Canadian Ice Dance 2019/2020 season: News and Updates

[Colonel Green]

Starting a new season thread, because all the cool kids are doing it right now.

At the senior level, there are five Canadian teams announced as competing on the Grand Prix (four with two assignments):

• Piper Gilles & Paul Poirier (Skate Canada and Rostelecom Cup)
• Laurence Fournier Beaudry & Nikolaj Sorensen (Skate America and Cup of China)
• Carolane Soucisse & Shane Firus (Internationaux de France & NHK Trophy)
• Marjorie Lajoie & Zachary Lagha (Skate Canada and Rostelecom Cup)
• Haley Sales & Nikolas Wamsteeker (Skate Canada)

As was announced recently, longtime mainstays Kaitlyn Weaver & Andrew Poje are skipping the Grand Prix again, and it kind of sounds like they’re headed for the exit, but we shall see.

We’ve got about a month until the first junior dance assignments are formally announced, though Skate Canada may again publicize some of its choices earlier than that. Canada has two berths at all JGP events (as well as three spots at Junior Worlds again, a parting gift from Lajoie/Lagha and Fabbri/Ayer on their way to the senior ranks).

We’ll see a number of teams debut their programs (and make their senior debut, in a few instances) at Championnats in the near future. Lajoie/Lagha, Soucisse/Firus and Fabbri/Ayer are all scheduled to compete, in what may prove the first skirmish in the battle for Canada’s third Worlds ticket.

 

[Sylvia]

Kaitlyn Weaver/Andrew Poje announced yesterday (June 19) that they "will provide an update on their career later this season" - link to their GSD news thread: https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/threads/weaver-and-poje-step-away-from-competition.105714/

ETA link to Kaitlyn's IG post today: https://www.instagram.com/p/By8idiTlBMS/

 

[barbarafan]

Starting a new season thread, because all the cool kids are doing it right now.

At the senior level, there are five Canadian teams announced as competing on the Grand Prix (four with two assignments):

• Piper Gilles & Paul Poirier (Skate Canada and Rostelecom Cup)
• Laurence Fournier Beaudry & Nikolaj Sorensen (Skate America and Cup of China)
• Carolane Soucisse & Shane Firus (Internationaux de France & NHK Trophy)
• Marjorie Lajoie & Zachary Lagha (Skate Canada and Rostelecom Cup)
• Haley Sales & Nikolas Wamsteeker (Skate Canada)

As was announced recently, longtime mainstays Kaitlyn Weaver & Andrew Poje are skipping the Grand Prix again, and it kind of sounds like they’re headed for the exit, but we shall see.

We’ve got about a month until the first junior dance assignments are formally announced, though Skate Canada may again publicize some of its choices earlier than that. Canada has two berths at all JGP events (as well as three spots at Junior Worlds again, a parting gift from Lajoie/Lagha and Fabbri/Ayer on their way to the senior ranks).

We’ll see a number of teams debut their programs (and make their senior debut, in a few instances) at Championnats in the near future. Lajoie/Lagha, Soucisse/Firus and Fabbri/Ayer are all scheduled to compete, in what may prove the first skirmish in the battle for Canada’s third Worlds ticket.

What does the alternate list look like for senior dance? Is there a chance Fabbri/Ayer would be on that list?

 

[Dobre]

What does the alternate list look like for senior dance? Is there a chance Fabbri/Ayer would be on that list?

No, I don't think so. F&A are about ten senior teams below the alternate list. And Sales & Wamsteeker are above them also. Should Canada get another spot, S&W would be the most likely to fill it. (Fisher & Mallette-Paquette are also above F&A on the list, but they are pretty noticeably not signed up for the Quebec Summer Competition as of the moment. This doesn't seem like a good sign that F&M-P are continuing, does it? Seeing as, I think, at least six other Gadbois teams are now signed up).

RUS POPOVA & MOZGOV (SC)
FIN TURKKILA & VERSLUIS (RC)
LTU REED & AMBRULEVICIUS (RC)
FRA GALAVYEVA & THAURON (RC)
RUS SHPILEVAYA & SMIRNOV (none)
GER KOCH & NUECHTERN (none)
ITA TESSARI & FIORETTI (None)
GBR TWEEDALE & BCUKLAND (none)
HUN YANOVSKAYA & LUKACS (none)
GER MUELLER & DIECK (none)

 

[barbarafan]

No, I don't think so. F&A are about ten senior teams below the alternate list. And Sales & Wamsteeker are above them also. Should Canada get another spot, S&W would be the most likely to fill it. (Fisher & Mallette-Paquette are also above F&A on the list, but they are pretty noticeably not signed up for the Quebec Summer Competition as of the moment. This doesn't seem like a good sign that F&M-P are continuing, does it? Seeing as, I think, at least six other Gadbois teams are now signed up).

RUS POPOVA & MOZGOV (SC)
FIN TURKKILA & VERSLUIS (RC)
LTU REED & AMBRULEVICIUS (RC)
FRA GALAVYEVA & THAURON (RC)
RUS SHPILEVAYA & SMIRNOV (none)
GER KOCH & NUECHTERN (none)
ITA TESSARI & FIORETTI (None)
GBR TWEEDALE & BCUKLAND (none)
HUN YANOVSKAYA & LUKACS (none)
GER MUELLER & DIECK (none)

Sales and wamsteeker have skate canada
Are Fisher & Mallette-Paquette moving up?

 

[Colonel Green]

Are Fisher & Mallette-Paquette moving up?

They aged out.

 

[barbarafan]

They aged out.

I haven't seen anything on them yet...just a picture of them at a show I believe. She is young and her family is out East
so she could have taken longer out east before starting this yrs programs....especially since they don't have to get ready for JGP. I don't think the lists are finalized yet are they?

 

[Dobre]

Sales and wamsteeker have skate canada
Are Fisher & Mallette-Paquette moving up?

Sales & Wamsteeker do, which I think is a fair choice for SC seeing as S&W defeated Soucisse & Firus at Nationals last year and S&F got two berths. But higher ranked teams stay above any teams below them until they get two invitations. The odds are really low that we have much turnover on the dance list during a non-post Olympic season. And very low that anyone not currently on the alternate list will get a spot. (If it happens, it will probably be an invite to Rostelecom). Popova & Mozgov and Galayavieva & Thauron seem likely--though in neither case guaranteed--to win host spots and come off the list. That would put Nazarova & Nikitin and Urban & Steffan onto the list provided those teams are still together. Then we typically get about two additional withdrawals. Chances are that S&W don't get onto the alternate list either. They just have a better chance than F&A of getting on it.

Speaking of Gadbois teams not signed up for the Quebec event, has anyone heard anything on Plutowska & Flemin this off-season?

 

[barbarafan]

Sales & Wamsteeker do, which I think is a fair choice for SC seeing as S&W defeated Soucisse & Firus at Nationals last year and S&F got two berths. But higher ranked teams stay above any teams below them until they get two invitations. The odds are really low that we have much turnover on the dance list during a non-post Olympic season. And very low that anyone not currently on the alternate list will get a spot. (If it happens, it will probably be an invite to Rostelecom). Popova & Mozgov and Galayavieva & Thauron seem likely--though in neither case guaranteed--to win host spots and come off the list. That would put Nazarova & Nikitin and Urban & Steffan onto the list provided those teams are still together. Then we typically get about two additional withdrawals. Chances are that S&W don't get onto the alternate list either. They just have a better chance than F&A of getting on it.

Speaking of Gadbois teams not signed up for the Quebec event, has anyone heard anything on Plutowska & Flemin this off-season?

They did a quickie instagram post I think last week. They were in Poland (her home) for off season and Chicago more recently. https://www.instagram.com/p/Byscm-intQk/

 

[The Observer]

ETA link to Kaitlyn's IG post today: https://www.instagram.com/p/By8idiTlBMS/

That IG post by Kaitlyn does kind of sound like goodbye.

 

[Ohyes]

I'm loving the very likely L/L,Danadians and G/P 2020 worlds lineup

 

[Moustaffask8r]

They aged out.

They're not listed in the Team A or Next Gen... Someone heard of them splitting up?
https://patinage.qc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/19-20_AthlètesDEV_Exc-A-NG-1.pdf

 

[Sylvia]

Thanks for posting the link above (where on the Patinage QC site is it linked from?)... here are the five four Senior & one Junior dance teams listed (as of 23-mai-19):

Laurence Fournier Beaudry & Nikolaj Sorensen [Marie-France Dubreuil & Patrice Lauzon]
Carolane Soucisse & Shane Firus [Marie-France Dubreuil & Patrice Lauzon]
Marjorie Lajoie & Zachary Lagha [Romain Haguenauer]
Alicia Fabbri & Paul Ayer [Julien Lalonde & Mylène Girard]
Emmy Bronsard & Aissa Bouaraguia [Marie-France Dubreuil & Patrice Lauzon] (Junior)

ETA: Now corrected above.

 

[Dobre]

Emmy Bronsard & Aissa Bouaraguia

These two are juniors.

 

[barbarafan]

They're not listed in the Team A or Next Gen... Someone heard of them splitting up?
https://patinage.qc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/19-20_AthlètesDEV_Exc-A-NG-1.pdf

She is from Eastern Canada but trained in Ontario b4 training in Quebec. Was she on Quebec team last year?
Also not on that list is Justine Brasseur and Mark Bardai.

 

[Moustaffask8r]

She is from Eastern Canada but trained in Ontario b4 training in Quebec. Was she on Quebec team last year?
Also not on that list is Justine Brasseur and Mark Bardai.

Brasseur and Bradei didn't compete last year. They're registered for the summer competition https://patinage.qc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/4-Liste-de-Participants-CQÉ2019-25juinv3.pdf. The other two are not on the list and no registered for summer competition.... probably quit or split!

 

[dramagrrl]

I really hope F&M-P haven't split. They are both very talented and just had a weak season. There aren't really any other equally talented age-reasonable partners for them out there right now in Canada, unless I've missed something.

 

[barbarafan]

I really hope F&M-P haven't split. They are both very talented and just had a weak season. There aren't really any other equally talented age-reasonable partners for them out there right now in Canada, unless I've missed something.

No news is good news...There is no big rush this yr.and people are still getting their programs done at Gaddbois.

 

[RoseRed]

No news is good news...There is no big rush this yr.and people are still getting their programs done at Gaddbois.

The fact that they aren't on any of the Patinage Quebec teams for 2019-20 is not a good sign though, since they would certainly qualify.

 

[Dobre]

I really hope F&M-P haven't split. They are both very talented and just had a weak season. There aren't really any other equally talented age-reasonable partners for them out there right now in Canada, unless I've missed something.

Well, there are potentially at least three experienced JGP athletes from this year's junior nationals that are currently MIA from the ice dance scene: Lee Royer, Ashlynne Stairs, & Elliot Graham. Mostly, you have to think it's a question of whether these athletes want to make that leap to seniors or move on to school &/or other pursuits. There was a hearsay message on G.S. that Stairs & Graham had retired, but no link so I've no idea if it's valid. I feel like maybe I read earlier on this thread that Royer was going to school? But I can't find it now so it might be my imagination? Technically, I believe both he & Fisher have another year of juniors. Jason Chan is on IPS.

 

[Colonel Green]

I really hope F&M-P haven't split. They are both very talented and just had a weak season. There aren't really any other equally talented age-reasonable partners for them out there right now in Canada, unless I've missed something.

Could they really be said to have had a weak season? They won a JGP medal, one of only two Canadian teams to do so.

I wouldn’t be surprised if they decided to pack it in, though. The non-L/L teams aging out of senior now face a tough prospect of no really meaningful international assignments for the next couple of years.

Fabbri/Ayer seem like they’re angling to make a go of it, but many others always decide to call it a career when juniors is over.

The teams with a few more years of junior eligibility have things much easier — the JGP and Junior Worlds can keep them busy for a few more seasons until Beijing and the retirement of the old guard.

 

[barbarafan]

Could they really be said to have had a weak season? They won a JGP medal, one of only two Canadian teams to do so.

I wouldn’t be surprised if they decided to pack it in, though. The non-L/L teams aging out of senior now face a tough prospect of no really meaningful international assignments for the next couple of years.

Fabbri/Ayer seem like they’re angling to make a go of it, but many others always decide to call it a career when juniors is over.

The teams with a few more years of junior eligibility have things much easier — the JGP and Junior Worlds can keep them busy for a few more seasons until Beijing and the retirement of the old guard.

Elle fisher's partner ages out so if they compete together it will have to be senior and there is no way they will get GP slots this year. I believe Royer broke up with his new partner due his lack of funds to continue. She now has a new partner.

 

[RoseRed]

Well, there are potentially at least three experienced JGP athletes from this year's junior nationals that are currently MIA from the ice dance scene: Lee Royer, Ashlynne Stairs, & Elliot Graham. Mostly, you have to think it's a question of whether these athletes want to make that leap to seniors or move on to school &/or other pursuits. There was a hearsay message on G.S. that Stairs & Graham had retired, but no link so I've no idea if it's valid. I feel like maybe I read earlier on this thread that Royer was going to school? But I can't find it now so it might be my imagination? Technically, I believe both he & Fisher have another year of juniors. Jason Chan is on IPS.

I wouldn't be surprised if Stairs/Graham were done, since he did initially announce his retirement after his split from Olivia McIsaac.

Anyways, of the people we've been talking about

• Elliot Graham - aged out
• Ashlynne Stairs - 1 more season of junior eligibility
• Simon-Pierre Malette-Paquette - aged out
• Ellie Fisher - 2 more seasons of junior eligibility
• Lee Royer - 1 more season of junior eligibility
• Jason Chan - aged out couple seasons ago (I think)

If I remember correctly, Simon-Pierre was involved with modelling and acting, so he may have moved on to focus on that.

 

[Colonel Green]

Carol's camp was visited by SC officials recently as part of pre-season activities. She says there'll be "exciting announcements coming soon", so maybe we aren't too far from SC making its initial JGP announcements (and also, of course, more details about music, etc.).

 

[jmtfti]

Can confirm Stairs/Graham are retired, can't speak to others MIA although I have similar suspicions re: F/M-P but only on the basis of social media clues.

And in case anyone missed it, some music/choreo info on Canadian juniors and seniors is available at TFTI.

 

[RoseRed]

Speaking of JGP assignments, Bruce Waddell was on Conrad Orzel's IG Live the other day, and it sounds like he and Natalie have been assigned to the JGP in Italy, which is the final event. I assume they'll have one earlier too - this was mentioned in the context of a comment on the livestream from someone saying they were in Italy.

 

[puglover]

So - no further word on Kaitlyn and Andrew as of yet? I thought they were going to make a further announcement about their plans.

 

[Colonel Green]

So - no further word on Kaitlyn and Andrew as of yet? I thought they were going to make a further announcement about their plans.

When they’d arrived at a final decision. It hasn’t been that long. I wouldn’t expect to hear anything until later in the season.

 

[Colonel Green]

Speaking of JGP assignments, Bruce Waddell was on Conrad Orzel's IG Live the other day, and it sounds like he and Natalie have been assigned to the JGP in Italy, which is the final event. I assume they'll have one earlier too - this was mentioned in the context of a comment on the livestream from someone saying they were in Italy.

Nothing yet on Skate Canada's event schedule, but I expect that will be updated in the next week or so.

 

[starrynight]

So - no further word on Kaitlyn and Andrew as of yet? I thought they were going to make a further announcement about their plans.

I think most people are proceeding on the basis that they are for all intents and purposes retired. Kaitlyn’s post on Instagram sounded pretty final. But it’s the case that they didn’t want to prematurely announce and instead give themselves some breathing room in case there is a change of mind.