CBC Revives Battle of the Blades Skating Show!

[Winnipeg]

They were separated at the time- main cause that I read at the time was his running around.

My recollection too. I think it may have been with Tessa but not sure.

 

[Winnipeg]

I don't believe she disliked the show itself per say, but I remember an article saying it was too much of a strain on her household to be away so often. Liza was still very young then but now she's off to Uni and Daria looks to be doing better so she probably feels she has the liberty to take this type of project on again.

Was Daria sick? You said she appears to be getting better?

 

[Winnipeg]

KAtia is with Pelletier??!!

 

[Habs]

KAtia is with Pelletier??!!

Yes. And according to has been for quite some time.

 

[barbarafan]

My recollection too. I think it may have been with Tessa but not sure.

not at that time. it was others....I believe dated Tessa (rumour but not substantiated) at some point during the separation but not during BOTB.

 

[Satellizer]

Was Daria sick? You said she appears to be getting better?

Not sick but a few years ago it seemed she lost herself and was struggling. It was documented all over social media, unfortunately.

 

[overedge]

Anyone find it weird that they say they're going to announce the pairings and then… nothing? I'm wondering if some players have bowed out and they're scrambling to replace them.

CBC is not the most.....organized company when it comes to marketing and publicity. It could also be that somebody sent out the announcement and someone higher up had a different idea about how this should happen.

 

[cheremary]

Some funny quotes from the hockey players from training camp:

https://www.cbc.ca/television/battleoftheblades/overheard-at-bootcamp-hockey-players-describe-their-first-time-on-figure-skates-1.5266032

"They're called swing rolls."
"Spring rolls?"
"Swing rolls."
"Spring rolls?"
"Spring rolls it is."

"I never thought when I was fighting this guy in my career that I'd be out there holding hands with him, on the ice, in figure skates."

—
I could be wrong, but I think Gordeeva’s partner might be Bruno Gervais.

 

[Perky Shae Lynn]

KAtia is with Pelletier??!!

Lol, this is not news... 2016 or something like that?

 

[Perky Shae Lynn]

Was Daria sick? You said she appears to be getting better?

It was more of an identity crisis... and stuff that goes along with that. She is doing well now. Liza is just a a bright light. She is a young woman now, off to the university and in a long-term relationship.

 

[starrynight]

I’m so curious as to who will win. I had thought that the two women - Natalie Spooner and Amanda Kessell might be in with a good chance (young glamorous hockey players with equally glam partners in Radford and Poje). However both are continuing to compete while doing BOTB and I wonder if this might interfere with practice?

 

[pixie cut]

I’m so curious as to who will win. I had thought that the two women - Natalie Spooner and Amanda Kessell might be in with a good chance (young glamorous hockey players with equally glam partners in Radford and Poje). However both are continuing to compete while doing BOTB and I wonder if this might interfere with practice?

It didn't hurt Tessa Bonhomme.

 

[Anemone]

Still doesn't seem to be any official announcement of teams, but on the basis of this tweet, maybe one pairing is Vanessa James/Brian McGrattan?

Twitter

 

[starrynight]

It's a little bit of a pity the delay in confirming the partnerships means the news is leaking out slowly anyway. But I suppose it hardly matters much.

 

[Japanfan]

When does BOTB actually start to air?

 

[Satellizer]

When does BOTB actually start to air?

Sept. 19.

 

[victoriajh]

I don't recognize the player skating with Gordeeva but he looks like a young retiree who could be interesting to watch.

the fact they are doing a lift so soon bodes well for the skills.... Wow katia is stunning up there... she really was born to pairs skate...

 

[Alvyne]

Complete line up

https://www.cbc.ca/television/battleoftheblades

Vanessa James/Brian Mcgratten
Kaitlyn Weaver/Sheldon Kennedy
Amanda Evora/Colton Orr
Katia Gordeeva/Bruno Gervais
Eric Radford/Amanda Kessel
Andrew Poje/Natalie Spooner
Violetta Afanasieva/PJ Stock (replacing Colby Armstrong who was injured during training)

 

[Colonel Green]

https://www.cbc.ca/television/battleoftheblades

Also, for some reason the CBC's promo banner for the series uses people who are not actually competing on the show -- I don't know who the hockey player is, but the figure skater's facial features are pretty immediately recognizable (even if she hadn't also just Instagram Storied about it).

 

[Alvyne]

Here is the press release

https://www.cbc.ca/mediacentre/press-release/the-complete-lineup-of-pairs-prepares-to-hit-the-ice-on-cbcs-battle-of-the

 

[victorskid]

The charities that they are competing for are named (& linked) in the press release.

 

[Winnipeg]

So Radford and Kessel - she must not be a figure skater then?

I wonder if it is easier with the girl or the man being the newbie vs the pro?

 

[kalamalka]

So Radford and Kessel - she must not be a figure skater then?

I wonder if it is easier with the girl or the man being the newbie vs the pro?

The partners are all hockey players. I think one of the challenges with the female hockey players vs male as partners is that hockey players in general are bigger/taller than most figure skaters.
But the first time they had a woman hockey partner, they won.

 

[overedge]

So Radford and Kessel - she must not be a figure skater then?

US hockey player, on teams that won three world championships and two Olympic medals. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amanda_Kessel

 

[barbarafan]

Complete line up

https://www.cbc.ca/television/battleoftheblades

Vanessa James/Brian Mcgratten
Kaitlyn Weaver/Sheldon Kennedy
Amanda Evora/Colton Orr
Katia Gordeeva/Bruno Gervais
Eric Radford/Amanda Kessel
Andrew Poje/Natalie Spooner
Violetta Afanasieva/PJ Stock (replacing Colby Armstrong who was injured during training)

But isn't that a ringer? Both PJ stock and Violetta were paired together previously so that gives them a distinct advantage. This is a competition.

 

[Colonel Green]

But isn't that a ringer? Both PJ stock and Violetta were paired together previously so that gives them a distinct advantage. This is a competition.

They had to get somebody on short notice.

 

[barbarafan]

They had to get somebody on short notice.

It still is not right.....They must have had a list of prospective hockey players which they worked with. They should have taken from there.

 

[MsZem]

But isn't that a ringer? Both PJ stock and Violetta were paired together previously so that gives them a distinct advantage. This is a competition.

Very short notice, as noted above. Colby Armstrong was injured right before the lineup was supposed to have been announced (thus the delay). Even if someone were available, it would have been unfair to that person, given that everyone else had been training with their partners for a while. Dropping one pair wouldn't have been good, either.

It's been 9 years since Stock did the show, and he's not going to get as much training before the season starts. I don't think they have any advantage.

 

[kalamalka]

On short notice, and well into training. I had the same initial thought, about it being a major advantage to have a repeat partner, but then realized that it would have been pretty tough to bring in a brand new hockey player at this point.

 

[Satellizer]

Some funny quotes from the hockey players from training camp:

https://www.cbc.ca/television/battleoftheblades/overheard-at-bootcamp-hockey-players-describe-their-first-time-on-figure-skates-1.5266032

"They're called swing rolls."
"Spring rolls?"
"Swing rolls."
"Spring rolls?"
"Spring rolls it is."

"I never thought when I was fighting this guy in my career that I'd be out there holding hands with him, on the ice, in figure skates."

—
I could be wrong, but I think Gordeeva’s partner might be Bruno Gervais.

You were right about Bruno