2020-21 Canadian Women News & Updates

[Sylvia]

Skate Canada Challenge Senior Women SP starting order/streaming time sheet for Friday, January 15 (as of Jan. 4th): https://noticeboard.skatecanada.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Senior-Women-Short-Timesheet.pdf

 

[haribobo]

Alicia Pineault and Aurora Cotop not listed- I assume Aurora is done for the season? But Alicia maybe gets a bye to Nationals?

 

[Colonel Green]

The Ice Palace had posted about its various skaters competing at Challenge and didn't list Aurora, so I wasn't expecting to see her here. Given her relatively late return to training and the long period off-ice, that's both expected and the smart thing; she's another one who hopefully can take the enforced YKW hiatus and fully put the injuries in the rearview mirror for next season.

 

[Colonel Green]

Also, there is the junior women's short list:

https://noticeboard.skatecanada.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Junior-Women-Short-Timesheet.pdf

Notably absent, last year's novice champion, Amy Shao Ning Yang.

 

[Vase]

Also, there is the junior women's short list:

https://noticeboard.skatecanada.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Junior-Women-Short-Timesheet.pdf

Notably absent, last year's novice champion, Amy Shao Ning Yang.

Did I miss Michelle Lee? Or is she not on the list?
oh sorry I see her at the bottom!

 

[Sylvia]

Alicia Pineault and Aurora Cotop not listed- I assume Aurora is done for the season? But Alicia maybe gets a bye to Nationals?

Alicia Pineault explains her reasons for not competing this season via her Instagram post today: https://www.instagram.com/p/CJzHmO6BBtn/

 

[danafan]

Mallet posted an Instagram story of a triple lutz attempt. She hasn’t done this in competition in several years.
Really looking forward to senior challenge this weekend!

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[Colonel Green]

Top 7 from Challenge SP:

 

[Colonel Green]

3.

2.

1.

 

[puglover]

Senior women's long should prove interesting. The US nationals thread is full of discussion about their best odds should worlds actually go ahead this year. I think Canada has two spots?? I assume they will go by the results of challenge but boy I do have some major concerns about how this could potentially play out.
I just also have to add a shout out to Danae Russell and her mom Margo. My own kids benefitted from Margo's coaching along the way and as a mother of 3 girls myself, I find it so very impressive that Margo has managed to coach both her daughters, and I believe, her younger sister, all these years. Very impressive!!

 

[dramagrrl]

I just love Kaiya. She is so charming.

 

[shutterbug]

A bit of info about the Women's SP at Challenge is included in the second half of Bev Smith's Jan. 16, 2021 article: Light in a Dark Place: Seniors

 

[dramagrrl]

Just watched Gabby's FS and while she still had some struggles and has a ways to go, I think she made the right decision to drop the Miss World pageant (or whatever it was?) to focus on her training. She looked much better than the disaster of last year's Canadians and seemed much more committed to the program and fighting through it.

 

[danafan]

Schizas was outstanding in the free skate. The best free skate from a Canadian woman in some time. No pressure but she's probably our best bet to qualify anyone for 2022.

 

[Sonata]

This. Competition. Was. So. Long.

Were the judges being paid? This is not a volunteer job is it?

Schizas and Schumacher continue to be the top 2 I look forward to following in the near future, although I quite like Kaiya Ruiter.

 

[Lemonade20]

I’m excited to see Gabby get a bronze! She struggled so much with dropping Worlds and staying on track. It’s a win! Congratulations to all the ladies!

 

[Colonel Green]

Were the judges being paid? This is not a volunteer job is it?

All figure skating judging is volunteer.

 

[Sonata]

All figure skating judging is volunteer.

I did wonder about that. Wow, I have trouble with 1-hour Zoom meetings. I can't imagine how long it was must have felt to sit in front of the computer for over 5 hours and judge this competition.

 

[honey]

I did wonder about that. Wow, I have trouble with 1-hour Zoom meetings. I can't imagine how long it was must have felt to sit in front of the computer for over 5 hours and judge this competition.

Surely it’s not worse than judging 60 pre novice ladies live? But yeah, must have been a new experience for everyone with some challenges.

I agree with something Ted said last night, which was that at the end of the senior women’s event he didn’t even think about how this was virtual. It was an exciting last flight and you kind of got caught up in it and didn’t think about how these programs were filmed a month ago.

 

[barbarafan]

A bit of info about the Women's SP at Challenge is included in the second half of Bev Smith's Jan. 16, 2021 article: Light in a Dark Place: Seniors

thank-you for the link. I really enjoyed the article.

 

[Lemonade20]

Surely it’s not worse than judging 60 pre novice ladies live? But yeah, must have been a new experience for everyone with some challenges.

I agree with something Ted said last night, which was that at the end of the senior women’s event he didn’t even think about how this was virtual. It was an exciting last flight and you kind of got caught up in it and didn’t think about how these programs were filmed a month ago.

Right?!? I keep forgetting that it’s all recorded in advance and they are judging as if it’s a live show. That’s got to be difficult on the eyes, long Zoom meetings like that.

 

[honey]

Schizas was outstanding in the free skate. The best free skate from a Canadian woman in some time. No pressure but she's probably our best bet to qualify anyone for 2022.

Agree she was great in the free! Here is a link to her program:

https://youtu.be/BeQD8Iv4B3U

I hope that for next season she can really work on refinement. She has speed and flow, but there isn’t polish right now. I think she is capable of more in terms of program than what she’s been given as well.

This girl is the best combination of jumper and quality skating we have right now outside of Gabby and I hope that SC will push to do everything they can to provide her with the tools to succeed.

 

[Rock2]

I can't get in to Alison Schumacher. She has zero musicality and just can't get enough speed on jump landings to do a 3/3; can do 2A/3T at best. No hope of getting out of SP at world's at this point. Bausback is the less-etherial version of Alison with similar issues to overcome.

I see Kaiya still as having lots of 'potential'. The issues with her are clear. I hope she develops over the next cycle.

I wish Gabby well but I'm looking past her now. I see parallels with Gracie - soooo much going on with them beyond skating. I'm not expecting her to represent us anymore and instead simply hope she rights herself as much as she can and lives a happy life on and off the ice.

The two that REALLY caught my attention in challenge are Carle and Schizas.

Despite the messy skate, Carle can jump. Holy. No prep, big jumps, she just looks almost bored doing them. Sadly her PCS are really in the 4-5 range. She needs packaging, a top coach and intense choreo work stat. She could easily medal at nationals with the right resources.

Schizas blew me away. No fear in this young woman's skating. The technical development in this crazy year is astounding. I have little doubt she'll be taking real shots at the 3A and probably add a 3F+Eu+3S at some point - tech all over the place. Still, very junior packaging - she's another one who needs some serious PCS work. If Ruiter/Carle (....Schumacher, Bausback) can develop and Cotop can come back, we can have some serious and diverse ladies talent leading us through the next cycle. Very optimistic here.

 

[shutterbug]

Bev Smith article dated Jan. 17, 2021 : Madeline Schizas

Schizas was the Canadian bronze medalist last year in her first season as a senior. But she proved, that even under lockdown and out-of-control situations, that it is possible to thrive and improve. This season, she added a powerful combination – the triple Lutz – triple toe loop to her arsenal, a technical improvement needed to make any kind of mark internationally.

 

[danafan]

Michelle Long reflected on the season on her instagram story: https://www.instagram.com/stories/themichellelong/2488757932929186659/?hl=en

"I have many mixed feelings about the season coming to an end now. I was really proud of these performances, despite many technical errors. I am really happy with my placement at this event, and can't wait to show everyone the changes I have already made for the 2021-2022 season!"

 

[Sonata]

Bev Smith article dated Jan. 17, 2021 : Madeline Schizas

Thanks for the article. I got Virtue and Moir Umbrellas of Cherbourg memories when she was skating her free, so nice that she mentions being inspired by them - although wouldn't she have been just 4 when they skated to that music? (I did notice one ice dance female's costume was remarkably similar to Tessa's pink costume from that time.) I also want to tell her Geneviève did not ditch him, he left, did not write back much, she had to do what she had to do to survive and yet she named her kid the name they agreed to!

 

[Colonel Green]

Madeline's free skate:

I wish this had been filmed in the Scarboro rink.

 

[dramagrrl]

Madeline was lovely, but that music with lyrics is atrocious. I would've enjoyed the program so much more if she had used the version without lyrics.

 

[Tinami Amori]

Schizas is good, enjoyed her FS.

 

[Frau Muller]

Madeline was lovely, but that music with lyrics is atrocious. I would've enjoyed the program so much more if she had used the version without lyrics.

Madeline’s music at least is tuneful and non- Eilish (whining) style. Love her overall packaging, elements tried, flow, etc.

Thanks to Colonel Green for posting this & other Canadian Challenge clips. It was easy to catch up.