Canadian skaters headed to Salt Lake City for U.S. International Figure Skating Classic

OTTAWA, ON: Skate Canada will send seven entries, for a total of 10 skaters to the 2017 U.S. International Figure Skating Classic, the first event on the International Skating Union’s (ISU) 2017 Challenger Series. Canada will have two entries per discipline in men, ladies, and pairs and one entry in ice dance, at the event which runs from September 13-17, 2017, in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA.

Liam Firus, 25, North Vancouver, B.C., is the first of two Canadian entries in men’s. He placed eighth at this event in 2013. Last season, Firus placed fifth at the Nebelhorn Trophy, ninth at Skate Canada International, and seventh at the 2017 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships. Firus is coached by Bruno Marcotte in Sainte-Julie, Que.

Bennet Toman, 20, Brampton, Ont., is the second Canadian entry in men’s. This will be his first time competing at this event. Last season, Toman placed fifth at the 2016 Autumn Classic International and eighth at the 2017 Canadian Championships. He is coached by Michelle Leigh in Oakville, Ont.

Alicia Pineault, 17, Varennes, Que., is one of two Canadian entries in the ladies category. This will also be her first time competing at this event. Last season, she placed 10^th at the ISU Junior Grand Prix in the Czech Republic, fifth in junior at the 2016 Autumn Classic International, and seventh in senior at the 2017 Canadian Championships. Pineault is coached by Stéphane Yvars in Boucherville, Que.

Michelle Long, 25, Newmarket, Ont., is the second Canadian entry in the ladies discipline, and will also be competing at this event for the first time. Last season, she placed 11^th at the 2016 Autumn Classic International, and ninth at the 2017 Canadian Championships. Long is coached by Robert Burk and Danielle Rose in Richmond Hill, Ont.

Canadian bronze medallists Kirsten Moore-Towers, 25, St. Catharines, Ont., and Michael Marinaro, 25, Sarnia, Ont., are the first Canadian entry in pairs. Moore-Towers and Marinaro are the 2015 bronze medallists at this event. Last season in international competition, they placed seventh at the ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships. Moore-Towers and Marinaro are coached by Bruno Marcotte, Richard Gauthier and Sylvie Fullum in St. Leonard, Que.

Sydney Kolodziej, 24, Montreal, Que., and Maxime Deschamps, 25, Vaudreuil-Dorion, Que., will also represent Canada in pairs. This will be their first international assignment together. Last season, they placed sixth at the 2017 Canadian Championships. Kolodziej and Deschamps are coached by Richard Gauthier and Bruno Marcotte in St. Leonard, Que.

Carolane Soucisse, 22, Châteauguay, Que., and Shane Firus, 23, North Vancouver, B.C., will represent Canada in ice dance. This will be their first time competing at this event. Last season, they placed seventh at both of their international assignments: Autumn Classic International and the Cup of Nice. Soucisse and Firus are coached by Marie-France Dubreuil and Patrice Lauzon in Montreal, Que.

Mike Slipchuk, Skate Canada High Performance Director, and Marie Bowness of Bedford, N.S., will be the Canadian team leaders at the event. Physiotherapist Karen Seymour of Toronto, Ont., will be the Canadian medical staff onsite. Susan Blatz of Burlington, Ont., and Debbie Islam of Barrie, Ont., will be the Canadian officials at the event.

For more information and full entries please visit www.isu.org.

CANADIAN ENTRIES AT 2017 U.S. INTERNATIONAL FIGURE SKATING CLASSIC