David Wilson Calls for New Leadership at Skate Canada

[her grace]

I’d put Canada as second to Russia in terms of junior ice dance depth (at least as of the last junior international season) so there’s lots of potential there.

There are a few contenders in junior men, but no one competitive in ladies, or worse, pairs where Canada is traditionally strong.

 

[mackiecat]

Though unfortunately I think Emmy and Aissa are almost at the point where she's too tall for him.

There were several years where Tessa was taller than Scott. It didn’t hurt them.

 

[Judy]

There’s no reason they shouldn’t though. Skating is more popular in Canada than the us as an activity so should have even more people to choose from rising. The coaching talent is there. The ice rinks. All the ingridients to be the best but something isn’t right. The strongest male and strongest female dancer used to compete for the US too.

Russia bred their skaters though and financed everything. I’d choose skaters having freedom and choice vs Russia.

 

[beckab81]

I’d put Canada as second to Russia in terms of junior ice dance depth (at least as of the last junior international season) so there’s lots of potential there.

There are a few contenders in junior men, but no one competitive in ladies, or worse, pairs where Canada is traditionally strong.

What about Kaiya Ruiter? I think the lack of a junior season has everyone feelin particularly down about things. I'm not doubting that there are issues, but I don't think it's as bad as some posters are implying. Hopefully they come back strong the way Russia did after Vancouver.

 

[Judy]

Do you people realize what it has been like in the Toronto area this year? We have been in total lockdown since mid November and previous to that we were still in red lockdown. The majority of the skaters train here. it Is not normal life here. The restrictions change almost daily. Skate Ontario was able to host one live competition. However By the time the competition occurred 75% of the skaters had to be withdrawn as their home location was moved to a lock down. Only kids who got to compete were from small communities or northern communities where the spread wasn’t as bad.

Yeah I know Toronto has been through and continues to go through a LOT.

 

[Wyliefan]

What about Kaiya Ruiter? I think the lack of a junior season has everyone feelin particularly down about things. I'm not doubting that there are issues, but I don't think it's as bad as some posters are implying. Hopefully they come back strong the way Russia did after Vancouver.

I love Kaiya. She just needs to skate clean programs!

 

[Colonel Green]

What about Kaiya Ruiter?

Kaiya (who I think is great to watch, to be clear) could be a solid skater, but if we’re talking about skaters who could be legitimate contenders for major medals, I’m skeptical that somebody whose jumps are as small as hers could get the big elements to do that.

But we’ll see.

 

[her grace]

What about Kaiya Ruiter?

The jury's still out on her. But looking at her last international results, she wasn't contending with the Russians or Koreans or Japanese, which is why I did not list her as a medal contender. Perhaps that will change in the future.

 

[BittyBug]

Russia bred their skaters though and financed everything. I’d choose skaters having freedom and choice vs Russia.

Russia is not the Soviet Union. Russian skaters have freedom and choice. Yes, the federation has input into and rules for training, but no one is forcing anyone to participate in figure skating.

 

[starrynight]

Everything goes in waves of talent too. Often there is just emptiness once a whole glut of top stars retire.

But I think dance was the only discipline where there was serious depth - There was legit 3 world/Olympic podium contenders in Virtue/Moir, Weaver/Poje, Gilles/Poirier. (And even then, I think that depth actually worked negatively on the dance field because plenty of teams just gave up because so much resources were put into the pursuit of V/M's Olympic gold that there wasn't a lot of opportunity left for others).

But the other disciplines were more about having one star team/skater. So I think there was more of a perception of depth.

This has happened to all the other countries too. Examples of Russia's period in the wilderness have been mentioned too.

 

[yeslek]

Russia bred their skaters though and financed everything. I’d choose skaters having freedom and choice vs Russia.

I never said anything about Russia at all. I compared it to the US. The Russians look pretty happy though? And for the ones that aren’t - no one is forcing them to be there.

 

[Judy]

I never said anything about Russia at all. I compared it to the US. The Russians look pretty happy though? And for the ones that aren’t - no one is forcing them to be there.

I never said anything about Russia at all. I compared it to the US. The Russians look pretty happy though? And for the ones that aren’t - no one is forcing them to be there.

That wasn’t my intent. I just think it’s nice to have a choice as a child what you want to do vs we’ll give all this to your family and you need to skate or we take it away.mmThere are many great Russian skaters but I’m not ok with how they do it. I never have been. Which country would you prefer to live in.

 

[MacMadame]

That wasn’t my intent. I just think it’s nice to have a choice as a child what you want to do vs we’ll give all this to your family and you need to skate or we take it away.mmThere are many great Russian skaters but I’m not ok with how they do it. I never have been. Which country would you prefer to live in.

You seem to think that Russia is still the Soviet Union. While their federation does support skaters more than Skate Canada or USFS, Russia is no longer paying for everything.

Oh and I'd rather live in New Zealand. What does that have to do with a country's approach to skating?

 

[Judy]

You seem to think that Russia is still the Soviet Union. While their federation does support skaters more than Skate Canada or USFS, Russia is no longer paying for everything.

Oh and I'd rather live in New Zealand. What does that have to do with a country's approach to skating?

I’m not just thinking about skating .. other sports too. China ..

 

[yeslek]

That wasn’t my intent. I just think it’s nice to have a choice as a child what you want to do vs we’ll give all this to your family and you need to skate or we take it away.mmThere are many great Russian skaters but I’m not ok with how they do it. I never have been. Which country would you prefer to live in.

But where was anyone comparing Canada to Russia besides you.

 

[overedge]

Everything goes in waves of talent too. Often there is just emptiness once a whole glut of top stars retire.

And there's only so much that any skating federation can do to control it. Funding changes, rinks open and close, skaters change physically, skaters/coaches/officials retire, interest in the sport rises and falls. A federation can only do so much to influence those things. It's inevitable that there's going to be down times. The important thing is whether a federation can sustain interest and participation until new medalists emerge.

 

[Aaron MB Fan]

There are a few contenders in junior men, but no one competitive in ladies, or worse, pairs where Canada is traditionally strong.

While they haven’t competed in Juniors internationally yet I’d say McIntosh/Mimar have a lot of promise and have made great progress even despite the lockdown restrictions. They are showing some strong skills and could rank pretty well internationally relative to recent Junior Canadian pairs.

 

[Xsktrx]

While they haven’t competed in Juniors internationally yet I’d say McIntosh/Mimar have a lot of promise and have made great progress even despite the lockdown restrictions. They are showing some strong skills and could rank pretty well internationally relative to recent Junior Canadian pairs.

I agree. The only time I have seen them was at the Challenge. They will continue to develop in the maturity and presentation department and of course being a newer pair that will gel with time, but they had decent senior elements already in place. Triple double jump combo, two solid throw triples, decent triple twist and good lifts. At 16 and 20 there is potential there. They weren’t far behind our #3 & 4 senior teams (technical mark out scored them) and head and shoulders ahead of our teams that competed at the Jr Challenge.

 

[mackiecat]

I’d put Canada as second to Russia in terms of junior ice dance depth (at least as of the last junior international season) so there’s lots of potential there.

There are a few contenders in junior men, but no one competitive in ladies, or worse, pairs where Canada is traditionally strong.

There are quite a few young ladies coming up. Michelle Lee, Fiona Bombardier to name a couple. There were lots of triple lutzes landed at challenge in Jr. There has been video on Instagram of pre-novice and Novice ladies doing triple lutze. No one doing quads but lots of good potential.

 

[Judy]

But where was anyone comparing Canada to Russia besides you.

Ummmm .. I wasn’t . It’s a democracy vs communist thing.

 

[BittyBug]

Ummmm .. I wasn’t . It’s a democracy vs communist thing.

Russia isn’t a communist country and hasn’t been for 30 years since tbe collapse of the Soviet Union.

 

[Judy]

I don’t believe that they still have influence. However, it’s probably needs a seperate thread of discussion from this one.

 

[euterpe]

I’d put Canada as second to Russia in terms of junior ice dance depth (at least as of the last junior international season) so there’s lots of potential there.

Looking at the results of 2020 WJC, the last junior event since C***** struck:

1. USA Nguyen / Kolesnik (split)
2. GEO Kazakova / Reviya (aged out)
3. RUS Shanaeva / Naryzhnyy
4. RUS Ushakova / Nekrasov
5. RUS Davis / Smolkin
6. FRA Demougeot / LeMercier (already moved up to SR)
7. USA Wolfkostin / Chen - 1st year together
8. CAN Makita / Gunara
9. CAN Bronsard / Bouraguia
10 USA Brown / Brown
11 CAN D'Alessandro / Waddell

Results, US Juniors 2021:

Wolfkostin / Chen
Brown / Brown
DelCamp / Somerville

 

[sap5]

There were several years where Tessa was taller than Scott. It didn’t hurt them.

I don't remember this ever being true. The two being the same size? Yes, such that he could put lifts in his skates and end up taller on the ice. But her actually taller than him? No.

 

[mackiecat]

I don't remember this ever being true. The two being the same size? Yes, such that he could put lifts in his skates and end up taller on the ice. But her actually taller than him? No.

I have seen them skate every year since they first paired up. Yes she was taller