Canadian Skaters Headed to Slovenia for Second ISU Junior Grand Prix

OTTAWA, ON: Skate Canada will send eight skaters, for a total of six entries to Ljubljana, Slovenia for the second ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating of the season. Canada will have two entries in men’s, ladies, and ice dance. There will be no pair competition at the event, which takes place from August 27-31, 2014.

Mitchell Gordon, 18, Vancouver, B.C., is the first of two entries in men’s for Canada. Last season, he placed 11th at the ISU Junior Grand Prix in Ostrava, Czech Republic, and also placed 11th at the 2014 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships, competing as a senior. In 2013, he placed 16th at the ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships. Gordon is coached by Eileen Murphy and Keegan Murphy at the Connaught Figure Skating Club in Richmond, B.C.

Anthony Kan, 19, Richmond Hill, Ont., is the second entry for Canada in the men’s category. This will be his second time competing on the ISU Junior Grand Prix circuit, having placed 12th in Chemnitz, Germany in 2012. Last season, the representative of York Region Skating Academy placed 14th at the 2014 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships, competing in the senior men’s category. He is coached by Heather Austman and Keegan Murphy and trains out of the Connaught Figure Skating Club.

Julianne Delaurier, 16, Kelowna, B.C., is one of two entries representing Canada in the ladies category. Last season, she placed ninth at the ISU Junior Grand Prix in Gdansk, Poland, and won silver in the junior category at the 2014 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships. She is coached by Karen Mongrain and Jason Mongrain at the Kelowna Figure Skating Club.

Selena Zhao, 16, Varennes, Que. – Colorado Springs, USA, will also represent Canada in the ladies division. Zhao will be making her international debut for Canada, representing CPA Varennes. She is coached by Christy Krall and Damon Allen in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Brianna Delmaestro, 18, Port Moody, B.C., and Timothy Lum, 19, Burnaby, B.C., are one of two entries in ice dance for Canada. Delmaestro and Lum placed fifth at both their ISU Junior Grand Prix Assignments last season in Gandsk, Poland, and Tallinn, Estonia. Representing Coquitlam SC and Burnaby FSC, they won the bronze medal in junior ice dance at the 2014 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships. They are coached by Megan Wing and Aaron Lowe at the BC Centre of Excellence.

Valerie Taillefer, 15, Montreal, Que., and Jason Chan, 18, Saint-Laurent, Que., will be competing at their first international assignment, representing Canada in ice dance. The duo from Club de Patinage des Deux-Rives and Saint-Laurent FSC are the 2014 Canadian novice ice dance champions. Taillefer and Chan are coached by Elise Hamel and Shawn Winter at Sportplexe 4 Glaces Pierrefonds.

Petra Burka of Toronto, Ont., will be the Canadian team leader. Dr. Ed Pilat of Winnipeg, Man., and physiotherapist Paige Larson of North Vancouver, B.C., will be the Canadian medical team onsite. Debbie Islam of Barrie, Ont., and Ron Conacher of Toronto, Ont., are the Canadian officials at the event.

The ISU will be live streaming the competition via the ISU Junior Grand Prix YouTube channel.

For results and full entries please visit www.isu.org.

CANADIAN ENTRIES AT ISU JGP #2 – Ljubljana, Slovenia

Discipline Name Age Hometown Club Coach
Men’s Mitchell Gordon 18 Vancouver, B.C. Connaught Figure Skating Club Eileen Murphy / Keegan Murphy
Men’s Anthony Kan 19 Richmond Hill, Ont. York Region Skating Academy Heather Austman / Keegan Murphy
Ladies Julianne Delaurier 16 Kelowna, B.C. Richmond Training Centre Karen Mongrain / Jason Mongrain
Ladies Selena Zhao 16 Varennes, Que. – Colorado Springs, USA CPA Varennes Christy Krall / Damon Allen
Ice Dance Brianna Delmaestro / Timothy Lum 18/19 Port Moody, B.C. / Burnaby, B.C. Coquitlam SC / Burnaby FSC Megan Wing / Aaron Lowe
Ice dance Valerie Taillefer / Jason Chan 15/18 Montreal, Que. / Saint-Laurent, Que. Club de Patinage des Deux-Rives/ Saint Laurent FSC Elise Hamel / Shawn Winter
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