2020 Skate Canada International has been cancelled

Sylvia

TBD
Messages
79,977
Skate Canada's press release today (10/14/20):

In consultation with the City of Ottawa and the Government of Ontario, Skate Canada has made the difficult decision to cancel the 2020 Skate Canada International. The event was scheduled to take place from October 30-31, 2020 in Ottawa, Ont., at TD Arena. We are incredibly thankful for the effort and support provided by the International Skating Union (ISU), the Skate Ontario Section and all our partners over the past months and are saddened that the hosting of Skate Canada International is no longer viable.

Skate Canada has closely monitored the federal, provincial and municipal health authorities position on COVID-19. Given the evolution of the health crisis and our prudence for the health and safety of the athletes, coaches, officials, and volunteers, the appropriate course of action was to cancel the event.

“This year is unlike any year before and we’ve seen significant challenges on the operation of competitive events due to the global pandemic. As a result of the continuous shift in requirements across the country and the recent 28-day shut down in Ontario’s hot spots, which includes Ottawa, it became clear that it would not be possible to host this event,” said Debra Armstrong, CEO, Skate Canada. “The inaugural Skate Canada International was first held in 1973 in Calgary and since we’ve hosted 46 incredible events across the country. We look forward to continuing the legacy of Skate Canada International in 2021.”

More information about the 2020-2021 Canadian figure skating event season to come.


ETA link to ISU's press release: https://www.isu.org/isu-news/news/1...nada-international-cancelled?templateParam=15
The ISU was informed of the cancellation of the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating – Skate Canada International, that was scheduled to take place from October 30-31, 2020 in Ottawa (CAN).
...
The ISU regrets that the hosting of the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating – Skate Canada International is no longer viable and thanks Skate Canada for their continued effort and support.
 
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skategal

Bunny mama
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11,865
So disappointing for the fans and athletes but I’m not surprised at all.

Ontario is at a critical juncture re: YKW so they are going to scale back on things now to keep the numbers under control.
 

MR-FAN

Kostner Softie
Messages
6,635
It was so devastating knowing Skate Canada is held minutes away from my home, with Satoko Miyahara skated to compete, and no tickets being sold.

at least I can stop studying the building’s blue prints to find a way to sneak in:COP:
 

cholla

Grand Duchess of Savoie - Marquessa of Chartreuse
Messages
13,274
Smart choice. Now can France do the same?
You never know... Grenoble is currently considered a "red zone" with lots of new C0vid cases everyday. But strict measures have been taken, they were implemented before Masters, and GPF is 1 month ahead. If the "Grenoblois" (inhabitants of Grenoble) comply to all the rules and stop spreading the crud, the Grand Prix (well, "Petit Prix" © Vagabond) should be held. Despite the red zone thing, we have already received our media accreditations. I want to see that as a good omen (although I know he doesn't mean a thing :lol: )
 
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Sylvia

TBD
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79,977
CBC article with quotes from Gilles and Poirier:
Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier woke up feeling a bit out of sorts on Wednesday, already aware that Skate Canada International has been cancelled amid concern of rising COVID-19 cases in Ontario.
...
Although the news was delivered to competitors in a conference call on Tuesday night, the reality didn't sink in for the Canadian ice dance pair until it was time to tackle the morning routine.
"Definitely [Wednesday] it was much harder," Poirier told CBC Sports. "[Tuesday night] we went to bed right after, so no real time to process it. So today going back to the rink and going back to training and just not having that sign post there was definitely strange."
"It gives us some wiggle room and once we have a good schedule in place and we know what all of our options are, we can really start to make a proper training plan," said Poirier.
"The hardest part is to train without a plan."
...
"Mentally we had to prepare to go back to competition mode and then be cautious," Gilles told CBC Sports.
"And then this is just hard to process because we felt ready to compete again and it's another letdown. We're in a very strange place right now."
ETA (cross-posting in this thread):

Tweeted by Phil Hersh 2 hours ago: https://twitter.com/olyphil/status/1316462437894418438
@USFigureSkating just reconfirmed to me that Skate America still is a go for Oct. 23-25 in Las Vegas and added that, despite cancellation of Skate Canada, @jasonbskates has decided to stay at his Canada training base rather than deal with travel issues to get to Skate America.
 
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yurokis40

Well-Known Member
Messages
778
This is all pointless anyway since I don`t believe worlds will happen they won`t be a vaccine for mass delivery for at least a year, I doubt Sweden will allow mass travel to their country. I am Glad my country canada is taking this virus seriously. Americans don`t seem to care I would strongly advise H&B or H&D not to travel to skate america the situation has really changed the last few week border guards will not let them back I doubt they would care about some figure skaters they are not even canadian citizens.
 

tony

Throwing the (rule)book at them
Messages
17,677
This is all pointless anyway since I don`t believe worlds will happen they won`t be a vaccine for mass delivery for at least a year, I doubt Sweden will allow mass travel to their country. I am Glad my country canada is taking this ***** seriously. Americans don`t seem to care I would strongly advise H&B or H&D not to travel to skate america the situation has really changed the last few week border guards will not let them back I doubt they would care about some figure skaters they are not even canadian citizens.

Yeah, but 8% of the total cases in Canada have been reported in the last week from what I understand. That can't be a good trajectory.
 

Sylvia

TBD
Messages
79,977
Cross-posting again...

Article by The Canadian Press' Lori Ewing in the Toronto Star with quotes from Kirsten Moore-Towers and Michael Slipchuk: https://tinyurl.com/y3wxtsdv
Excerpts:
Seven months after the world championships in Montreal were shelved due to COVID-19, Skate Canada International was cancelled on Wednesday amid concerns of rising cases in Ontario and tighter provincial government restrictions.
“It’s incredibly challenging for athletes to train and to remain motivated with so many question marks,” said Moore-Towers, who competes in pairs with Michael Marinaro. “We do it because we love it, and because we want to be our best at worlds (later in the season). But it’s tough having disappointment after disappointment.
“Obviously, in the grand scheme of things, it’s such a small part of what the world is dealing with. But for us, it’s been our whole lives for a long time.”
The Canadian championships are scheduled for Jan. 11-17 in Vancouver, and will likely be held with no fans, according to Skate Canada’s high performance director Mike Slipchuk.
...
“With the skaters who are tracking for Olympics, we’re really (telling them) ‘You’re in a kind of a year-and-a-half plan to Beijing,’” Slipchuk said. “And whatever competitive opportunities that we can have them do this year, it’s a bonus, And then hopefully next year, we get into more of a semi-normal or normal system.”
Slipchuk said if there’s a silver lining to the forced break, it’s that athletes have had the chance to get fully healthy, plus focus on skills they wouldn’t have had the time for otherwise.
“When we’ve been out on athlete visits, we’ve seen new jumps, basic skating has improved . . . and it’s only going to make them better as we move forward,” he said.
 

coppertop1

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,958
Its did
I had been hoping for some sort of virtual format.

It looks like there won't be international competitions this year/2021. I feel very depressed about that and am sure I am not the only one.
The skaters music be so frustrated. How do you keep focused and momentum with everything being so uncertain?
 

greenapple

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,145
Kurakova was planning to skater. So looks like she better not leave Poland now, and sign up for the French GP...
That would be near to impossible. She would have already had to be in Canada before the event was cancelled, quarantined for two weeks and then compete with no training? Not likely.
 

Sylvia

TBD
Messages
79,977
Kurakova WD from SCI back on Oct. 8 (she competed in Poland earlier this month).

Junhwan Cha's name was never crossed off the Men's list - is he still in Korea or back in Toronto, anyone know?
 

MsZem

I see the sea
Messages
18,458
It looks like there won't be international competitions this year/2021.
There are literally international competitions going on right now (e.g., Budapest Trophy, a Challenger Series event).
We already had an international competition this season (Nebelhorn) and there is indeed another one going on right now. If this is in reference to ISU Championships - it's too soon to say.
 

Rebecca Moose

Banned Member
Messages
39
lame. canada will be the only country that cancels their grand prix event. why not hold the event without spectators, put up some plexiglass, enforce masks, and call it a day? it's not as if they're on lockdown up there.
 

googooeyes

Active Member
Messages
232
lame. canada will be the only country that cancels their grand prix event. why not hold the event without spectators, put up some plexiglass, enforce masks, and call it a day? it's not as if they're on lockdown up there.
The complication is that Skate Canada has to abide by the province of Ontario regulation that only allows 10 people in a group activity right now.
 

angi

Well-Known Member
Messages
678
lame. canada will be the only country that cancels their grand prix event. why not hold the event without spectators, put up some plexiglass, enforce masks, and call it a day? it's not as if they're on lockdown up there.
Yeah, just look at those lame Canadians obeying province regulations and prioritizing the safety of everyone involved.
 

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