Juniors headed to Croatia

OTTAWA, ON: Skate Canada will send eight entries, for a total of 12 skaters to Zagreb, Croatia, from October 8-12, 2014, for the seventh and final stop on the ISU Junior Grand Prix circuit. Canada will have two entries per category in men’s, ladies, pair, and ice dance.

Anthony Kan, 19, Richmond Hill, Ont., is one of two entries for Canada in the men’s category. Earlier this season, he placed sixth at the ISU Junior Grand Prix in Ljubljana, Slovenia. 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 in Richmond, B.C.

Nicolas Nadeau, 17, Boisbriand, Que., will also represent Canada in the men’s division. Earlier this season, the representative of CPA Boisbriand placed fifth at the ISU Junior Grand Prix in Aichi, Japan. Last season, Nadeau placed fourth at the 2014 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships in the junior category. He is coached by Yvan Desjardins at the École Excellence Rosemère.

Sarah Tamura, 13, Burnaby, B.C., is one of two Canadian entries in ladies. Tamura placed 14th at her first ISU Junior Grand Prix this season in Aichi, Japan. Representing Burnaby FSC, she is the 2014 Canadian novice women’s champion. Tamura is coached by Joanne McLeod, Jill-Marie Harvey, and Neil Wilson at the Champs International Skating Centre.

Grace Lin, 13, Dollard-Des-Ormeaux, Que., will also represent Canada in ladies. Lin finished 12th at her first ISU Junior Grand Prix assignment earlier this season in Aichi, Japan. Last season, representing Dollard FSC, she placed 12th at the 2014 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships in the novice category. She is coached by Yvan Desjardins and Violaine Emard in Rosmere, Que.

Mary Orr, 18, Brantford, Ont., and Phelan Simpson, 18, Lunenburg, N.S., are one of two Canadian pair entries. Orr and Simpson placed sixth at the ISU Junior Grand Prix in Tallinn, Estonia earlier this season. Last season, they earned a seventh place finish at the ISU Junior Grand Prix in Riga, Latvia, and placed sixth at the 2014 ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships. The 2014 Canadian junior pair bronze medallists train at the Kitchener-Waterloo Skating Club with coaches Kristy Wirtz and Kris Wirtz.

Keelee Gingrich, 15, Calgary, Alta., and Davin Portz, 18, Calgary, Alta., are the second Canadian pair entry. The 2014 Canadian Novice Pair Champions will be competing at their first international assignment. The representatives of Glencoe Club and Calalta FSC are coached by Anabelle Langlois and Cody Hay at Calalta FSC.

Audrey Croteau-Villeneuve, 17, Montreal, Que., and Jeff Hough, 19, Russell, Ont., are the first of two Canadian teams in ice dance. Representing the Town of Mt. Royal FSC and Minto Skating Club, the duo placed seventh at the ISU Junior Grand Prix in Tallinn, Estonia earlier this season. They are coached by Darryl VanLuven at the Minto Skating Club in Ottawa, Ont.

Hannah Whitley, 14, Creemore, Ont., and Elliott Graham, 16, Angus, Ont., will also represent Canada in ice dance. The 2014 Canadian novice ice dance silver medallists will be competing at their first international assignment. Whitley and Graham are coached by David Islam and Kelly Johnson at the Mariposa School of Skating in Barrie, Ont.

Petra Burka of Toronto, Ont., will be the Canadian team leader at the event. Dr. Cole Beavis of Saskatoon, Sask., and physiotherapist Karen Seymour of Toronto, Ont., will be the Canadian medical staff onsite. Andrea Derby of Windsor, Ont., and André-Marc Allain of Gatineau, Que., 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 #7 – Zagreb, Croatia