(April 16, 2007)

Skate Canada congratulates skater Joey Russell for winning the Junior Male Athlete of the Year award at the Sport Newfoundland and Labrador Annual Awards for the third time.

The Sport Newfoundland and Labrador Annual Awards Banquet recognizing the best athletic achievements in Newfoundland and Labrador during 2006 took place on Saturday, March 31 in St. John's. Skate Canada Junior Team Member Joey Russell of the Polaris Skating Club, Labrador City, NL was named the winner of the Joe Mullins Memorial Award - 2006 Junior Male Athlete of the Year. Joey was previously a recipient of the award in 2005 and 2004 making his three consecutive selections an unprecedented achievement since the inception of the Junior Male Athlete of the Year Award in 1993

Joey Russell was crowned Canadian Junior Champion at the 2006 national championships in Ottawa. He competed in this season’s ISU Junior Grand Prix circuit and was 11th in Oslo and 4th in Budapest. He concluded this season by finishing 6th at the 2007 BMO Canadian Championships in Halifax in January, and placing 11th at the ISU World Junior Championships in Oberstdorf, Germany, in March.

Congratulations Joey!