Canadian Ice Dance 2017/18 Season News & Updates

[cgirl8]

I also notice that they take choreographic breaks in the middle of their twizzle sequence, instead of going directly from one to the next. Shouldn't that lower the level?

There are two different types of twizzles: sequential twizzles in the SD and synchronized twizzles in the FD. For synchronized you are allowed up to 3 steps in between.

 

[RoseRed]

There are two different types of twizzles: sequential twizzles in the SD and synchronized twizzles in the FD. For synchronized you are allowed up to 3 steps in between.

And it works so well choreographically.

 

[screech]

It does look nice. I just didn't notice anyone else doing the synchronized ones, at least not to that extent. And to me it looks easier, like it would make it easier to maintain balance,than doing sequential ones.

But what do I know

 

[RoseRed]

It does look nice. I just didn't notice anyone else doing the synchronized ones, at least not to that extent. And to me it looks easier, like it would make it easier to maintain balance,than doing sequential ones.

But what do I know

I think one of the commentators this season said that switching positions like they did is pretty difficult to keep in synch and everything. But I'm not an expert on that.

 

[FSFan24]

If body of work counts, then Stairs & Royer might go. Placements for the dance teams below Lajoie & Lagha have been fairly tangled for two seasons; but S&R have the higher finish from SC Challenge, Junior Worlds experience from last year, and a higher ISU SB than M&G.

Stairs & Royer 126.97

I'm not sure that supersedes McIsaac & Graham, who had the same final placement at their one JGP. I don't know if I remember clearly, but I think both teams won an event on the Canadian Summer Series. It was pretty clear that the fall in the SD cost S&R second; but M&G have been high enough to be in the mix so second at Nationals might be enough for them.

I was sad about Fabbri & Pietrantonio. It is the second season in a row that they have had one of the top Canadian scores on the JGP and finished relatively low behind their peers at Canadian Nationals. They are a bit catastrophic, but I like them. Their style is different--sharper with more snap than many of the Canadian junior teams.

Stairs & Royer should go over McIsaac & Graham S&R has way more experience, they had one not so good short dance. And by default M&G get to go!

 

[FSFan24]

So . . . is it safe to assume the Junior World team will be Lajoie & Lagha and McIsaac & Graham? How do people feel about Canada's chances for winning back three spots at Junior Worlds?

For what it's worth--which isn't a lot considering the volatility of the junior dance field this season & the newness of McIsaac & Graham as a partnership this fall--here are the top ISU junior dance SB scores, excluding the Russian teams below #3 and the U.S. teams below #3 and the Canadian teams that did not finish top 2 at Nationals.

153.61 RUS Skoptcova & Aleshin
151.76 USA Carreira & Ponomarenko
150.30 CAN Lajoie & Lagha
149.04 RUS Polischuk & Vakhnov
149.01 RUS Ushakova & Nekrasov
136.06 UKR Popova & Byelikov (This is a senior score. They finished a hair behind M&G at their JGP event this season)
131.23 USA Green & Green
130.48 USA Lewis & Bye
129.90 FRA Lagouge & Rahier
123.83 ITA Calderone & Papetti
122.40 CAN McIsaac & Graham

-Lajoie & Lagha finished 6th at the JGPF, but at least two of the teams ahead of them there won't be at Worlds due to the 3 team limit for Russia.

-I have my doubts that the three Russian teams listed above will actually comprise the Russian team at Junior Worlds. We'll have to see what happens at Russian Junior Nationals (Shpilevaya & Smirnov will be back). Whoever Russia sends will be competitive.

-McIsaac & Graham had one JGP at the Baltic Cup this season, which was really quite a volatile event. M&G finished 4th overall, 5th in the SD, and 6th in the SD. They finished behind Kalehanova & Palkhouski of Belarus in the free and Popova & Byelikov of UKR in the short so those teams should at least be considered as relevant competition.

-I don't remember, but I assume M&G must have missed the twizzles during the free at the Baltic Cup. Popova & Byelikov had mistakes as well.

-Calderone & Papetti skated at home.

Canada's chances of getting back 3 spots at junior worlds are next to slim with the teams we are sending. L&L will hold their own. They have great coaching!

 

[RoseRed]

Stairs & Royer should go over McIsaac & Graham S&R has way more experience, they had one not so good short dance. And by default M&G get to go!

This year, S/R had two JGP assignments. In their first one, they scored 121.71. In the second, they scored 126.97. M/G only had one JGP, and got 122.40. Pretty comparable imo. And it's not as if S/R have been the clear #2 behind L/L this season. F/P got 136.01 at their 2nd JGP, for example.
Of course S/R have more experience - M/G are in their first season together and they are doing very well. I would have understood them sending S/R, but I don't think they've been that much better than the pack this year to really warrant overriding the podium.

 

[Dobre]

It's a bit tricky. I agree that M&G have comparable enough scores & placements this season to go. And maybe they are way better than they were at the beginning of this season. It would make sense that they are stronger now than this fall as they are new together, and he's not starting from scratch in the junior field.

But I also don't think Canada is sending the strongest team it could to Junior Worlds. Head to head, Stairs & Royer defeated both the Ukrainians & the Belarussians by a wide margin in competition on the JGP this season, and McIsaac & Graham split places with both the same teams head to head in their own event and lost the PCS mark to the Ukrainians--which implies that Ukraine could have defeated them with a clean FD.

Fabbri & Pietrantonio did absolutely get the highest score on the JGP for a Canadian junior dance team. But it was the last event of the season, with a Canadian caller. And it was the same event in which Ushakova & Nekrasov received the highest FD score of the regular JGP season. (Then later they went on to finish 5th at the Junior Grand Prix Final). The Italians' score, also came from the same event, and I'll be surprised if they finish as high as that score implies at Junior Worlds, provided they are the team Italy sends. (Of all the JGP events this season, the judging at that last event I found disturbing. But having said that, F&P skated very well there, and I was happy for them).

Anyway, the good news for Canada is that the JGP field has opened up somewhat. Lajoie & Lagha and a second team do have a chance of earning a third spot. I'd hoped it would come down to Fabbri & Pietrantonio (who I think have a bit of a more unique look & interesting presentation) and Stairs & Royer (who are usually solid and did make the final group in both of their events this season so have definitely shown improvement since last year). But M&G split enough scores at home & placed high enough at their JGP to get themselves into the mix.

I do think earning the three places is possible. I sure wouldn't take it for granted, especially if L&L finish fifth as implied by their JGPF results. But I wouldn't discount Canada's chances. There are almost always a couple dance teams that crash & burn at Junior Worlds. If both Canadian teams skate clean, they could get there.

 

[chantilly]

I think one of the commentators this season said that switching positions like they did is pretty difficult to keep in synch and everything. But I'm not an expert on that.

It is definitely more difficult to move in and out of synchronized twizzles.
The teams that do them bam bam bam have possibly less chance of losing sync then teams that put in the field moves or choreography in between the twizzles.

 

[Sylvia]

The top 2 Novice dance teams at 2018 Canadians -- Nadiia BASHYNSKA / Peter BEAUMONT & Miku MAKITA / Tyler GUNARA -- are listed for the Advanced Novice event at the inaugural Egna Dance Trophy in Italy (Feb. 2-4): http://www.fisg.it/upload/result/4622/CAT002EN.HTM

2018 4CC results:
SILVER Carolane SOUCISSE / Shane FIRUS CAN 164.96 3 2 + 3 ISU PBs incl. 65.11 (SD) & 99.85 (FD)
8 Sarah ARNOLD / Thomas WILLIAMS CAN 140.10 9 8
9 Haley SALES / Nikolas WAMSTEEKER CAN 139.48 8 10

 

[kwanfan1818]

That's wonderful news for Soucisse/Firus! 756 championship points and $19.5K in prize money

 

[barbarafan]

That's wonderful news for Soucisse/Firus! 756 championship points and $19.5K in prize money

So happy for them...PCS looked nicer too. This will all help for next yr.

 

[barbarafan]

That's wonderful news for Soucisse/Firus! 756 championship points and $19.5K in prize money

do you know what the illegal elements were to get the 2.00 pts deductions?

 

[IloveFS]

Congratulations to our two Canadian novice ice teams who won a silver and bronze medal this weekend!!!!

 

[nimi]

Congratulations to our two Canadian novice ice teams who won a silver and bronze medal this weekend!!!!

Short article with quotes here: https://skatecanada.ca/2018/02/cana...egna-dance-trophy-figure-skating-competition/

do you know what the illegal elements were to get the 2.00 pts deductions?

Well, this is a very late answer... but according to this Icenetwork article,

team received a two-point deduction for an illegal element after attempting a small jump in their choreographic twizzle sequence.

See here: https://youtu.be/d15i_vOq2rA?t=3m15s

Which is a shame, those choreo twizzles really suit the program and look more interesting than most.


In Olympic-bound news: Paul is featured in the "hi my name is" series
https://olympic.ca/2018/02/03/hi-my-name-is-paul-poirier-and-i-skate/

ICYMI: Andrew also did one
https://olympic.ca/2018/01/02/hi-my-name-is-andrew-poje-and-im-a-figure-skater/

 

[kwanfan1818]

I know it wasn't for the title, but this time the small difference, .27 here, went in favor of Weaver/Poje for bronze in C/L's home country, and and for W/P!

Also, congratulations and to G/P for being seeded, getting a SP and PB at 2018 Worlds, and getting closer and closer to the teams that have shared medals over the last few seasons. As well as doing some of my favorite all-time programs and never copying anyone else.

And a for S/F, getting their feet wet at Worlds. I'm sure they were hoping for a higher finish after scoring 11th in the SD, but most their closest competitors had far more championship experience, and they had a higher debut finish than either W/P or G/P, even adjusting for two medalists not being at Worlds. They scored a sliver better in PCS in the FD than at 4C's, where their TES were 6 points higher, which is a good sign in itself. It's going to be a fight for that third spot next year with at least FB/S, but I hope they can leverage their confidence here and from 4C's, and I also hope they get a second GP; they're Top 24 in SB and should get one from that.

 

[kwanfan1818]

Canadian Dance teams in the Top 24 SB after Worlds:

• 2-Virtue/Moir
• 4-Weaver/Poje (also 3rd at Worlds )
• 9-Gilles/Poirier (also 6th at Worlds)
• 18-Firus/Soucisse
• 19-Fournier Beaudry/Sorensen -- their country is showing in the SB list as "CAN"!

Next in line: Lajoie/Langha (37).

 

[IloveFS]

After watching the ice dance press conference, I am not entirely convinced that WP intend to continue after the shows this summer. Was anyone else left with the same impression?

 

[nimi]

After watching the ice dance press conference, I am not entirely convinced that WP intend to continue after the shows this summer. Was anyone else left with the same impression?

This was being discussed in their fan thread, so I'm cross-posting

ICYMI: In the FD press conference, their answer to "what's next?" was basically "we'll see". https://youtu.be/-5Nu9PELPRg?t=25m7s

Earlier on, they talked about how difficult this season had been for them (dealing with injuries etc.) and how happy they are to end it with a very good performance and a podium placement.

Personally, I choose not to read too much into their answers. I don't think they have had the time to process things yet. I mean, to get through this season you'd think their mindset was something like "gotta be ready for Olys and focus and stay in the moment" and then "gotta be ready for Worlds and focus and stay in the moment", as opposed to "let's sit around and re-evaluate our life and career goals and spend time and mental energy thinking about what we're gonna do after this season before we've even finished this season". And then right after the last competition of the Olympic season is finally over, they get in front of the press and immediately get quizzed about their future plans... It might take a while before they know what their future plans are like and that's 100% fine.

TL;DR: time will tell

 

[VarBar]

Worlds was my first time watching Soucisse/Firus and I have to say I was quite impressed with this young team, especially in the short dance. Great basics, speed, power, easy on the turns and good unison. Found them looking kind of uncomfortable in the free to that medley from Fred Astaire movies and I think Carolane needs to improve her expression and emotional interaction with her partner but I'm guessing she already knows that.

Not sure S/F will be able to beat any of the veteran teams at Canadians next season but with one more season under their belt, they could well become quite a threat to at least one of them.

Just a quick question to those who more updated than I am, did Mackenzie Bent retire from competitive skating?

 

[screech]

Piper Gilles just posted on instagram that her mom has just passed away from stage 4 brain cancer.

In her video clips she asks any donations in her mom's name be made to Canfund, US Figure Skating, or any way that supports athletes.

 

[Tinami Amori]

Tessa posed for foto.. https://img.prosports.kz/news/content/595_46b603c57a4716ef06f238411802aa39.jpg

 

[cygnus]

Piper Gilles just posted on instagram that her mom has just passed away from stage 4 brain cancer.

In her video clips she asks any donations in her mom's name be made to Canfund, US Figure Skating, or any way that supports athletes.

Condolences to her and her family. I remember her mom well- she took some time out at my first 4CC in Colorado Springs to show us some of the local sites, and I had never met her before, and my friend knew her only slightly. Nice lady.

 

[kwanfan1818]

Rest in peace, matriarch of one of skating's most accomplished families, and my condolences to Piper Gilles and the rest of her family.

 

[insideedgeua]

My own family were some of those lucky enough to know Bonnie as their ‘skating mom’ when training in Colorado Springs. Any skater that stayed with her really was a member of her family.

My heart goes out to Todd, Kemper, Alexe, Piper and Shelby.

 

[nimi]

Her obituary: http://obits.gazette.com/obituaries/gazette/obituary.aspx?n=bonnie-s-gilles-dreyer&pid=189213176

excerpt:

Those who were close to Bonnie knew what a bright and independent spirit she was, she loved to travel, watch sports (Go Broncos) and most importantly support all her children in every way possible. Whether it was tennis, singing, golf or figure skating, she was there. She wasn't just the mother of her children, she was also the ultimate "skating mom" to many. She hosted skaters from all around the world (Australia, Canada, Czech Republic, Germany, Japan, Slovenia, Sweden, US, and Russia just to name a few). She supported their dreams almost as much as her own children's dreams. The skating community definitely won't be the same without her.

 

[platniumangel]

May she rest in peace. Condolences to the Gilles family <3