CBC Revives Battle of the Blades Skating Show!

greenapple

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Vanessa is Canadian, she is from Peterborough. Violets is Russo-Canadian. Natalie Spooner is Canadian. Yes, most of the skaters we've seen are Canadian. We don't even know the other casts.

Vanessa comes from Scarborough not Peterborough. I think Violetta and Peter Dack used to live in Peterborough - maybe they still do? They coach at a rink in Thornhill now.

I personally love the international flavour of this show. There are so many great skaters of the past in the world that the world wants to see.
 

Orm Irian

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I've only ever seen Vanessa compete for France.

I don't know if she ever did - the two countries I know she's competed for are Great Britain and France - but she was definitely born in Canada. I think she may hold Canadian citizenship (along with British and French), but my memory might be playing tricks on me.

Regardless of whether she has or not, whenever she skates in Canada the local audiences seem extremely happy claim her as one of theirs. :)
 

Japanfan

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I don't know if she ever did - the two countries I know she's competed for are Great Britain and France - but she was definitely born in Canada. I think she may hold Canadian citizenship (along with British and French), but my memory might be playing tricks on me.

I don't think she ever competed for Canada or spent much time here. She did live in Jamaica for a time. There was recently a post with pics about her attending her grandfather's funeral there.
 

Sylvia

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... the two countries I know she's competed for are Great Britain and France - but she was definitely born in Canada. I think she may hold Canadian citizenship (along with British and French), but my memory might be playing tricks on me.
Vanessa (and her twin Melyssa) James also competed in U.S. competitions, including the 2003 South Atlantic Regional Championships in October 2002 (Vanessa finished 8th and Melyssa 13th in the Novice Ladies final round), representing the Washington FSC when the James family lived in Virginia. :)
 
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greenapple

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I don't know if she ever did - the two countries I know she's competed for are Great Britain and France - but she was definitely born in Canada. I think she may hold Canadian citizenship (along with British and French), but my memory might be playing tricks on me.

Regardless of whether she has or not, whenever she skates in Canada the local audiences seem extremely happy claim her as one of theirs. :)
Vanessa holds Canadian citizenship automatically because she was born there. She holds U.K citizenship by descent as her father comes from Bermuda. Her parents live in Virginia and I remember reading somewhere that she is also a U.S. citizen.
 

barbk

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Vanessa holds Canadian citizenship automatically because she was born there. She holds U.K citizenship by descent as her father comes from Bermuda. Her parents live in Virginia and I remember reading somewhere that she is also a U.S. citizen.

That's a lot of passports for Vanessa. Travel must get interesting. And taxes.
 

aftershocks

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... the two countries I know she's competed for are Great Britain and France

Vanessa was born in Scarborough, Ontario (her mother is Canadian). Vanessa began learning how to skate in the Maryland area around age 10, when her family moved from Bermuda to Virginia. Both Vanessa and her twin sister, Melyssa, competed at the lower levels in the U.S. I believe her sister competed in ice dance and Vanessa competed in novice and junior ladies singles.

Eventually, Vanessa relocated to Great Britain and competed there first as a junior (since her father is Bermudan, she was able to claim British citizenship). Vanessa won a British championship in ladies singles (2005-2006), followed by a silver medal the next year. In addition, she won a bronze medal for the U.K. in ladies singles at Cup of Nice (2007-2008).

Vanessa then decided to skate pairs and successfully found a partner in Yannick Bonheur of France (they placed 12th at Worlds twice; 10th & 7th at Europeans; won a French national championship and placed 14th at the 2010 Olympics). Bonheur retired after the Olympics, and Vanessa forged preliminary plans in May 2010 to pair with Maximin Coia, but those plans fell through when he too decided to retire. Fortuitously, Vanessa then teamed with Morgan Cipres in September 2010. The rest is history.

She did live in Jamaica for a time

Vanessa lived in Bermuda with her family till the age of 10, according to her Wiki bio.
 

aftershocks

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That's a lot of passports for Vanessa. Travel must get interesting. And taxes.

Yes, interesting. Perhaps Vanessa holds French, British and U.S. passports? While also being a citizen of Canada and Bermuda, but without having registered for passports in those two countries? Hmmm ... :COP:

As far as taxes, I'm not sure how that would work. I would imagine she would only have to pay French and U.S. taxes since she mainly travels to and fro from and spends most of her time living in the U.S. and France.
 

Japanfan

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Yes, interesting. Perhaps Vanessa holds French, British and U.S. passports? While also being a citizen of Canada and Bermuda, but without having registered for passports in those two countries? Hmmm ... :COP:

As far as taxes, I'm not sure how that would work. I would imagine she would only have to pay French and U.S. taxes since she mainly travels to and fro from and spends most of her time living in the U.S. and France.

Holding a passport for a country doesn't mean a person has to pay taxes to that country. Mr. Japanfan was born in Britain and could have a British passport, but has never had the need for one. He doesn't pay any taxes to Great Britain because he has never worked there (left as an infant) or lived there.
 

aftershocks

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Holding a passport for a country doesn't mean a person has to pay taxes to that country. Mr. Japanfan was born in Britain and could have a British passport, but has never had the need for one. He doesn't pay any taxes to Great Britain because he has never worked there (left as an infant) or lived there.

Yeah, that makes sense. That's why I figured Vanessa might only pay taxes in France and in the U.S. since she works and lives in both countries. :)
 

barbk

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Holding a passport for a country doesn't mean a person has to pay taxes to that country. Mr. Japanfan was born in Britain and could have a British passport, but has never had the need for one. He doesn't pay any taxes to Great Britain because he has never worked there (left as an infant) or lived there.

US citizens (with or without a passport) can have US tax obligations even if they don't live/work in the US. Boris Johnson had this issue...and so will Archie Mountbatten-Windsor.
 

skategal

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US citizens (with or without a passport) can have US tax obligations even if they don't live/work in the US. Boris Johnson had this issue...and so will Archie Mountbatten-Windsor.

Same with my uncle who lives in Canada and has dual citizenship. He was born in the US but lived most of his life in Canada.
 

Colonel Green

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The US requires citizens to declare their income no matter where they live, but for non-residents as long as it’s not from American sources they aren’t actually taxed on it. The problem is that many, many aren’t aware of the reporting obligations and thus have accrued huge fines for not filing.
 

jiejie

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The US requires citizens to declare their income no matter where they live, but for non-residents as long as it’s not from American sources they aren’t actually taxed on it. The problem is that many, many aren’t aware of the reporting obligations and thus have accrued huge fines for not filing.

US does require citizens to declare worldwide income regardless of residence. That's true. But also requires taxation on ALL of it (even the non-US sources), unless one can qualify for an overseas exclusion or tax credit....and qualifying isn't a slam dunk though more likely if 100% living in, and paying taxes in the country of residence. Having done it for years, I have direct experience. It would not surprise me if Vanessa James (if she ever had a US passport, which I'm not sure of) gave it up for this reason. As for little Archie M-W, he is a special case and not automatically a US citizen for various technical reasons, and I suspect his parents will not go through the formalities required to officially make him one.

But this is off topic for the thread and these days, any skating show that can pique general public interest is a good thing. I missed BOTB first time around but will try to access this new incarnation.
 

Alvyne

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For those who never watched the show and are interested to know more, there was a recap of the first 3 seasons shown before Season 4. Here are parts 1 through 6.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCJ0cfzuFgw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_sQ3k9k47rc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2bHcxCVSPI8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pL6oUuLQIUo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBMWftjkygs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qHTDNkuxV8Q

You can find the rest of season 4 as well as season 3 on this YouTube account.
 

miffy

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Vanessa’s first partner was (briefly) Hamish Gaman... he is probably best known here for later skating with Caitlin Yankowskas :) Vanessa and Hamish were about to compete at the British Championships when it was arranged she would go to France to skate with Bonheur. It was a bit of a shock at the time! Hamish is now one of the pros in Torvill and Dean’s celebrity tv show Dancing on Ice.

Looking forward to seeing clips Vanessa in BOTB. I’m a bit surprised they are doing this as well as the GP series, it will be very interesting to see how they do!
 

aftershocks

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... so will Archie Mountbatten-Windsor

I think you mean his Mom, Meghan, for the foreseeable future, until and unless she may decide to give up her U.S. citizenship, which I don't think she will. As a one month old infant, Archie doesn't have anything to worry about at the moment but eating, sleeping, getting his nappies changed, getting to know his parents, and absorbing knowledge of his comfy Frogmore Cottage environment. :D
 

midori

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Battle of the Blades is a competition on skates with international participants, probably without sanction from ISU, and I can't see how Vanessa can stay eligible if she participates the event as a competitor. It's not like I fully understand the rules (especially the part quoted below: ISU Constitution & General Regulations Rule 102-2) but I kinda doubt BotB gets sanctioned. Or I'm just being wrong.
A person becomes ineligible to participate in ISU activities and competitions by skating or officiating in an International Competition not sanctioned by the ISU in any of the ISU sport disciplines or otherwise violating this Rule 102, if ineligibility is imposed by the Council according to this Rule 102 paragraph 7 below. "
 
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kwanfan1818

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I wouldn't assume that they haven't gotten permission from the ISU, as long as they compete at GP as well.
 

Barbara Manatee

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I believe that these sorts of t.v. contests usually write their contracts in such a way that they are not legally considered competitions. Plus the sort of skating they do on BotB probably doesn't quality as one of the "ISU sport disciplines". Either excuse would give the ISU grounds to okay it, as they must have since James/Cipres have 2 GP assignments.
 

midori

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Whatever the format is I highly doubt ISU would have given permissions for TV contests like this if it was in 80's or 90's.
But, yeah I guess now they might do, because the pro-circuit has died long ago so ISU doesn't have to fight that hard anymore, and maybe they'd do anything for promotion as figure skating need desperately need some popularity bump in North America.
Still I cannot see how it fits their rules though.
 

aftershocks

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the pro-circuit has died long ago so ISU doesn't have to fight that hard anymore

What 'fighting' did the ISU need to do previously regarding pro competitions? IMO, the ISU and federatons should have been joining with and supporting pro competitions in a forward-thinking, beneficial way to further the growth and well-being of the sport and its athletes. That TPTP didn't do so, has been detrimental for everyone who loves the sport of figure skating.
 

believed

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Full list of competitors:

First-time competitors include three-time World Ice Dance medallists, Kaitlyn Weaver and Andrew Poje, and two-time World Pairs champion, and two-time Olympic Games medallist, Eric Radford. Season 2 winner and two-time Olympic Games gold medallist in pairs skating, Ekaterina Gordeeva, and Season 4 winner and Olympian in pairs skating, Amanda Evora, will return to the ice. They join previously announced figure skaters Vanessa James and Violetta Afanasieva.

 

aftershocks

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Well that's pretty cool. It had been speculated that Weaver and Poje might join the BOTB cast. It will certainly be fun seeing Amanda Evora again, as well as Eric Radford, Katia Gordeeva, et al. :)

It's too bad that U.S. fans will have to wait for episodes to be uploaded on Youtube.
 

overedge

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Sorry if I missed this, but has CBC announced the names of the hockey players as well as the figure skaters?
 

kalamalka

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With both Radford and Poje, that must mean two women hockey players this year. And they're both tall guys, which is an advantage for partnering hockey players (although a major adjustment for Eric). It's also great for Eric that he's able to do this while Meagan's off the ice.
 

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