Canadian synchronized skating teams in Switzerland for 2016 Neuchâtel Trophy

OTTAWA, ON:  Canada will have two entries at the 2016 Neuchâtel Trophy international synchronized skating competition. Les Suprêmes senior and Nexxice junior will compete at the event which takes place from January 30-31, 2016 in Neuchâtel, Switzerland, and features 15 teams from eight countries at the senior and junior levels.

Les Suprêmes senior, the 2015 Canadian silver medallists, will be the sole Canadian entry in the senior category. Last season, they won gold at the 2015 Mozart Cup and placed fifth at the 2015 French Cup. The representatives of Quebec also placed sixth at the 2015 ISU World Synchronized Skating Championships in Hamilton, Ontario. The five-time consecutive Canadian silver medallists are coached by Marilyn Langlois, assisted by Pascal Denis, Amélie Brochu, and Amanda Gaiotti.

Canadian silver medallists, Nexxice junior, will be the Canadian entry at the junior level. Last season, the 2013 Canadian junior champions won the silver medal at the Spring Cup in Italy, and placed fifth at the 2015 ISU World Junior Synchronized Skating Championships. Nexxice junior are coached by Trish Perdue-Mills and represent the Burlington Skating Centre.

Marion Dyke of Mississauga, Ont., will be the sole Canadian official at the event.

For more information on the event please visit 2016 Neuchâtel Trophy.

SKATE CANADA NAMES TEAMS FOR 2016 ISU CHAMPIONSHIPS

HALIFAX, NS: At the conclusion of the highly successful 2016 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships, Skate Canada named the teams for three upcoming ISU Championships.

2016 ISU FOUR CONTINENTS FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS
Taipei City, Chinese Taipei – February 16-21, 2016
MEN
Patrick Chan, 25, Toronto, Ont.
Liam Firus, 23, North Vancouver, B.C.
Kevin Reynolds, 25, Coquitlam, B.C.
WOMEN
Alaine Chartrand, 19, Prescott, Ont.
Gabrielle Daleman, 18, Newmarket, Ont.
Kaetlyn Osmond, 20, Marystown, Nfld. / Edmonton, Atla.
ICE DANCE
Kaitlyn Weaver, 26, Waterloo, Ont. / Andrew Poje, 28, Waterloo, Ont.
Piper Gilles, 24, Toronto, Ont. / Paul Poirier, 24, Unionville, Ont.
Élisabeth Paradis, 23, Loretteville, Que. / François-Xavier Ouellette, 23, Laval, Que.
PAIR
Meagan Duhamel, 30, Lively, Ont. / Eric Radford, 30, Balmertown, Ont.
Julianne Séguin, 19, Longueuil, Que. / Charlie Bilodeau, 22, Trois-Pistoles, Que.
Lubov Ilyushechkina, 24, Moscow, Russia / Dylan Moscovitch, 31, Toronto, Ont.
2016 ISU JUNIOR WORLD FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS
Debrecen, Hungary – March 14-20, 2016
MEN
Nicolas Nadeau, 18, Boisbriand, Que.
WOMEN
Sarah Tamura, 15, Vancouver, B.C.
ICE DANCE
Mackenzie Bent, 18, Uxbridge, Ont. / Dmitre Razgulajevs, 19, Ajax, Ont.
Marjorie Lajoie, 15, Boucherville, Que. / Zachary Lagha, 16, St.-Hubert, Que.
Melinda Meng, 16, Ottawa, Ont. / Andrew Meng, 19, Ottawa, Ont.
PAIR
Hope McLean, 16, Glencoe, Ont. / Trennt Michaud, 18, Trenton, Ont.
Bryn Hoffman, 18, Whitehorse, YT / Bryce Chudak, 20, Rocky Mountain House, Alta.
Justine Brasseur, 15, Brossard, Que. / Mathieu Ostiguy, 18, Granby, Que.
2016 ISU WORLD FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS
Boston, USA – March 28 – April 3, 2016
MEN
Patrick Chan, 25, Toronto, Ont.
Liam Firus, 23, North Vancouver, B.C.
WOMEN
Alaine Chartrand, 19, Prescott, Ont.
Gabrielle Daleman, 18, Newmarket, Ont.
ICE DANCE
Kaitlyn Weaver, 26, Waterloo, Ont. / Andrew Poje, 28, Waterloo, Ont.
Piper Gilles, 24, Toronto, Ont. / Paul Poirier, 24, Unionville, Ont.
Élisabeth Paradis, 23, Loretteville, Que. / François-Xavier Ouellette, 23, Laval, Que.
PAIR
Meagan Duhamel, 30, Lively, Ont. / Eric Radford, 30, Balmertown, Ont.
Julianne Séguin, 19, Longueuil, Que. / Charlie Bilodeau, 22, Trois-Pistoles, Que.
Lubov Ilyushechkina, 24, Moscow, Russia / Dylan Moscovitch, 31, Toronto, Ont.

Canadian team wins bronze at Mozart Cup

SALZBURG, Austria – Team Meraki from the Leaside Skating Club in Toronto won the bronze medal Saturday at the Mozart Cup synchronized skating figure skating competition.

Marigold Ice Unity from Finland was first with 19031 points, Miami University from the U.S. was second at 164.49 and Meraki followed at 151.21 out of 13 entries.

The Canadians were third after Friday’s short program and hung on to that position after the fourth best free skate of the day.

‘’The team is thrilled to have skated a solid free program,’’ said Meraki coach Cathy Dalton. ‘’The skaters are very proud to be on the podium at their first international this early in their skating career as Team Meraki, especially with Mozart Cup being one of the largest International competitions on the synchronized skating calendar this season.’’

This is the first international assignment for the 2015 Canadian bronze medallists. Meraki are coached by Cathy Dalton and Lyne Forget.

Canada has two entries at the event which features 52 teams from 15 countries, in senior, junior, and novice.

In junior competition, Les Pirouettes from Laval, Que.,also jad the fourth best free skate which allowed them to climb from sixth to fifth overall out of 19 teams They were just over four ppoints from third spot. Teams from Russia, USA and Finland were 1-2-3.

The three-time consecutive Canadian junior bronze medallists are coached by Nancy Alexander and Stéphanie Savoie. Les Pirouettes were third here last year and won gold in 2014.

More information: 2016 Mozart Cup

Canadian team third after short program at synchronized figure skating event

SALZBURG, Austria – Team Meraki from the Leaside Skating Club in Toronto is in third place after Friday’s short program at the Mozart Cup synchronized skating figure skating competition.

Marigold Ice Unity from Finland is first with 64.52 points, Miami University from the U.S. is second at 58.10 and Meraki follows at 51.66 out of 13 entries.

‘’The team was delighted with their third place result for the short program,’’ said Meraki coach Cathy Dalton. ‘’They enjoyed the performance despite an unfortunate fall at the ending. They are very proud to represent Skate Canada and are looking forward to a solid free skate tomorrow.’’

This is the first international assignment for the 2015 Canadian bronze medallists. Meraki are coached by Dalton and Lyne Forget.

Canada has two entries at the event which features 52 teams from 15 countries, in senior, junior, and novice.

In junior competition, Les Pirouettes from Laval, Que., are sixth out of 19 teams after their short program but less than four points from third place. Teams from Finland, USA and Russia are 1-2-3.

Competition ends Saturday.

More information: 2016 Mozart Cup

Bent and Razgulajevs crowned junior ice dance champions

Junior Dance Podium National Skating Championships 2016

Junior – Dance

Junior Pair Podium national skating championships 2016

Junior – Pair

HALIFAX – First year partners MacKenzie Bent of Uxbridge, Ont., and Dmitre Razgulajevs of Toronto won the gold medal in ice dancing as junior competition concluded Thursday at the 2016 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships.

Bent and Uxbridge totalled 145.31 points for the victory with Marjorie Lajoie and Zachary Lagha of Montreal second at 141.23 and Melinda Meng and Andrew Meng of Montreal third at 139.12. It was a second Canadian junior title for Bent who won with former partner Garrett MacKeen in 2014.

‘’We paired up in June and haven`t had a break so it’s been pretty crazy,’’ said Bent, a silver medallist with her new partner this past fall at an ISU Junior Grand Prix event. ‘’But it seems to have paid off. We are gaining confidence with each of our performances.’’

In pairs, Hope McLean and Trennt Michaud of London, Ont., were the winners at 154.45 with Bryn Hoffman and Bryce Chudak of Calgary second at 139.15 and Allison Eby and Brett Varley of Cambridge, Ont., third at 136.01.

‘’It’s just great to have that skate under our belts heading into the world juniors,’’ said McLean. ‘’We know what we are capable of and we just have to keep pushing.’’

Junior - Men

Junior – Men

Junior - Women

Junior – Women

In men’s competition, Joseph Phan of Gatineau, Que., took the junior crown scoring 189.30 while Edrian Paul Celestino of Montreal was second at 179.92 and Christian Reekie of Orleans, Ont., third at 164.65.

‘’I’m happy to win the title,’’ said Phan. ‘’I was more stressed during my long program because I didn’t have a very good warm-up. I was really struggling with my triple Lutz so it was a big moment when I landed it successfully in the competition.’’

Sarah Tamura of Burnaby, B.C., Alicia Pineault of Montreal and Megan Yim of Vancouver were 1-2-3 in women’s competition.

‘’I feel really good about my performances and the hard work is paying off,’’ said Tamura. ‘’I executed the two programs the way I was practicing them at home.’’

The senior competition concludes the nationals on Friday and Saturday.

More information: 2016 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships

Eleven-year-old wows crowd at 2016 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships

Novice Men Podium National Skating Championships 2016

Novice – Men

Novice Dance Podium National-Skating Championships 2016

Novice – Dance

HALIFAX – Eleven-year-old Stephen Gogolev of Toronto landed a triple Axel en route to the gold medal in men’s novice competition which concluded on Wednesday at the 2016 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships.

Gogolev scored 142.30 to outdistance his nearest rival by more than 20 points. Matthew Markell of Prescott, Ont., took silver at 120.25 and Bruce Waddell of Toronto was third at 106.91.

‘’I felt more comfortable in the long program than the short,’’ said Gogolev, who is coached by Brian Orser. ‘’I just wanted to go out there and do my best for my first nationals.’’

Markell also delivered a personal best performance. ‘’There are some elements I know I could have done better but it is a great way to end the season,’’ he said.

Ontario skaters grabbed all four Canadian titles in novice.

In ice dancing, Olivia Han and Grayson Lochhead of Kitchener, Ont., took the gold with 90.26 points. Alicia Fabbri of Terrebonne, Que., and Claudio Pietrantonio and Laval, Que., were second at 89.22 and Irina Galiyanova and Tommy Tang of Toronto were third at 87.50.

‘’It was pretty intense and lots of fun,’’ said Han. ‘’We are pretty proud of our performances.’’

Novice Pair Podium national skating championships 2016

Novice – Pair

Novice Women Podium National Skating Championships 2016

Novice – Women

In pairs, first-year teammates Jamie Knoblauch and Cody Wong of Milton, Ont., were the victors at 119.90. Katrina Lopez and Kurtis Schreiber of Calgary were second at 104.81 and Hannah Dawson of Hawkesbury, Ont., and Daniel Villeneuve of Sherbrooke, Que., were third at 103.50.

‘’We did exactly what we wanted,’’ said Wong. ‘’We had fun with it.’’

In women’s competition, Aurora Cotop of Thornhill, Ont., overcame a three point deficit after the short program to win gold with 123.85. Olivia Gran of Kelowna, B.C., the leader heading into the long, followed at 121.84 and Natalie D’Alessandro of Thornhill was third 117.56.

‘’For my free program I really wanted to just perform after getting the nerves out in the short,’’ said Cotop. ‘’I wanted to show what I could do.’’

Competition continues Thursday with the completion of the junior event.

The seniors go Friday and Saturday.

More information: 2016 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships

Meet the Senior Men

NAM NGUYEN

Long before stealing the show at the 2011 Canadian junior championships in Victoria, B.C. – where a podium shot gained international attention–

Nam Nguyen

2011 Canadian junior championships

Nam Nguyen was on a fast-track to stardom. During the figure skating gala at the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver, men’s gold medallist Evan Lysacek introduced the then-11-year-old, who went on to dazzle the capacity crowd at Pacific Coliseum.

Nam Nguyen

2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver

Nam stormed on to the international stage in 2014, winning the world junior crown in Sofia, Bulgaria, before claiming his first senior national title at the Canadian Tire National Skating Championships in Kingston, Ont. last January.

In Japan, Nam and reigning Olympic champion Yuzuru Hanyu – who both train under Brian Orser at Toronto’s Cricket Club – are known as the “Cricket Brothers.”

FUN FACT: Nam claims to be able to put 21 marshmallows in his mouth at once.

PATRICK CHAN

Guess who’s back? The three-time world champion (2011, 2012, 2013) returned to the competitive scene after a one year hiatus, winning gold at Skate Canada Challenge in October. In the summer of 2015, Patrick launched his own ice wine named, not surprisingly, “On Ice.” Looking to the future, the seven-time Canadian champion – who is fluent in English, French and Cantonese – plans to pursue a B.A. in Economics, Business and International Language.

FUN FACT: Chan is a car aficionado, and can often be found under the hood during the off-season.

LIAM FIRUS

Liam, an exquisite skater with powerful, fluid strides, represented Canada at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympic Games. Always a crowd favourite, Liam transitioned to figure skating after playing competitive hockey at a young age. Liam says he subscribes to GQ Magazine, and the dapper two-time Canadian senior men’s bronze medallist is always keeping up with fashion trends. Skating is in his family – Liam’s brother, Shane, is a national-level ice dancer.

FUN FACT: Liam says he is “obsessed with the stock market”, and looks forward to working in the investment world once his skating career is over.

ROMAN SADOVSKY

Widely regarded as one of Canada’s brightest young skating prospects, Roman originally took up skating in the hopes of playing hockey, before coaches suggested he give figure skating a go. Not a bad decision. Sadovsky, who trains under two-time Canadian women’s champion Tracey Wainman, captured his second ISU Junior Grand Prix gold medal earlier this year in Bratislava, Slovakia. The youngster also earned his way on to the national team this season, thanks to a fourth-place showing at the 2015 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships and looks poised to make his mark when he makes the jump to the senior level.

FUN FACT: Roman is terrified of bugs.

KEEGAN MESSING

A first-year member of the national team, Keegan, who holds dual U.S and Canadian citizenship, competed for the U.S. previously. An energetic, crowd-pleasing showman and avid outdoorsman, Keegan can usually be found sporting his trademark boonie hat when away from the rink.

FUN FACT: Among his many talents, Keegan walks on stilts in local carnivals during the off-season.

Twenty-six years after “epic moment”, Elvis Stojko returns to Halifax as Athlete Ambassador

Photos : Gladys Orozco

Elvis Stojko can’t believe it’s been that long.

It’s been more than a quarter-century since Stojko introduced himself to the world in Halifax, NS, and the three-time world champion wonders where the time has gone.

This week, Stojko returns to the picturesque Maritime city, serving as the official Athlete Ambassador for the 102nd edition of the Canadian Tire National Skating Championships. In the role, Stojko will handle speaking engagements, media interviews and in-venue activations and, as always, make a little time for competing athletes and his legion of fans.

Stojko will always hold a soft spot in his heart for Halifax, host city of the 1990 ISU World Figure Skating Championships. A fresh-faced youngster still a couple of weeks shy of his 18th birthday, Stojko, fresh off a silver medal performance at the national championships in Sudbury, Ont., arrived in Nova Scotia primed for his first senior worlds.

That week in Halifax, the world was introduced to 17-year-old Elvis Stojko. When he left town, Kurt Browning had racked up his second of three straight world titles, and Stojko was a very respectable ninth

“Halifax – wow, what a week that was,” says Stojko with a laugh. “It was a dream week for me, just an amazing experience. There is no doubt it was a turning point for my career.

“I’ll never forget it. The place was sold out, the fans were just packed in there, and they were going ballistic (for the free program). It was just one of those epic moments.”

“I’ll never forget, the previous year at junior worlds, I was eighth overall. Suddenly, here I was, skating against Kurt, and Viktor Petrenko, and Todd Eldridge – guys I always watched on TV – and I was ninth best in the world, and sixth in the long (program). It was pretty surreal. Everything just kind of snowballed after Halifax. It just kept building and I never really looked back.”

After leaving Halifax. Stojko set off on a gradual climb to the top of the skating world. At the 1991 world championships, he became the first skater to land the quad-double jump combination. The following year, he took home his first world medal with a bronze and followed that up with a silver in 1993.

In 1994, Stojko made it to the top of the skating mountain, winning his first of three world titles over a four-year span.

For good measure, Stojko also became the first skater to complete a quad/triple combination at the 1997 Champions Series Final in Hamilton, Ont.

In addition to his three world titles and seven Canadian senior crowns, Stojko has a pair of Olympic silver medals in his trophy case (1994, 1998).

It was after his second Olympic silver in Nagano – where he skated with a painful groin injury – that Stojko hit tough times. Over the next few years, Stojko admits he fell into a long stretch of depression. Needing a break, Stojko went to visit a friend in Mexico in 2001.

It was what he needed: a chance to relax, escape the merciless Canadian winters and get a little privacy.

He ended up buying an apartment on the spot.

In 2009, he met Gladys Orozco, a former Mexican figure skating champion, while at a skating competition. Stojko and Orozco were married in Las Vegas a year later. The couple lived in Ajijic, a stunning village about an hour from Guadalajara.

But eventually, Canada called him home.

“I never really left,” he says of the return to Canada. “Sure, I was living in Mexico, but I have always been a Canadian. That never changed.

“It was time to come home.”

Since touching down back in Canada, Stojko has been working with Skate Canada, taking young skaters under his wing with on-ice training and mental preparation. Stojko, a martial arts expert, has also given kung fu lessons to his young charges.

Elvis Stojko trains young skaters.

In his limited spare time, Stojko continues to skate in shows while chasing another of his passions: professional kart racing at the national and international level. Stojko also recently dipped his toe in the Broadway show pond, starring as manipulative lawyer Billy Flynn in Chicago: The Musical.

Despite his busy schedule, Stojko is focused on giving back to a sport that has given him so much.

As he was coming up through the ranks as a youngster, Stojko says he often turned to 1987 world champion and two-time Olympic silver medallist Brian Orser for advice.
Stojko has never forgotten that Orser always seemed to find time for him, and he plans on paying it forward.

“If I can help guide them and get them pointed in the right direction, and teach them some of what I have learned, well, that’s what it’s all about. Giving something back.”

“I was fortunate enough to have others I could go to, guys like Brian, who were busy with their own careers but always took time to help out,” adds Stojko.

“These kids today are going to have their own hurdles. It can be a daunting process. You worry about what people think, you want to please everyone.

“If I can help guide them and get them pointed in the right direction, and teach them some of what I have learned, well, that’s what it’s all about. Giving something back.”

And as Stojko gets set to arrive in Halifax in his Athlete Ambassador role, the memories of 1990 are sure to come flooding back.

His advice for those competing this week at the Canadian Tire National Skating Championships?

“It sounds cliché, but just embrace the moment,” says Stojko.

“These kids are the best in Canada. They are here for a reason. A few of them are going to have a magical week, but some will not. For a lot of these kids, this week is going to be a learning experience. You learn, you adapt and you come back stronger.

“Just go for it. This is your chance. Don’t hold anything back.”

And who knows. Perhaps a few skaters will be leaving Halifax with memories of their own.

Canadian synchronized skating teams prepared for 2016 Mozart Cup

OTTAWA, ON:  Canada will have two teams competing at the sixth annual Mozart Cup in Salzburg, Austria. The international synchronized skating competition takes place from January 22-24, 2016, and features 52 teams from 15 countries, in senior, junior, and novice. Canada will have entries in the senior and junior categories.

Representing the Leaside Skating Club, Meraki will be the Canadian entry in the senior category. This will be the first international assignment for the 2015 Canadian bronze medallists. Meraki are coached by Cathy Dalton and Lyne Forget.

Les Pirouettes, representing CPA Laval, will be the Canadian entry in the junior category. They have previously competed at this event winning bronze last season and gold in 2014. The three-time consecutive Canadian junior bronze medallists are coached by Nancy Alexander and Stéphanie Savoie.

Jennifer Betts of Bragg Creek, Alta., will be the sole Canadian official at the event.

For more information on the event please visit the event website.

Skate Judging 101: How is a Program Scored?

Skating is a sport that combines extreme technical expertise and physical stamina with artistry. For those fans who are newer to the sport or in need of a little understanding on skating’s judging system, we’re here to give you some basics on judging and scoring.

This crash course on the Judging System is just in time to help you enjoy the 2016
Canadian Tire National Skating Championships.

THE JUDGING SYSTEM
So how does the judging system work and what factors are used to calculate your
favourite skater’s performance?

Each segment (or program) is graded by combining two sets of scores:

  • Technical Elements (TES – Total Element Score)
  • Program Components (PCS – Program Component Score)

Each skater (or pair) is judged on their specific program elements and components, or presentation.

Let’s take a closer look at Technical Elements and Program Components:

TECHNICAL ELEMENTS (TES – TOTAL ELEMENT SCORE)
The TES is composed of a Base Value for each element within a program (i.e. jump, spin, lift, step sequence, etc.) determined by the Technical Panel, and the Grade of Execution (GOE), graded by a panel of up to nine judges. The more difficult the element, the higher the Base Value.

The Technical Panel is generally made up of a team of five: the Technical Specialist,
Assistant Technical Specialist, Technical Controller, Data Input Operator and Video Replay Operator. Together, the Technical Panel works to identify or “call” each performed element and the Base Value associated with it. The Base Value of each element has a point value assigned to it. In some cases the Technical Panel also determines the Level of Difficulty associated with that element (i.e. footwork, spins). If the planned element was not completed – for instance, if a jump was under-rotated – then the Base Value of that element is reduced.

Once an element is identified and confirmed by the Technical Panel, that element is
immediately displayed on the touch screens of all nine judges, who will give a Grade of Execution (GOE) for the quality of the element using a seven-point scale (+3, +2, +1, 0, -1, -2, -3). A GOE of +3 means the element is considered world-class.

For each element, the highest and lowest GOEs are discarded and an average of the remaining scores is then calculated, referred to as the “trimmed mean.” The sum of the trimmed mean GOEs and the Base Values of all the elements gives the Total Element Score.

Instantaneous, slow-motion video replay is at the fingertips of the Technical Panel, so any particular element can be reviewed to determine if it was completed. At most events, video replay is also available for the judges to assess the quality of an element for their own scoring.

Example:
Each planned element in any program will have a designated Base Value attached to it.

If a skater were to receive a GOE of “0” on every element – which means the element was simply “completed” – then the technical score is identical to the total Base Values of the elements.

PROGRAM COMPONENTS
In addition to the Total Element Score (TES), Judges also award points for overall quality and presentation of the program based on five components: skating skills, transitions, performance/execution, choreography/composition and interpretation. The skater is assigned a mark for each of these components, scored from 0.25 to 10, in increments of 0.25.

FINAL SCORE
The total score for any segment (program) is the Total Element Score and Program Components added together less any deductions (e.g. 1.0 for a fall). Please see the corresponding charts for segment and competition score breakdowns, and scoring benchmarks at senior level events.

COMPETITION SCORE:

Men, Women, Pair & Synchronized

Short Program Score +
Free Program Score =
Total Competition Score

COMPETITION SCORE:

Ice Dance

Short Dance Score + Free Dance Score
= Total Competition Score
Or
Pattern Dance 1 Score (x.5) +
Pattern Dance 2 (x.5) Score +
Free Dance Score = Total Competition Score

SENIOR SCORING BENCHMARKS
MEN WOMEN PAIR ICE DANCE
EXCELLENT 290 200 210 180
VERY GOOD 250-289 180-199 185-209 165-179
GOOD 210-249 160-179 170-184 150-164

Meet the Senior Women

GABRIELLE DALEMAN

At just 16 years of age, Gabrielle was the youngest member of the entire Canadian Olympic Team at the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi. A former gymnast, “Gabby”, the defending Canadian women’s champion, uses her lightning speed as the springboard for her powerful jumps. Her favourite motto? “Play like you’re in first, but train like you’re in second.”

FUN FACT: Gabby always has to have her special travel companion with her when she is on the road: her purple blanket.

KAETLYN OSMOND

Just weeks after winning Skate Canada Challenge to qualify for the Canadian Tire National Skating Championships in 2012, Kaetlyn turned a lot of hands with a bronze medal performance at nationals. Later that year, she added titles at Nebelhorn Trophy and Skate Canada International before winning Canadian championships in 2013 and 2014. The affable Osmond, who always seems to have a smile on her face, missed last season following surgery for a broken leg.

FUN FACT: Kaetlyn has to tie her skates twice – and drink orange juice – before she competes.

ALAINE CHARTRAND

A bronze medal finish at the Rostelecom Cup in 2014 set the table for Alaine at the 2015 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships, where she finished second, less than two points behind champion Gabrielle Daleman. Although she says she was too young to remember, Alaine has been told she landed her first axel when she was just six years old.

FUN FACT: On long skating trips, Alaine often rides in the family RV, a step up from her previous mode of transportation: her father racked up more than 500,000 km on his six-seat pickup truck in Alaine’s younger years.

VÉRONIK MALLET

When she isn’t finishing on the podium at the national championships, Véronik, the reigning Canadian bronze medallist, is setting up for her future. The native of Sept-Îles, Quebec would love to remain in skating as a coach, but she is currently studying Human Science at CEGEP in Sorel-Tracy, Que. in the hopes of one day becoming a primary school professor.

FUN FACT: In addition to skating and school, Veronik finds time to juggle in her spare time.

ROXANNE RHEAULT

A rookie on the national team, Roxanne has dealt with injury issues over the past few seasons. She made her mark on the national scene in 2011, winning the Canadian junior women’s title. In 2007, Roxanne also won the national juvenile title – the same year a young Nam Nguyen won the juvenile men’s crown.

FUN FACT: An avid dancer, Roxanne has also studied ballet to help improve her artistry and presentation on the ice.

KIM DEGUISE LÉVEILLÉE

Thanks to a fifth-place showing at the Canadian Tire National Skating Championships last year, Kim, the 2014 junior champion, punched her ticket on to the national team for first time. The young skater, who enjoyed a pair of top-ten finishes on the ISU Junior Grand Prix circuit in 2014, has worked hard with coaches Josée Picard and Marc-André Craig to boost her confidence as she makes the transition to the senior level.

FUN FACT: Kim ties her skates standing up, not sitting down.

Meet the Senior Pairs

MEAGAN DUHAMEL / ERIC RADFORD

Year in and year out, Duhamel and Radford continue to raise the bar for themselves and their sport. Showcasing signature elements, including stunning death spirals and a groundbreaking throw quad Salchow a year ago, the reigning world pair champions will go in search of their fifth consecutive Canadian title in Halifax. Radford loves music almost as much as he loves skating. He composed Tribute in 2006 after Paul Wirtz, his coach at the time, passed away from non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Tribute continues to help in the fight against cancer and is available at www.cancer.ca/EricRadford, with fifty per cent of all net sales going to cancer research at the Canadian Cancer Society.
The pair also used Tribute in their short program in 2013-14.

FUN FACT: The last time Halifax played hosted to the Canadian championships, Meagan Duhamel placed sixth – in women’s singles. Months later, Meagan shifted to pair skating, and has never looked back. Meagan also claimed the 2004 Canadian junior women’s championship.

LUBOV ILYUSHECHKINA/DYLAN MOSCOVITCH

Lubov and Dylan teamed up in 2014 and their first appearance at the 2015 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships was certainly a rewarding one, as they took home silver. The combination of Lubov’s incredible flexibility and Dylan’s powerful strength means fans can often see unique lifts and creative tricks during their programs. In the future, Dylan says he would like to study business at the University of Toronto, while Lubov has an interest in economics and law.

FUN FACT: In her own words, Lubov is “obsessed with cheese.” Dylan is an accomplished martial artist, and a certified Krav Maga instructor.

JULIANNE SÉGUIN/CHARLIE BILODEAU

Anyone who remembers Charlie’s moustache from their The Grand Budapest Hotel soundtrack short program last year probably figures the ‘stache was fake. Not so – he grew it for every short program, maintaining he wanted to “stay in character”, before shaving it off for the free program. The pair turned a lot of heads last year, winning two Junior Grand Prix events, the Junior Grand Prix Final, placing second at the World Junior Figure Skating Championships and, for good measure, taking bronze at the senior level at the 2015 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships.

FUN FACT: Charlie claims to be able to put a balloon up his nose and pull it out his mouth; Julianne is often offered a kid’s menu at restaurants.

KIRSTEN MOORE-TOWERS / MICHAEL MARINARO

Remember that photo of 4’11” Kirsten and 6’9” Boston Bruins defenceman Zdeno Chara that went viral during the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympic Games?

Well, a lot has changed since then. Kirsten and longtime partner Dylan Moscovitch parted ways after those Games, and KMT teamed up with Michael Marinaro. The duo earned their way onto the national team for the 2015-16 campaign, and earned their first Grand Prix medal together when they took home bronze at Skate Canada International in October.

FUN FACT: Michael is often told he looks like Craig Buntin; Kirsten can recite the alphabet – in sign language.

VANESSA GRENIER / MAXIME DESCHAMPS

Keep an eye on the 2014 Canadian junior pair champions: they train alongside reigning world pair champions Meagan Duhamel and Eric Radford in suburban Montreal, under the watchful eye of coaches Richard Gauthier and Bruno Marcotte. A team on the rise, Grenier and Deschamps were seventh at 2015 Skate Canada International and followed that up with an 8th place showing at the Cup of China.

FUN FACT: Maxime was featured in a commercial for a drugstore, performing a triple jump. Vanessa won a contest and made three montage videos to demonstrate an athlete’s lifestyle.