Canadian athletes gain valuable experience as World Team Trophy wraps up in Japan

OSAKA, Japan – The final chapter was written in an unprecedented figure skating season Saturday as the ISU World Team Trophy wrapped up in Japan.

As they did throughout the three-day event, Canadian team members enthusiastically cheered on their teammates from their team box as the pair and women’s free programs closed out the competition.

The Canadian team finished the three-day competition in sixth place with a total of 57 points. Team Russia secured the gold medal, followed by the United States with silver and Japan with bronze.

This week marked the seventh edition of the World Team Trophy, where team points were awarded by placement in each segment. Individual scores were then added together to calculate an overall team score. Canadian athletes that recently competed at the recent ISU World Figure Skating Championships did not attend the World Team Trophy due to Canadian quarantine rules.

“To have the opportunity for our athletes to compete in the World Team Trophy and in front of a live audience was a great way to end what has been such a difficult year,” said Skate Canada High Performance Director Mike Slipchuk. “For these athletes and those who represented Canada at the world championships in Sweden, it will be an invaluable competitive experience as they look to the Olympic season ahead.”

In seven trips to the World Team Trophy, Canada has finished on the podium three times, winning silver in 2009 and 2013, and bronze in 2012.

On Saturday, Alison Schumacher of Tecumseh, Ont. earned 111.98 to finish eighth in the women’s free program. Gabrielle Daleman of Newmarket, Ont. was 10^th with 107.30.

Anna Shcherbakova of Russia scored 160.58 to win the event. Kaori Sakamoto of Japan was second while Russia’s Elizaveta Tuktamysheva placed third.

In the pair free program, Lori-Ann Matte and Thierry Ferland of Lévis, Que. finished in sixth spot at 101.83. Russia’s Anastasia Mishina and Aleksandr Galliamov were first in the segment followed by Americans Alexa Knierim and Brandon Frazier.

Team Canada was represented by Daleman, Schumacher, Matte and Ferland, Roman Sadovsky and Nam Nguyen (men) and Carolane Soucisse and Shane Firus (ice dance).

To view final results, please visit the ISU website.