ISU Challenger Series continues as Canada sends three entries to Finlandia Trophy

OTTAWA, ON: Skate Canada will send three entries, for a total of five skaters to the 20^th annual Finlandia Trophy, the fourth event on the 2015 ISU Challenger Series. The competition runs from October 8-11, 2015 at the Barona Arena in Espoo, Finland. Canada will have one entry in men’s and two entries in ice dance.

Two-time Canadian bronze medallist Liam Firus, 23, North Vancouver, B.C., will be the Canadian entry in men’s. This will be his first time competing at this event. Last season, the representative of Vancouver SC placed ninth at the Nebelhorn Trophy, 11^th at Skate Canada International and 15^th at the ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships. Firus is coached by Christy Krall and Damon Allen in Colorado Springs, CO, USA.

Canadian champions and two time world medallists Kaitlyn Weaver, 26, Toronto, Ont., and Andrew Poje, 28, Waterloo, Ont., are the first of two Canadian entries in ice dance. This will also be their first time competing at this event. Last season, they won gold at each of their events (Nebelhorn Trophy, Skate Canada International, NHK Trophy, ISU Grand Prix Final and Four Continents Championships) and won the bronze medal the World Championships. Representing Sault FSC and Kitchener-Waterloo SC, they are coached by Angelika Krylova, Pasquale Camerlengo and Shae-Lynn Bourne in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan.

Canadian junior champions Brianna Delmaestro, 19, Port Moody, B.C., and Timothy Lum, 20, Burnaby, B.C., are the second entry in ice dance for Canada. Earlier this season they placed sixth in their first international assignment at the senior level, the U.S. International Figure Skating Classic. Last season, the representatives of Coquitlam SC and Burnaby FSC won the silver medal at their ISU Junior Grand Prix assignment in Slovenia and the bronze medal in Germany. They are coached by Megan Wing and Aaron Lowe at the Champs International Skating Centre of B.C.

Skate Canada High Performance Director Mike Slipchuk will travel with the team as Canadian team leader. Physiotherapist Agnes Makowski of Toronto, Ont., will be the Canadian medical staff onsite. Leslie Keen of Vancouver, B.C., will be the sole Canadian official at the event.

For results and full entries please visit www.isu.org or the official event website.

CANADIAN ENTRIES AT 20^th Annual Finlandia Trophy