Canadian skaters in France to kick off 2019-2020 ISU Junior Grand Prix season

OTTAWA, ON: Skate Canada junior skaters kickoff the 2019-2020 skating season in Courchevel, France with the start of the ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating series. Courchevel is the first of seven events that will see Canada’s top junior skaters compete against the world as they vie to qualify for the ISU Junior Grand Prix Final. Skate Canada will have 5 entries, for a total of 7 skaters, competing at the event. There will be two entries in men and ice dance, and one entry in the women’s discipline at the competition, which takes place August 21-24, 2019.

Aleksa Rakic, 14, Burnaby, B.C., is one of two Canadian entries in the men’s discipline. Rakic won gold in junior at the 2019 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships. Last season on the ISU Junior Grand Prix circuit, he placed eighth at Bratislava and sixth at Ostrava. He is coached by Joanne McLeod in Burnaby, B.C.

Iliya Kovler, 15, Richmond Hill, Ont., will also represent Canada in the men’s discipline. Kovler finished ninth in senior at the 2019 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships. Last season, he placed seventh at JGP Canada and third at JGP Yerevan. He is coached by Andrei Berezintsev in Richmond Hill, Ont.

Alison Schumacher, 16, Tecumseh, Ont., will be the only Canadian representative in the women’s category. Schumacher finished seventh in senior at the 2019 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships. Last season, she placed ninth at JGP Bratislava and 12th at JGP Canada. She also placed 10th at the 2019 World Junior Figure Skating Championships. Schumacher is coached by Lee Barkell in Toronto, Ont.

Emmy Bronsard, 14, Montreal, Que., and Aissa Bouaraguia, 18, Montreal, Que., are one of two ice dance teams representing Canada. The team finished sixth in junior at the 2019 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships. Last season on the JGP circuit, the two finished fourth at Ostrava and sixth at Yerevan. They are coached by Romain Haguenauer in Montréal, Que.

Olivia McIsaac, 17, Burlington, Ont., and Corey Circelli, 16, Toronto, Ont., will also represent Canada in the ice dance discipline. The two finished eighth in junior at the 2019 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships. Last season, the team finished seventh at JGP Ostrava. They are coached by Andrew Hallam in Toronto, Ont.

André Bourgeois, Skate Canada NextGen Director and Marisa Gravino of Montreal, Que., will be the Canadian team leaders at the event. Dr. Shae Zukiwsky, Senior Director, Performance Excellence will be the team official at the event. Dr. Ghislaine Robert of Montreal, Que., and physiotherapist Shirley Kushner of Westmount, Que., will be the team medical staff onsite. Lorner Schroder of Georgetown, Ont., and Patty Klein of Montreal, Que., will be the Canadian officials attending the event.

For more information, please visit www.isu.org.

CANADIAN ENTRIES AT ISU JGP #1 – COURCHEVEL, FRANCE

DISCIPLINE NAME AGE HOMETOWN CLUB COACH
Men Aleksa Rakic 14 Burnaby, B.C. Champs International Skating Club of B.C. Joanne McLeod
Men Iliya Kovler 15 Richmond Hill, Ont. Richmond Hill Training Centre Andrei Berezintsev
Women Alison Schumacher 16 Tecumseh, Ont. Granite Club & Toronto CS & CC Lee Barkell
Ice Dance Emmy Bronsard / Aissa Bouaraguia 14/18 Montreal, Que. / Montreal, Que. Montreal International Skating School Romain Haguenauer
Ice Dance Olivia McIsaac / Corey Circelli 17/16 Burlington, Ont. / Toronto, Ont. Toronto CS & CC Andrew Hallam
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