Five Canadian skaters headed to Grenoble for Internationaux de France

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OTTAWA, ON: Team Canada will be competing at the third stop of the 2019 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating series in Grenoble, France from November 1-3, 2019.

In the men’s category, Nicolas Nadeau will represent Canada. This season, Nadeau finished seventh at Skate Canada International. He is coached by Yvan Desjardins in Boisbriand, Que.

In the pairs category, Camille Ruest and Drew Wolfe will be competing for Canada. The team finished sixth at Skate America earlier this season. They are coached by Richard Gauthier in Saint-Leonard, Que.

Carolane Soucisse and Shane Firus will be the lone ice dance team representing Canada. This season, the team finished third at U.S. International Figure Skating Classic. They are coached by Marie-France Dubreuil and Patrice Lauzon in Montreal, Que.

Carolyn Allright of Waterloo, Ont., will be the Canadian leader at the event. Physiotherapist Karen Seymour of Toronto, Ont., will be the Canadian medical staff onsite. Janice Hunter of Vancouver, B.C., will be Canadian official attending the event.

For more information, please visit www.isu.org

CANADIAN ENTRIES AT INTERNATIONAUX DE FRANCE – GRENOBLE, FRANCE

DISCIPLINE NAME AGE HOMETOWN CLUB COACH
Men Nicolas Nadeau 22 Boisbriand, Que. CPA Boisbriand Yvan Desjardins
Pair Camille Ruest / Drew Wolfe 25/24 Rimouski, Que. / Calgary, Alta. CPA Rimouski / Glencoe Club Richard Gauthier
Ice Dance Carolane Soucisse / Shane Firus 24/25 Montreal, Que. / North Vancouver, B.C. CPA Repentigny / CPA Repentigny Marie-France Dubreuil / Patrice Lauzon

Gilles and Poirier win first Grand Prix gold at 2019 Skate Canada International

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KELOWNA, B.C. – Canadian ice dancers Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier earned their first career victory on the ISU Grand Prix circuit on Saturday while compatriots Kirsten Moore-Towers and Michael Marinaro added silver in pairs and Nam Nguyen was also second in the men’s event.

Gilles and Poirier, in their ninth season together, set personal bests right across the board finishing with 209.01 points. The Toronto tandem edged the defending Grand Prix Final champions Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue of the U.S. in second at 206.31 while Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson of Britain were third at 195.35.

“This is such a special moment,” said Poirier. “Our mentality every single day is to push ourselves in order to win. We felt really united this week and that gives us the confidence we need to skate our best.”

World junior champions Marjorie Lajoie of Boucherville, Que., and Zachary Lagha of Saint-Hubert, Que., moved from seventh to sixth and Haley Sales of Kelowna, B.C., and Nikolas Wamsteeker of Burnaby, B.C., remained 10th.

Gold – Aleksandra Boikova / Dmitrii Kozlovskii, Silver – Kirsten Moore-Towers / Michael Marinaro, Bronze – Evgenia Tarasova / Vladimir Morozov

In pairs, Aleksandra Boikova and Dmitrii Kozlovskii of Russia took the gold with 216.71 followed by Moore-Towers and Marinaro in second at 208.49. Evgenia Tarasova and Vladimir Morozov of Russia were third at 202.29.

“We’ve been training a lot better than that,” said Moore-Towers, from St. Catharines, Ont. “We worked really hard on our jumps so there was some unforeseen mistakes and we’re glad we didn’t let them snowball. But it was probably our worst run of this program in six weeks.”

Lubov Ilyushechkina of Toronto and Charlie Bilodeau of Trois-Pistoles, Que., were fifth and Evelyn Walsh of London, Ont., and Trennt Michaud of Trenton, Ont., eighth.

Gold – Yuzuru Hanyu, Silver – Nam Nguyen, Bronze – Keiji Tanaka

There was no surprise on the men’s side as two-time Olympic champion Yuzuru Hanyu earned 322.59, less than a point from the world record. Nguyen also set a personal best 262.77 and Keiji Tanaka of Japan was third at 250.02.

“I felt pretty good,” Nguyen said. “There was a moment backstage while I was waiting I was kind of freaking out a little bit. But once I put my skates on, I pretty much calmed down. I basically watched Yuzu’s entire program, and I was able to channel that energy.”

Nicolas Nadeau of Blainville, Que., was seventh and Roman of Sadovsky of Vaughan, Ont., 10th.

In women’s competition, Alexandra Trusova of Russia won the gold medal with Rika Kihira of Japan second and Young You of South Korea third.

Two-time Olympian Gabrielle Daleman of Newmarket, Ont., was 10th, Alicia Pineault of Varennes, Que., 11th and Veronik Mallet of Sept-Iles, Que., 12th.

“It was good to get some more mileage on this program,” said Daleman. “Training has been going well this week and it was a thrill to compete in front of the home crowd.”

The next stop on the circuit is Friday and Saturday in Grenoble, France.

Full results: ISU GP 2019 Skate Canada International

ISU Skating Awards premieres at the ISU World Figure Skating Championships 2020 in Montreal

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The ISU Skating Awards is a brand-new and exciting event combining breathtaking Figure Skating performances, entertaining music acts, astonishing artistic shows and a dazzling Award ceremony.

The International Skating Union, Skate Canada and Art on Ice are proud to announce that the first ever ISU Skating Awards will be held on the occasion of the ISU World Figure Skating Championships® Montreal 2020.

Awards from seven categories will be given to outstanding athletes, Choreographer and Coach. Additionally, an innovative mix of Figure Skating, Dance and Cirque Nouveau will be showcased, featuring captivating music acts and several live performances – involving all 2020 ISU World Figure Skating Champions and medalists.

The ISU Skating Awards is a new format that will take place on Sunday, March 22, 2020 between 16:00 – 18:30 EDT (21:00 – 23:30 GMT) bringing a glamorous finish to the ISU World Figure Skating Championships 2020. Guests, VIPs and ISU Skating Awards nominees will arrive on the red carpet at the famous Bell Center in Montreal.

A long list of candidates will be announced on December 1, 2019 and on-line voting will open, allowing the media, public and ISU Members to vote for their favorite candidates through a new on-line voting platform. On-line voting will be possible from December 1, 2019 to February 10, 2020.

Following the on-line vote, three nominees in each category will be selected and officially announced on March 10, 2020.

A star-studded Jury will determine the winner of each category and the winners will be revealed and presented with their Award on the occasion of ISU Skating Awards held on March 22, 2020.

ISU Skating Awards categories
There are 7 Award categories:

  • Most Valuable Skater: Honors the Single Skater or Pair or Ice Dance Couple who best managed to increase the level of popularity of Figure Skating related to the fan base involvement, media attention and sponsors appreciation
  • Best Costume: Honors the Single Skater or Pair or Ice Dance Couple presenting a costume reflecting creativity, contemporary implementation, fashion, style and originality
  • Most Entertaining Program: Honors the Single Skater or Pair or Ice Dance Couple for the music selection, expression, creativity, contemporary implementation, originality and overall performance
  • Best Newcomer: Honors a young talented Single Skater or Pair or Ice Dance Couple competing very successfully in ISU Events on the Senior level for the first season
  • Best Choreographer: Honors the choreographic work of a Choreographer who successfully inspired one or several Single Skaters and/or Pairs and/or ice Dance Couples
  • Best Coach: Honors a Coach who delivered professional and efficient work and achieved outstanding results with one or several Single Skaters and/or Pairs and/or ice Dance Couples
  • Lifetime Achievement Award: Honors a Figure Skating legend having achieved great success and popularity and is considered as a role model in the Figure Skating World.

The ISU, Skate Canada and Art on Ice held a press conference on October 26, 2019 to unveil the ISU Skating Awards. The panel included:

  • Ms. Patricia St Peter – ISU Representative
  • Mr. Benoit Lavoie – ISU Council Member
  • Mr. Oliver Höner – ISU Skating Awards Producer & Art on Ice CEO
  • Mr. Ari Zakarian – ISU Skating Awards Show Initiator
  • Ms. Leanna Caron – Skate Canada President

The full press conference is available on demand.

To receive the latest information on the #ISUSkatingAwards please subscribe to the ISU Newsletter here and for more information please visit www.isu.org and https://montreal2020.com. Click here to buy tickets for this exclusive event.

About International Skating Union
The International Skating Union (ISU), founded in 1892, is the oldest governing international winter sport federation and the exclusive international sport federation recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) administering the sports of Figure Skating (Single & Pair Skating and Ice Dance), Synchronized Skating, Speed Skating and Short Track Speed Skating worldwide. The objectives of the ISU are to regulate, govern, promote and develop its sports on the basis of friendship and mutual understanding between athletes. Currently three ISU disciplines are included in the Olympic Winter Games program (Figure Skating, Speed Skating and Short Track Speed Skating). For further information please visit isu.org.

About Skate Canada
A not-for-profit organization, Skate Canada is the oldest figure skating organization in the world and is recognized by the Government of Canada, the Canadian Olympic Committee, and the International Skating Union as the governing body for the sport of figure skating in Canada. As the largest learn-to-skate teaching organization in Canada, Skate Canada is dedicated to creating a nation of skaters both recreationally and competitively. Skate Canada is comprised of ten regional sections that are made up of over 1,200 skating clubs and 180,000 members, including over 10,000 volunteers and coaches who are dedicated to creating safe and healthy learning, training, and working environments in our communities. For further information please visit skatecanada.ca.

About Art on Ice
Internationally-renowned music stars performing their greatest hits live, the world’s elite Olympic and Championship ice skaters choreographed in perfect synchronization and an unforgettable show with spectacular special effects – this combination of superlatives is enough to melt the ice.

Year after year, millions of viewers, whether live in the stadium or at home in front of the TV, are enchanted by the passion and power of Art on Ice and its artists.

A star-studded line-up, breathtaking performances and a show rich in emotion all converge to create an unsurpassable experience. That is Art on Ice. For Further information please visit www.artonice.com.

Canadians in medal position in three events after short at Skate Canada International

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KELOWNA, B.C. – Canadian skaters are in medal position in ice dancing, pairs and men’s competition after Friday’s short programs at Skate Canada International, the second stop on the ISU Grand Prix figure skating circuit.

Ice dancers Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier of Toronto and the pairs team of Kirsten Moore-Towers of St. Catharines, Ont., and Michael Marinaro of Sarnia, Ont., are in second place and Canadian champion Nam Nguyen of Toronto is third for the men.

In pairs, Aleksandra Boikova and Dmitrii Kozlovskii of Russia are first after the short program with 76.45 followed by Moore-Towers and Marinaro with a personal best 75.50 and Evgenia Tarasova and Vladimir Morozov of Russia at 73.57.

Moore-Towers and Marinaro, in their sixth season together, won the Nebelhorn Trophy event earlier this month in Germany.

“We definitely took a step up from our competition in Germany,” said Marinaro. “Still we left a couple of points on the table and despite the personal best we’re looking past that. We need more than that.”

Lubov Ilyushechkina of Toronto and Charlie Bilodeau of Trois-Pistoles, Que., are fifth at 68.62 and Evelyn Walsh of London, Ont., and Trennt Michaud of Trenton, Ont., are eighth.

In ice dancing, last season’s Grand Prix Final champions Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue of the U.S. after first after the rhythm dance with 83.21. Gilles and Poirier follow closely in second at 82.58 and Kaitlyn Hawayek and Jean-Luc Baker of the U.S. are third at 79.52.

“It was a fairly solid skate for this time of the season,” said Poirier. “It was a testament to the work we’ve put in to increase the speed and increase the confidence we skate with. Last year at Skate Canada we started off with a costly error so this year wanted to do better.”

World junior champions Marjorie Lajoie of Boucherville, Que., and Zachary Lagha of Saint-Hubert, Que., are seventh and Haley Sales of Kelowna, B.C., and Nikolas Wamsteeker of Burnaby, B.C., are 10th.

On the men’s side, two-time Olympic champion Yuzuru Hanyu of Japan was dominant in the short scoring 109.60. Camden Pulkinen of the U.S. is second at 89.05 just ahead of Nguyen at 84.08.

Nicolas Nadeau of Blainville, Que., is eighth and Roman Sadovsky of Vaughan, Ont., is 11th.

In the women’s short program, 2018 Grand Prix Final champion Rika Kihira of Japan stands first, Young Yu of South Korea is second and Alexandra Trusova of Russia third.

Two-time Olympian Gabrielle Daleman of Newmarket, Ont., is fifth improving her score by 18 points from two weeks ago at the Finlandia Open and less than six points from her personal best.

“The crowd was extra supportive and it gave me that extra boost of confidence I needed,” said Daleman. “It’s such a fun program because it is so packed with turns, difficult entries and exits and that’s exactly what I want out of it.”

Alicia Pineault of Varennes, Que., is 11th and Veronik Mallet of Sept-Iles, Que., 12th.

Competition ends Saturday with all four free skates.

Full results: ISU GP 2019 Skate Canada International

Ottawa to host 2020 Skate Canada International

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Ottawa, Ont.: Skate Canada announced today that Ottawa, Ontario, will host the 2020 Skate Canada International. The event will take place at The Arena at TD Place from October 30 to November 1, 2020.

“We are excited to be heading back to TD Place for Skate Canada International 2020,” said Debra Armstrong, CEO, Skate Canada. “Skate Canada International will welcome some of the best skaters from around the world and we look forward to working with our hosts, the city of Ottawa and TD Place, to create an unforgettable event.”

“Ottawa Tourism is proud to welcome Skate Canada International back to the nation’s capital,” said Michael Crockatt, President and CEO of Ottawa Tourism. “We are happy to show off the world-class facilities at TD Place, where this prestigious event will take place, and are delighted to work with Skate Canada to bring yet another high-profile sporting event to Ottawa. We look forward to receiving international athletes and visitors to the city who in turn eat, sleep, and explore Ottawa, discovering the beauty and vibrancy of the city for themselves.”

The inaugural Skate Canada International was first held in 1973 in Calgary and the event was added to the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating in 1995, the year the series began. Ottawa will host the 47th installment of Skate Canada International. This is their fifth time hosting the event, they previously hosted in 1976, 1981, 1993 and 2008.

Ottawa has a long legacy of hosting elite figure skating events. In 1914 the city held the very first national championships and has since gone on to host that event 15 times (1922, 1925, 1929, 1935, 1940, 1949, 1953, 1958, 1987, 1996, 1999, 2006, 2014 and 2017). In addition, they have hosted the ISU World Figure Skating Championships twice in 1978 and 1984.”It’s a great honour to have been selected to host Skate Canada International at TD Place,” said Mark Goudie, President and CEO of OSEG, the company that manages the centrally located arena and its surrounding Lansdowne urban lifestyle district. “I think the skating teams and spectators will appreciate the fact that we have restaurants and shops and recreational space right here at Lansdowne, so it’s easy to stay the day and see all of these top skaters in action.”

Skate Canada International is the second competition in the annual International Skating Union (ISU) Grand Prix of Figuring Skating series. The other events take place in the United States (Skate America), China (Cup of China), Japan (NHK Trophy), Russia (Rostelecom Cup) and France (Internationaux de France).

Each skater/team can be assigned a maximum of two events. Skaters are awarded points based on their placements at their events. The top six from each discipline (men, women, pair and ice dance) qualify for the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final.

Eighteen Canadian Skaters headed to Kelowna for 2019 Skate Canada International

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OTTAWA, ON: Top Canadian and international figure skaters are headed to Kelowna, British Columbia for the 2019 Skate Canada International, taking place from October 25-27, 2019. The event will be held at Prospera Place and will feature 12 Canadian entries (three entries per discipline in men, women, pairs and ice dance), for a total of 18 skaters.

The event will mark the second of six competitions on the annual International Skating Union (ISU) Grand Prix of Figure Skating series, in which skaters compete to qualify for the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final, taking place from December 5-8, 2019 in Torino, Italy.

In the men’s discipline, Canadian Champion Nam Nguyen, 21, Ajax, Ont., is the first of three Canadian men competing. This event will be Nguyen’s third Skate Canada International appearance, having finished fifth in both 2015 and 2018. This season, he finished fourth at Nebelhorn Trophy a stop on the ISU Challenger series. Nguyen is coached by Robert Burk and trains at the Richmond Hill Training Centre.

Nicolas Nadeau, 22, Boisbriand, Que., will be the second of three Canadian men competing. This will be his second time competing at Skate Canada International, having placed seventh in 2017. This event will be Nadeau’s first competition of the 2019-2020 season. He is coached by Yvan Desjardins in Rosemere, Que.

Vaughn, Ontario’s Roman Sadovsky, 20, rounds out the Canadian men’s entries. This will be his second time competing at Skate Canada International, having finished 12th in 2018. This season, Sadovsky finished third at Finlandia Trophy an ISU Challenger series event. He is coached by Tracey Wainman and Grzegorz Filipowski in Richmond Hill, Ont.

Gabrielle Daleman, 21, Newmarket, Ont., will be the first of three Canadian entries in women. This season, Daleman placed 13th at Finlandia Trophy. Last season, she finished fifth at the 2019 Canadian Tire National Figure Skating Championships and 11th at the 2019 ISU World Figure Skating Championships. She is coached by Lee Barkell in Toronto, Ont.

Alicia Pineault, 20, Varennes, Que., will be the second Canadian entry in women. This will be her second time competing at Skate Canada International, having finished 10th in 2018. Last season, she finished eighth at the Canadian Tire National Skating Championships. She is coached by Stephan Yvars in Boucherville, Que.

Aurora Cotop, 18, Thornhill, Ont., was originally assigned to this event but had to withdraw due to a muscle and bone strain affecting the groin. Replacing Cotop is Véronik Mallet, 25, Sept- Îles, Que. This season, Mallet finished 12th at Autumn Classic International and 10th at Skate America. This will be her fourth time competing at Skate Canada International having finished eighth in 2013, and 10th in both 2014 and 2015. She is coached by Annie Barabé and Sophie Richard in Sept-Îles, Que.

Canadian Champions Kirsten Moore-Towers, 27, St. Catharines, Ont., and Michael Marinaro, 27, Sarnia, Ont., will compete in the pairs discipline. This will be their fourth time competing at Skate Canada International, winning bronze in 2015 and 2018. This season, the team brought home a gold medal from Nebelhorn Trophy. They are coached by Bruno Marcotte in Oakville, Ont.

Evelyn Walsh, 18, London, Ont., and Trennt Michaud, 23, Trenton, Ont., will be the second Canadian entry in pairs. This event will be their second time competing at Skate Canada International, they finished fifth in 2018. This season, they finished sixth at Finlandia Trophy. The duo is coach by Alison Purkiss in Branford, Ont.

Pair team Lubov Ilyushechkina, 27, Toronto, Ont., and Charlie Bilodeau, 26, Trois-Pistoles, Que., will compete at their first grand prix event together. This season, they won bronze at Finlandia Trophy. The duo announced their pairing in March. They are coached by Richard Gauthier in Saint-Léonard, Que.

Piper Gilles, 27, Toronto, Ont., and Paul Poirier, 27, Unionville, Ont., will be the first Canadian entry in ice dance. This event will be their fifth time competing at Skate Canada International, having previously won bronze in 2016 and 2018. This season, the team won gold at Autumn Classic International. They are coached by Carol Lane, Juris Razgulajevs and Jon Lane in Scarborough, Ont.

World Junior Ice Dance Champions Marjorie Lajoie, 18, Boucherville, Que., and Zachary Lagha, 20, Saint-Hubert, Que., will be the second Canadian entry in ice dance. This will be their first time competing at Skate Canada International. This season, the two placed fourth at Finlandia Trophy. They are coached by Marie-France Dubreuil, Patrice Lauzon and Romain Haguenauer in Montreal, Que.

The third Canadian entry in ice dance will be Haley Sales, 22, Kelowna, B.C., and Nikolas Wamsteeker, 22, Burnaby, B.C. This will be their second time competing at Skate Canada International, having finished ninth in 2018. This season, they finished 11th at Nebelhorn Trophy. They are coached by Megan Wing and Aaron Lowe in Burnaby, B.C.

Six-time national medallist and 2013 Four Continents champion Kevin Reynolds, 29, will service as the official Athlete Ambassador for Skate Canada International. In his role as Athlete Ambassador, Reynolds will handle speaking engagements and media interviews, conduct appearances on behalf of the competing athletes, and of course, interact with fans throughout the week.

Elladj Baldé, 28, Montreal, Que., will act as Skate Canada’s digital host for Skate Canada International for the second year in a row. Baldé has competed internationally for Canada 27 times in junior and senior. He will be taking fans behind the scenes at the event, providing fans with an exclusive look at what takes place at grand prix events.

Tickets can be purchased online, by phone at 1-866-514-5050 toll free or 250-762-5050 locally, or in person at the Prospera Place Box Office.

Manon Perron of Boucherville, Que., and Cynthia Ullmark of Canmore, Alta., will be the team leaders at the event. Dr. Tatiana Jevremovic of London, Ont., and physiotherapist Agnes Makowski of Toronto, Ont., will be the Canadian medical staff onsite. Lynn Dey of Edmonton, Alta., Pam Chislett of Grand Prairie, Alta., Leslie Keen of Vancouver, B.C., and Karen Howard of Regina, Sask., will be the Canadian officials attending the event.

The event will be broadcast by CTV/TSN/RDS and the schedule is available on the Skate Canada website. Practices will be streamed live on the Skate Canada Dailymotion page.

For results and full entries please visit www.skatecanada.ca or www.isu.org.

CANADIAN ENTRIES AT 2019 SKATE CANADA INTERNATIONAL – KELOWNA, BRITISH COLUMBIA

DISCIPLINE NAME AGE HOMETOWN CLUB COACH
Men Nam Nguyen 21 Ajax, Ont. Richmond Hill Training Centre Robert Burk
Men Roman Sadovsky 20 Vaughn, Ont. York Region Skating Academy Tracey Wainman / Grzegorz Filipowski
Men Nicolas Nadeau 22 Boisbriand, Que. CPA Boisbriand Yvan Desjardins
Women Gabrielle Daleman 21 Newmarket, Ont. Granite Club Lee Barkell
Women Alicia Pineault 20 Varennes, Que. SC Varennes Stephan Yvars
Women Véronik Mallet 25 Sept-Îles, Que. CPA Sept-Îles Annie Barabé / Sophie Richard
Pair Lubov Ilyushechkina / Charlie Bilodeau 27 / 26 Toronto, Ont. / Trois-Pistoles, Que. CPA Saint-Léonard / CPA Chambly Richard Gauthier
Pair Kirsten Moore-Towers / Michael Marinaro 27 / 27 St. Catharines, Ont. / Sarnia, Ont. St. Catharines SC / Point Edward SC Bruno Marcotte
Pair Evelyn Walsh / Trennt Michaud 18 / 23 London, Ont. / Trenton, Ont. London SC / Trenton SC Alison Purkiss
Ice Dance Piper Gilles / Paul Poirier 27 / 27 Toronto, Ont. / Unionville, Ont. Scarboro FSC / Scarboro FSC Carol Lane / Juris Razgulajevs / Jon Lane
Ice Dance Marjorie Lajoie / Zachary Lagha 18 / 20 Boucherville, Que. / Saint-Hubert, Que. CPA Boucherville / CPA Saint-Lambert Marie-France Dubreuil / Patrice Lauzon / Romain Haguenauer
Ice Dance Haley Sales / Nikolas Wamsteeker 22 / 22 Kelowna, B.C. / Burnaby, B.C. Kelowna SC / Champs International Skating Centre of BC Megan Wing / Aaron Lowe

Strong start continues for Fournier Beaudry and Sorensen with bronze at Skate America

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LAS VEGAS – Ice dancers Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Nikolaj Sørensen of Montreal collected a third international medal this season with a bronze on Saturday night at Skate America, the opening stop on the ISU Grand Prix figure skating circuit.

Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue of the U.S. won the gold medal with 209.55 points edging Alexandra Stepanova and Ivan Bukin of Russia in second at 206.57. Fournier Beaudry and Sorensen followed at 197.53.

Last month the Canadians won the gold medal the Nebelhorn Trophy in Germany and the silver at the Lombardia Trophy in Italy.

‘’We were excited and grateful to give two solid performances here,’’ said Fournier Beaudry. ‘’We just want to keep building that momentum.’’

In men’s competition, Canada’s Keegan Messing ranked eighth for his free skate to drop from third to fourth with 239.34 points. Two-time world champion Nathan Chen of the U.S. won the gold medal with 299.09, followed by compatriot Jason Brown at 255.09 and Russia’s Dmitri Aliev at 253.55.

It was Messing’s first competition since his younger brother Paxon was killed in a motorcycle accident last month. After an emotional short on Friday, Messing admitted it was hard to regroup for the free.

‘’It was very hard to keep my mind focused and it was a big fight,’’ said Messing about his free skate. ‘’I’m very pleased in the end that I was able to fight through this and skate here this weekend.’’

In pairs, Montreal’s Camille Ruest and Andrew Wolfe moved from seventh to sixth overall. The event was won by Cheng Peng and Yang Jin of China.

‘’It was a great opportunity for us to get international exposure,’’ said Wolfe. ‘’We gained a lot of experience.’’

Anna Sherbakova of Russia won gold in women’s competition while Veronik Mallet of Sept-Iles, Que., was 10th.

‘’I felt great about both my skates here and I feel I’m on the right track,’’ said Mallet.

The second stop on the circuit is Skate Canada this Friday and Saturday in Kelowna, B.C.

Full results: ISU GP 2019 Skate America

Inspirational performance puts Messing third after short program

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LAS VEGAS – Carrying a heavy heart, Canada’s Keegan Mesing brought the house down in his short program in men’s competition to stand third at Skate America, the season opening event on the ISU Grand Prix figure skating circuit.

Two-time world champion Nathan Chen of the U.S. is first with 102.71 points, Dmitri Aliev of Russia is second at 96.57 just ahead of Messing at 96.34, a personal best international score.

Less than a month ago, Messing’s younger brother Paxon was killed in a motorcycle accident. In his short, Messing skated a clean program to Ed Sheeran’s Perfect and received an emotional standing ovation from the crowd.

‘’Coming here this week was a huge decision for me with everything that happened,’’ said Messing, 27. ‘’This was a very hard skate to come to.  Just being on the ice the last few weeks has been one of the most difficult things I’ve had to do.’’

He opened landing his quad and triple toe loops then the triple Axel. He pointed to the sky as he skated off the ice.

‘’All the elements seemed pretty solid,’’ he said. ‘’I’m going to take one step at a time. I have some great support here with my wife, my parents and close friends in attendance.’’

Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Nikolaj Sørensen of Montreal are also third after the rhythm dance with 77.85. Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue of the U.S. lead the ice dance at 83.45 and Alexandra Stepanova and Ivan Bukin of Russia are third at 80.46.

‘’We had no expectations,’’ said Fournier Beaudry, 10th with her partner at last year’s worlds. ‘’We just wanted to have a good experience.’’

Montreal’s Camille Ruest and Andrew Wolfe placed seventh in the pairs short program.

Veronik Mallet of Sept-Iles, Que., stands ninth after the women’s short program.

All four free skates are on Saturday.

Full results: ISU GP 2019 Skate America

Six Canadian skaters headed to U.S. for 2019 Skate America

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OTTAWA, ON: Team Canada will be competing at the first event of the 2019 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating series in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S., from October 18-20, 2019.

In the men’s discipline, Keegan Messing will be representing Canada. Messing is coming off a third-place finish at Autumn Classic International, which took place earlier this season in Oakville, Ont.

In the women’s field, Véronik Mallet will be representing Canada. At her first competition of the season, Mallet placed 12th at the ISU Autumn Classic International.

In pairs, Camille Ruest and Drew Wolfe will be competing for Canada. The team is coming off a seventh-place finish at the ISU Challenger Series event U.S. International Figure Skating Classic earlier this season.

Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Nikolaj Sørensen will be the ice dancers representing Canada at the event. Earlier this season, the two won gold at Nebelhorn Trophy and silver at Lombardia Trophy, two ISU Challenger Series events.

Mike Slipchuk, Skate Canada High Performance Director and Marie Bowness of Chester, N.S., will be the team leaders at the event. Physiotherapist Siobhan Karam of Toronto, Ont., will be the Canadian medical staff onsite. Jerome Poulin of Montreal, Que., and Ron Conacher of Toronto, Ont., will be the Canadian officials attending the event.

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

CANADIAN ENTRIES AT SKATE AMERICA – LAS VEGAS, USA

DISCIPLINE NAME AGE HOMETOWN CLUB COACH
Men Keegan Messing 27 Sherwood Park, Alta. / Brantford, Ont. Ice Palace FSC Ralph Burghart
Women Véronik Mallet 25 Sept-Îles, Que. CPA Sept-Îles Annie Barabé / Sophie Richard
Pair Camille Ruest / Drew Wolfe 25 / 24 Rimouski, Que. / Calgary, Alta. CPA de Rimouski / Glencoe Club Richard Gauthier
Ice Dance Laurence Fournier Beaudry / Nikolaj Sørensen 27 / 30 Lasalle, Que. / Copenhagen, DEN Town of Mount Royal FSC / Town of Mount Royal FSC Marie-France Dubreuil / Patrice Lauzon / Romain Haguenauer

Lajoie and Lagha fourth at Finlandia Open

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ESPOO, Finland – World junior champions Marjorie Lajoie Boucherville, Que., and Zachary Lagha of Saint-Hubert, Que., came within less than two points of a podium finish and placed fourth in ice dancing on Sunday at the Finlandia Open figure skating competition.

The competition is the sixth stop of the 2019 ISU Challenger Series, a tune-up for the Grand Prix season which starts next week in Las Vegas with Skate America.

Madison Chock and Evan Bates of the U.S. won the gold medal with 198.26 points, Shiyue Wang and Xinyu Liu of China were second at 183.09, Betina Popova and Sergey Mozgov of Russia were third at 175.24 and the Canadians followed at 173.69.

Last month at an event in Italy, Lajoie and Lagha placed seventh.

“It went super well,” said Lajoie. “Our ability to comeback from that disappointing result two weeks ago is a big step up for us. We kept the focus on ourselves this time.”

In women’s competition, it was a 1-2 Russian finish. Alena Kostornaia was first, Elizaveta Tuktamysheva second and Yuhana Yokoi of Japan was third.

Gabrielle Daleman of Newmarket, Ont., ranked 11th for her free skate to climb from 15th to 13th overall.

“I’m very proud of what I did,” said Daleman, a two-time Olympian. “It’s great to be back. It’s been a long journey. I came here to compete and it was just a stepping stone.”

Canada won two bronze medals on Saturday earned by Lubov Ilyushechkina of Toronto and Charlie Bilodeau of Trois-Pistoles, Que., in pairs and Roman Sadovsky of Vaughn, Ont. in the men’s event.

Full results: CS Finlandia Trophy Espoo 2019

Two bronze medals for Canada at Finlandia Trophy

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ESPOO, Finland – New pairs partners Lubov Ilyushechkina of Toronto and Charlie Bilodeau of Trois-Pistoles, Que., won the bronze medal in their competitive debut on Saturday and Roman Sadovsky of Vaughn, Ont. was also third in men’s singles at the Finlandia Open figure skating competition.

The competition is the sixth stop of the 2019 ISU Challenger Series, a tune-up for the Grand Prix season which starts next week in Las Vegas with Skate America.

It was a 1-2 Russian finish in pairs as Anastasia Mishina and Aleksandr Galliamov took the gold with 194.28 points. Alisa Efimova and Alexander Korovin were second at 194.28 and Ilyushechkina and Bilodeau followed at 193.58.

“For a first ever international competition together with only seventh months training we couldn’t have hoped for better,” said Bilodeau, ninth at the 2018 Olympic Games with his former partner Julianne Séguin. “It really sets us up well to improve even more in training and do better at our next event.”

“We were nervous but it was exciting,” added Ilyushechkina, who earned two top-10 world championship performances with former partner Dylan Moscovitch. “It was very satisfying to put out two well skated programs.”

Evelyn Walsh of London, Ont., and Trennt Michaud of Trenton, Ont., move from eighth to sixth with 151.72 out of 11 entries.

In men’s competition, Olympic silver medallist Shoma Uno of Japan won the gold with 255.23. His compatriot Sota Yamamoto was second at 223.24 just ahead of Sadovsky at 222.23

“The short program was the best I’ve ever done but the long could have been better,” said Sadovsky.

In ice dancing, world junior champions Marjorie Lajoie Boucherville, Que., and Zachary Lagha of Saint-Hubert, Que., are in fourth place after the rhythm dance at 70.75. That is 0.61 points better than their score at the world juniors last winter.

Madison Chock and Evan Bates of the U.S. lead at at 78.80, Betina Popova and Sergey Mozgov of Russia are second at 72.11 and Shiyue Wang and Xinyu Liu of China third at 71.68.

Gabrielle Daleman of Newmarket, Ont., is 15th after the women’s short program.

Competition ends Sunday with the free dance and women’s free skate.

Full results: CS Finlandia Trophy Espoo 2019

Eight Canadian skaters headed to Finland for Finlandia Trophy

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OTTAWA, ON: Skate Canada will have five entries, for a total of eight skaters competing at the 2019 Finlandia Trophy in Espoo, Finland. Canada will have one entry in men, one entry in women, two entries in pairs and one entry in ice dance. This event marks the 24th edition of the Finlandia Trophy and it is the sixth stop of the 2019 ISU Challenger Series.

Roman Sadovsky, 20, Vaughn, Ont., will be the lone Canadian entry in men. Last season, Sadovsky finished 12th at Skate Canada International and seventh at the Canadian Tire National Skating Championships. He is coached by Tracey Wainman and Grzegorz Filipowski in Richmond Hill, Ont.

Gabrielle Daleman, 21, Newmarket, Ont., will be the lone Canadian entry in women. Daleman finished fifth at the 2019 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships and 11th at the 2019 ISU World Figure Skating Championships. She is coached by Lee Barkell in Toronto, Ont.

Lubov Ilyushechkina, 27, Toronto, Ont., and Charlie Bilodeau, 26, Trois-Pistoles, Que., will be the first Canadian entry in pairs. This will be the first ever competition for this team, having announced their partnership in March. The two are coached by Richard Gauthier in Saint-Léonard, Que.

National pairs silver medallists, Evelyn Walsh, 18, London, Ont., and Trennt Michaud, 23, Trenton, Ont., will be the second Canadian pairs entry. Last season, the two made their ISU World Figure Skating Championships debut where they finished 12th. They are coached by Alison Purkiss in Brantford, Ont.

National junior ice dance champions, Marjorie Lajoie, 18, Boucherville, Que., and Zachary Lagha, 20, Saint-Hubert, Que., will be the lone ice dancers representing Canada. Last season, the two brought home a gold medal at the ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships. They are coached by Marie-France Dubreuil, Patrice Lauzon and Romain Haguenauer in Montreal, Que.

Mike Slipchuk, Skate Canada High Performance Director will be the team leader at the event. Physiotherapist Mireille Landry of Toronto, Ont., will be the Canadian medical staff onsite. Karen Howard of Regina, Sask., and Nicole LeBlanc-Richard of Dieppe, N.B., will be the Canadian officials attending the event.

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

CANADIAN ENTRIES AT FINLANDIA TROPHY – ESPOO, FINLAND

DISCIPLINE NAME AGE HOMETOWN CLUB COACH
Men Roman Sadovsky 20 Vaughn, Ont. York Region Skating Academy Tracey Wainman / Grzegorz Filipowski
Women Gabrielle Daleman 21 Newmarket, Ont. Granite Club Lee Barkell
Pair Lubov Ilyushechkina / Charlie Bilodeau 27 / 26 Toronto, Ont. / Trois-Pistoles, Que. CPA Saint-Léonard / CPA Chambly Richard Gauthier
Pair Evelyn Walsh / Trennt Michaud 18 / 23 London, Ont. / Trenton, Ont. London SC / Trenton SC Alison Purkiss
Ice Dance Marjorie Lajoie / Zachary Lagha 18 / 20 Boucherville, Que. / Saint-Hubert, Que. CPA Boucherville / CPA Saint-Lambert Marie-France Dubreuil / Patrice Lauzon / Romain Haguenauer