2022–23 Canadian Men: News and Updates

[Sylvia]

Some excerpts from Claire's Twitter thread linked above:

Messing is still training the quad Lutz, which he called "evasive" & "one of the most irritating jumps I know how to do."
"When I do it [successfully], it's easy, almost easier than quad toe," he said of 4Lz. "But then I come back the next day, and I feel like I can't even figure out how to do a triple. The harder I try to nail down the technique for it, the farther away it gets."
He doesn't plan to do 4Lz at Nationals, but he hopes to potentially put it out & land it later this season, at Worlds or World Team Trophy.

Messing admitted that a part of him thinks about continuing to compete. But, at the same time, he's finding it difficult to keep pushing himself physically to stay in top shape.
"There's so much work involved in doing this sport. Going to the rink every day has been a challenge this year, more than any other year. To be willing to hurt--to push my body to that point of exhaustion. It's getting to be such a mentally difficult place to put myself into."
"It being my last year, I'm going to approach every competition with everything I have. I want to leave this sport on the best mental high [that] I can, to say goodbye in the best way I know how."

 

[Sylvia]

And here's Beverley Smith's article based on Keegan Messing's pre-Nationals media call yesterday:

Indiana Jones has Nothing on Keegan Messing - Bev Smith Writes

The story of Keegan Messing reads like a book. A best-selling book. He’s the Indiana Jones of the skating set, pushing his way through temples of doom in his quest for the holy Sankara Stones, except that Messing’s high adventures are hair-raising in other ways: skates that don’t arrive, flights...

bevsmithwrites.com

So a decision took some thinking. Messing and his wife came to a decision together that he should go to Oshawa to compete at his last national championship. And this would be his 20th, a goal he wanted always to meet.
“Right now, we’re crossing our fingers and hoping the baby comes in two days, or that baby stays comfortable for another week and a half,” Messing said during a conference call. “I’m hoping the baby waits for me to come home.

Both of his parents are going to Oshawa to watch Messing’s Last Crusade. He didn’t realize they were going until he heard his father talk about when they were going to leave. Lane will have her entire family around her back home in Alaska. Messing’s mother asked if Lane would like her to stay around to help. Lane said “Go to nationals. You should be there for Keegan.” Messing’s mother has been at all of his previous nationals, both in Canada and the United States, except for last year because of COVID restrictions. And that was the event he won.

 

[Sylvia]

Postmedia's Dan Barnes' Keegan Messing article includes quotes from Slipchuk:

Great expectations for Keegan Messing at final national figure skating championships

Figure skater Keegan Messing could deliver a second national championship on the same day his wife gives birth.

www.fortsaskatchewanrecord.com

“He’s basically been the lead of our men’s team internationally for the last four years and it’s pretty remarkable what he’s done as a competitor,” said Mike Slipchuk, high performance director for Skate Canada. “He’s not in his younger years, he came to us in his 20s, and he had a lot of his best years in the last four years, which is really neat to see for him. The last four years you really saw him become a very consistent competitor. Short program, he’s been able to score up in the 90s, which not a lot of guys can do. He always kept himself in the game.”

He’s as honest an athlete as exists in the sport, and Skate Canada will miss his ability to engage with fans, media and fellow skaters.
“He’s a unique one in a lot of ways,” said Slipchuk. “He wants the best for everyone he competes against. He’s the first one to congratulate you when someone skates well. That’s the trait that makes him special. He’s very down to earth, very true. He’s a great ambassador for skating, a great ambassador for Skate Canada, and that’s something I hope that continues for us. That’s not a made-up trait. That’s who he is. That’s who their family is.”

 

[Tesla]

I really wish Keegan could medal at Worlds.

 

[Cant Skate]

So proud of Keegan tonight! Who could have predicted the top 3 men would all come from the Ice Palace!

 

[angi]

That men's event was wild, Canada is really at a place where they might have the biggest gap between the potential of their male skaters and their actual ability to deliver in competition.

 

[coppertop1]

That men's event was wild, Canada is really at a place where they might have the biggest gap between the potential of their male skaters and their actual ability to deliver in competition.

The women delivered but the men struggled. Usually, it's the opposite.

Oh, Roman. He reminds me of Emanuel Sandhu. Tall, beautiful skater but so inconsistent.

 

[mattiecat13]

I’ve had a soft spot for Keegan since I watched him compete for the US. Would love to see him win a medal at Worlds.

 

[coppertop1]

Next year won't be the same without Keegan

 

[4rkidz]

The women delivered but the men struggled. Usually, it's the opposite.

Oh, Roman. He reminds me of Emanuel Sandhu. Tall, beautiful skater but so inconsistent.

It also so much harder when you are tall, you have to be perfect as the higher centre of gravity makes it more difficult if you are slightly off. If you look at the heights of last world champions Roman (& Gogo) have 10cm on them at least! But it does make for beautiful lines.

 

[Seerek]

It also so much harder when you are tall, you have to be perfect as the higher centre of gravity makes it more difficult if you are slightly off. If you look at the heights of last world champions Roman (& Gogo) have 10cm on them at least! But it does make for beautiful lines.

It's even more of a gap than 10 cm

As far as the current World champion goes, Roman, Stephen, Corey and Conrad are in fact about 20-25 cm (8-10") taller than him, and the same goes with the current World silver medalist.

 

[Sylvia]

As far as the current World champion goes, Roman, Stephen, Corey and Conrad are in fact about 20-25 cm (8-10") taller than him, and the same goes with the current World silver medalist.

And the height of the 2023 Winter World University Games men's bronze medalist & JGP Final gold medalist is listed as 195 cm (almost 6'5''!): http://www.isuresults.com/bios/isufs00104103.htm

 

[dramagrrl]

The women delivered but the men struggled. Usually, it's the opposite.

Oh, Roman. He reminds me of Emanuel Sandhu. Tall, beautiful skater but so inconsistent.

At least Eman managed to pull it together sometimes and win some major competitions (GPF, Canadians x 3, won several GP events).

 

[Marco]

Keegan's performance was wonderful. He should be very proud of himself for the career he had - I didn't realize that he had only won National titles this and last season. Feels like he had been the top Canadian man since Patrick left after 2018.

Stephen and Wesley, well, at least bounced back strongly in the free. I have a soft spot for Stephen - hope he can focus for 4CCs and hopefully get Worlds! There is going to be an intense fight to be the top Canadian man starting next season!

I have been a fan and have defended Roman all these years, but to be this nonchalant after the Nationals he had, well, was disappointing and probably why he never got the tough spirit to place higher and skate better at competitions with all the talent and skills that he had. I thoroughly enjoy his skating but it seems to be a lost cause to continue rooting for him or waiting for him to consistently deliver.

 

[Pink Cats]

At least Eman managed to pull it together sometimes and win some major competitions (GPF, Canadians x 3, won several GP events).

I have read that a lot of Emanuel problems had to do with his training or lack there in but I believe that his lack of a strong family support had an impact also.

 

[Winnipeg]

ES may also have the type of personality that makes it more difficult to control nerves.

ES also had significant issues with the axel jump; apparently his technique on that edge jump made it very hard for him to learn and execute the triple axel consistently.

 

[tony]

ES may also have the type of personality that makes it more difficult to control nerves.

ES also had significant issues with the axel jump; apparently his technique on that edge jump made it very hard for him to learn and execute the triple axel consistently.

I don't think this is an 'apparently' situation, at all-- it's a definite. His Axel had the same technique throughout his career where he rode that back edge for so long and just stepped forward whenever he seemed to feel like it. That in itself is asking for plenty of problems because of the timing issues.

But in general, I don't think he was ever taught to really fight through the program and everything became a coin flip, including getting through the most difficult elements and then falling on a Lutz time after time in the short. We've seen over the years that a lot of McLeod skaters seem to have the same missing mental power and lack of consistency. Since he stuck with her to the end, I don't know how much of a change anyone could've expected.

 

[Sylvia]

I have been a fan and have defended Roman all these years, but to be this nonchalant after the Nationals he had <snip>

People can appear "nonchalant" on the outside but I don't think we can really know how they feel on the inside.

 

[Winnipeg]

Well stated Tony.

 

[coppertop1]

I don't think this is an 'apparently' situation, at all-- it's a definite. His Axel had the same technique throughout his career where he rode that back edge for so long and just stepped forward whenever he seemed to feel like it. That in itself is asking for plenty of problems because of the timing issues.

But in general, I don't think he was ever taught to really fight through the program and everything became a coin flip, including getting through the most difficult elements and then falling on a Lutz time after time in the short. We've seen over the years that a lot of McLeod skaters seem to have the same missing mental power and lack of consistency. Since he stuck with her to the end, I don't know how much of a change anyone could've expected.

This is on point. His Axel approach was so slow, and he admitted he would rather pop a jump than fall. None of McLeod's students ever reached their potential. They all had the same weaknesses

 

[fsfann]

This is on point. His Axel approach was so slow, and he admitted he would rather pop a jump than fall. None of McLeod's students ever reached their potential. They all had the same weaknesses

...and we all know what the common theme was with them all.... sigh.

 

[victorskid]

It appears that Keegan made it home in time for the birth of child #2 - a daughter
The photo in this tweet is from his Instagram account and was posted this morning: https://twitter.com/fsonline/status/1615716069003468800

 

[dramagrrl]

He did make it home in time - he made another post that confirmed that.

 

[hoptoad]

Oh, no! Which kid's photo will he flash in the kiss and cry?

Keegan's choice!

 

[Sylvia]

Re-posting here (Keegan also had an Instagram story, now expired, of Wyatt meeting his baby sister at home):

Keegan has shared 6 photos ("I’m so glad I made it back home in time to welcome our beautiful baby girl to the world."): https://www.instagram.com/p/CnkycBMv8SA/

 

[Karen-W]

Oh, no! Which kid's photo will he flash in the kiss and cry?

Keegan's choice!

Oh, no doubt we'll be seeing pics of Wyatt and his baby sister!

 

[screech]

Did I blink and miss it, or did Keegan not show any baby pictures in the K&C at Canadians?

 

[Skate Talker]

@screech I noticed that too.

 

[Baby Yoda On Skates]

Maybe we will be saved from it at 4Cs. It got old really fast after the first time he did it.

 

[Sylvia]

Brockville Recorder & Times article on the expressive Matthew Markell who skated in the final FS group at Nationals (6th in SP, 11th overall):

Matthew Markell 'disappointed' by his results at nationals

He is still processing the highs and lows he experienced this past weekend.

www.recorder.ca

“It’s kind of exhausting having one of the best days or your life on Friday and then one of your most disappointing moments happening 24 hours later,” Markell said in a phone interview Wednesday. “It’s mentally draining.”
Making it to the final group was “an extremely cool thing to happen and it’s an honour,” according to Markell. Being on the ice and warming up with defending champ Keegan Messing and the other top skaters was “a huge personal achievement” for the Prescott-area native.

Markell had been more nervous about his short program entering the nationals. He and his coaches had reworked the program after Markell’s struggles with it, and he had constantly been thinking about it.
He trusted his training, and it paid off Friday night.
“Before i knew it, it was over,” said Markell, who wasn’t concerned about the score that ended up being a personal best. “I was so happy to be able to compete at my full potential,” he declared. “To have family and friends there watching to be able to share that moment with them was very special.”

In acknowledging that getting the best results possible is his goal, Markell added that at the top of his list is also for people to “feel something” when he skates.
“I’m really glad that I can have all these people that are watching me to continue to improve and grow,” Markell said. “I feel extremely lucky to have the support of everyone.”
Markell caught a glimpse of Prescott’s new arena under construction while he was home at Christmas.
“It’s really nice,” he said, adding he looks forward to being there when the new facility that will bear the name of his former Prescott Figure Skating Club teammate and two-time Canadian senior women’s champion Alaine Chartrand opens later this year.

(Very cool for Chartrand!)