered in any internationals this year?

She was at JGP Canada. Amelia and Catherine are the only ones with a junior B event so far.

 

[Sylvia]

I was happy to see Amelia Orzel and Catherine Carle on the entry list for the junior competition at the Golden Bear of Zagreb. It takes place October 24-28.

If their assignments are not listed on Skate Canada's International Assignments website, does that mean the sections (Skate Ontario, Quebec, etc.) are funding these internationals for their skaters?

 

[barbarafan]

I’m really hoping (but am not terribly optimistic) that Alaina Chartrand can pull it together this year. It’s easy to forget she was Canadian champion and 11th at worlds. I hope she still has that in her.

Well it looks like she is sticking with one coach only this year (which is a huge plus) so that is promising. But she has not been with said coach very long so it may be too early for great results yet. I am crossing fingers for later in the season

 

[barbarafan]

She was at JGP Canada. Amelia and Catherine are the only ones with a junior B event so far.

thanks

 

[danafan]

Cotop is going to the challenger event in Austria, per the entry list on the isu site.

 

[IloveFS]

I’m really hoping (but am not terribly optimistic) that Alaina Chartrand can pull it together this year. It’s easy to forget she was Canadian champion and 11th at worlds. I hope she still has that in her.

I am optimistic that Chartrand may have a very good season this year. I think that she has a very different perspective this year and that she can deliver!

 

[danafan]

I didn't have time to comment more earlier, but I'm glad Cotop is getting a senior international. I want to say though it would be short sighted not to give senior internationals to skaters like Schumacher and/or Blanchard who are presumably skating senior domestically and have higher season best scores than Cotop via the JGP this year.

I wish Skate Canada would update their international assignments page.

 

[RoseRed]

I didn't have time to comment more earlier, but I'm glad Cotop is getting a senior international. I want to say though it would be short sighted not to give senior internationals to skaters like Schumacher and/or Blanchard who are presumably skating senior domestically and have higher season best scores than Cotop via the JGP this year.

I wish Skate Canada would update their international assignments page.

While I would like to see them all go out, Aurora is a different case than the other junior ladies. She's on the National team based on her results at Nationals last year. She was definitely going to get a senior event if she wanted one.

 

[Colonel Green]

I was expecting that if Aurora was going to go to a Challenger she’d do Golden Spin, since it’s later and would give more preparation time. She looked very much a work in progress in Slovenia. But I suppose they must have confidence she can do it now.

 

[screech]

In some ways, Larkyn Austman is kind of like the Liam Firus of Canadian ladies:
- Doesn't have the technical content of top skaters
- Qualifies for the Olympics, doesn't make the free skate (she was actually closer to making it)

Yet somehow, Liam is generally well liked by skating fans (myself included), but Larkyn gets shit on?

 

[IloveFS]

Liam Firus cannot be compared to Larkyn Austman. First, Liam has exceptional skating skills which Larkyn doesn't have. Second, Liam wasn't "pushed" by the Canadian federation. He earned the respect of skating fans gradually. While I am sure Larkyn has a fan base, she hasn't been on the "scene" long enough to develop an international skating fan base. Third, Liam was always the "sentimental" favourite (in that if he could have delivered his 3A and 4T consistently he would have been competitive among the top because of his skating skills. I just don't get the hype with Larkyn and I was absolutely crushed that Alaine Chartrand did not get that third Olympic spot.

 

[mag]

In some ways, Larkyn Austman is kind of like the Liam Firus of Canadian ladies:
- Doesn't have the technical content of top skaters
- Qualifies for the Olympics, doesn't make the free skate (she was actually closer to making it)

Yet somehow, Liam is generally well liked by skating fans (myself included), but Larkyn gets shit on?

I think in Liam’s case the feeling was that he finally skated to his potential at Nationals and earned a spot to the Olympics. With Larkyn it seemed like it was more that she skated better than she ever has or ever will again and won out over a field of skaters who exhausted themselves early in the season trying to get noticed by SC. There were at least three other skaters who might not have Larkyn’s “look,” but had the tech content to get out of the short program. But that is how it goes sometimes.

Both skated locally for years so there is quite a bit “out there” about them. Larkyn comes from a skating family who is very well connected and gives the impression that she likes winning more than she likes training, skating, and competing. This appears to show up in the kind of pre season comps she chooses and the very repetitive programs she does. Liam is a skaters skater. He always seemed to love the actual skating and was, by reports I have heard, a pleasure to train with. He also pushed himself hard to improve both technically and artistically.

Elite skating is hard and competing at the international level is brutal. It tends to bring out both the best and worst in skaters and fans. At the end of the day both skaters clearly worked hard to get to the Olympics and earned their spots. I hope they can both find something they love as they move on from their competitive careers. (I know Larkyn has not retired, but if I was a betting person I would say this will be her last season.)

 

[WildRose]

I just don't get the hype with Larkyn and I was absolutely crushed that Alaine Chartrand did not get that third Olympic spot.

What hype?? It’s been more like the opposite. Larkin has been dumped on constantly ever since she had the nerve to beat Chartrand at Nationals. It wasn’t her fault Chartrand didn’t skate well and other skaters have struggled when they first competed on the world stage - including Gabby Daleman - Larkin is hardly the first. Personally, I don’t get all the hate. Nobody is saying she’s going to be the next Kaetlyn, but she earned her spot.

 

[manhn]

People make it out as if Chartrand could have medaled at the Olympics or something. It's not like Jennifer Robinson beating Josee in 96 or Ben Ferreira beating out Jeffrey Buttle in 04. So, *maybe* Chartrand could have qualified for the free skate. Big whup. What a loss for Canadian figure skating.

 

[Rock2]

It's not like Jennifer Robinson beating Josee in 96....

Thanks for bringing that up. I only got over this about 2 years ago