Regina to Host 2022-2023 Skate Canada Challenge – Pre-Novice/Novice

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OTTAWA, ON (August 30, 2022) – Skate Canada is pleased to announce that the 2022-2023 Skate Canada Challenge for pre-novice and novice skaters will be held at Evraz Place in Regina, Saskatchewan from January 25-28, 2023. The domestic competition will be hosted as two separate events for the first time this season, with the 2022-2023 Skate Canada Challenge – Junior/Senior taking place at Seven Oaks Arena at Garden City Community Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba from November 30 to December 3, 2022.

Skaters from coast-to-coast will qualify through their respective sectional championships, where novice athletes will be looking to secure their spot at the 2023 Novice Canadian Championships in late February. The event will also see the crowning of the Pre-Novice National Champions in men, women, pair and ice dance.

“Skate Canada is excited to announce that this year’s Skate Canada Challenge – Pre-Novice/Novice will be hosted in Regina. We are excited for this new event format and are pleased to align this with our long-term development plans,” said Dr. Shae Zukiwsky, Senior Director, Performance Excellence at Skate Canada. “We very much look forward to working with the City of Regina to create an amazing event.”

“I am thrilled Regina was chosen as the inaugural host city for the Skate Canada Pre-Novice/Novice Challenge,” said Sandra Masters, Mayor of Regina. “We look forward to welcoming athletes, coaches, families, and friends to Regina and providing an exceptional experience for all attendees.”

More information on the 2022-2023 Skate Canada Challenge will be available later this year.

Canadian NextGen Skaters to Compete in Czech Republic at Second ISU Junior Grand Prix

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OTTAWA, ON (August 29, 2022) – Following a successful first stop at the ISU Junior Grand Prix in France last weekend, Canadian NextGen skaters now head to Ostrava, Czech Republic to compete at the second round of the series from August 31 to September 3, 2022. Canada will boast a team of eight skaters for a total of five entries, including men, women and pair, as well as two entries in ice dance. 

Aleksa Rakic, 17, will be the sole man competing for Canada at this event. The Burnaby, B.C. native obtained a silver medal in senior men at the 2022 Skate Canada Challenge, on top of finishing second in junior men at the 2021 Cup of Austria. He is coached by Joanne McLeod in Burnaby, B.C.  

The women’s event will see Sara-Maude Dupuis, 17, Montreal, Que., compete for a spot on the podium after winning the 2022 NextGen Junior Women’s Competition in July and finishing tenth at the 2021 ISU Junior Grand Prix in Linz, Austria. She is coached by Stéphane Yvars and Françoise Parisé in Boucherville, Que. 

Chloe Panetta, 19, Laval, Que., and Kieran Thrasher, 18, Amherstburg, Ont., will be competing in the pair discipline. The duo cracked the top ten at last year’s ISU World Junior Championships where they finished with a solid seventh place. Panetta and Thrasher also placed sixth at the 2021 ISU Junior Grand Prix event in Gdansk, Poland. They are coached by Bruno Marcotte and Brian Shales in Oakville, Ont.  

Completing the team will be two ice dance teams, the first being led by Hailey Yu, 17, Burnaby, B.C., and Brendan Giang, 19, Burnaby, B.C. Yu and Giang had a strong showing at the 2022 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships, finishing just shy of the podium. They are coached by Aaron Lowe and Megan Wing in Burnaby, B.C. The newly formed ice dance duo of Marianne Hubert, 18, Trois-Rivières, Que., and William Oddson, 20, Calgary, Alta., will also represent Canada in ice dance. Despite being new, the pair has already claimed a bronze medal at the NextGen Junior Ice Dance Competition in July and are coached by Kim Slopak-Weeks and Tyler Myles in Calgary, Alta. 

Team Canada
Aleksa Rakic – Men 
Sara-Maude Dupuis – Women 
Chloe Panetta and Kieran Thrasher – Pair 
Hailey Yu and Brendan Giang – Ice dance 
Marianne Hubert and William Oddson – Ice dance   

Team leaders – André Bourgeois and Danielle Williams
Medical team – Physiotherapist Meaghan Shewchuk and Dr. Lydia Schultz
Officials – Jodi Abbott and Erica Topolski  

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

A Promising Start for Canada’s NextGen in France

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COURCHEVEL, France (August 27, 2022) – Junior Grand Prix season is officially back! The next generation of Canadian skaters began the 2022-2023 ISU Junior Grand Prix season with a strong start as all the Canadians at the event finished in the top 10.    

Chaima Ben Khelifa of Laval, Que., and Everest Zhu of Waterloo, Ont., produced the best finish for Canada as they finished fifth in junior ice dance. Right behind them were Layla Veillon and Alexander Brandys of London, Ont., who placed sixth in their first ISU Junior Grand Prix.    

“It felt amazing, it was exactly what we had hoped for. We did exactly what our coaches wanted us to do,” said Veillon, 16. “Good confidence boost knowing that we can do it internationally, now domestically we can go and show even more and keep on improving”.   

Hannah Lim and Ye Quan of South Korea took home the gold medal with a score of 161.96. In second place were Celina Fradji and Jean-Hans Fourneaux of France with 147.66 points and capturing bronze were Americans Vanessa Pham and Jonathan Rogers finishing with 143.26  

Lia Pereira of Milton, Ont., had the sixth-best free skate in junior women as she climbed from tenth to finish in sixth place.    

“The short did not go as planned but I am glad that I fought to the end,” said Pereira, 18. “The long today I am very proud of, I was able to get out some really positive GOE in the first couple elements and I was able to fight towards the end and I’m happy with my skate today”.    

It was a one, two finish for Japan in junior women as Hana Yoshida came in first place with 203.52 points and Ayumi Shibayama took the silver with 188.39 points. South Korean Yujae Kim finished in third place with 185.67  

Another newcomer to the ISU Junior Grand Prix circuit, David Li of Richmond, B.C., fought from 12th to finish the event in tenth place in junior men.    

“I really cherish the opportunity to be able to come here and it was a great opportunity to learn, improve and experience new things”, said Li, 15. “The short I think I was a little nervous because it was my first JGP (junior grand Prix) and wasn’t too sure what to expect, for the long I was a little nervous but when I skated, I got into the right mindset and the long was a lot better”.    

Japan had two top-three finishes in junior men with Shunsuke Nakamura capturing the gold medal finishing with 219.65 and Ryoga Morimoto taking home the bronze with 188.66. Younghyun Cha of South Korea came in second with 196.15  

The next stop on the circuit starts Wednesday, August 31st in Ostrava, Czech Republic.   

Full results: ISU Junior Grand Prix de Courchevel 2022 (isuresults.com) 

Winnipeg to host 2022-2023 Skate Canada Challenge – Junior/Senior

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OTTAWA, ON (August 25, 2022) – Skate Canada is excited to announce that the Skate Canada Challenge will be hosted as two separate events for the first time ever, with the 2022-2023 Skate Canada Challenge – Junior/Senior set to be held at Seven Oaks Arena at Garden City Community Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba from November 30 to December 3, 2022, while the Pre-Novice/Novice event will be held in 2023. 

The 2022-2023 Skate Canada Challenge – Junior/Senior will welcome over 200 junior and senior skaters from across the country who will be vying for a shot to compete at the 2023 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships in early January. 

“We are happy to unveil this new format for the 2022-2023 Skate Canada Challenge and proud to announce Winnipeg as the host city for the junior and senior edition of the event,” said Debra Armstrong, Chief Executive Officer at Skate Canada. “We look forward to seeing how this change positively affects skating development in Canada and are proud to work with the city of Winnipeg to organize an event for everyone to enjoy.” 

“November is the perfect time for Winnipeg to play host to the 2022-2023 Skate Canada Junior/Senior Challenge. From our renowned Royal Winnipeg Ballet to a world-class culinary scene and innovative attractions like WAG-Qaumajuq and the Leaf at Assiniboine Park — our city offers authentic experiences and memorable people in every season,” said Dayna Spiring, President and CEO of Economic Development Winnipeg. “We look forward to welcoming Canadian championship contenders and their families to Winnipeg.” 

More information on the 2022-2023 Skate Canada Challenge will be available this fall.  

All-Event Tickets for 2023 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships Available Next Week

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OTTAWA, ON:  Skate Canada is excited to announce that all-event tickets for the 2023 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships will be available for pre-sale on August 29, 2022, at 10:00 AM ET, and on sale to the public on September 1, 2022, at 10:00 AM ET. The 2023 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships will take place in Oshawa, Ont., at Tribute Communities Centre, from January 9-15, 2023, and will feature some of Canada’s top skating talents in singles, pairs, ice dance, and synchronized skating. 

All-event tickets will be priced at: P1: $300, P2: $200, P3: $160, P4: $125, plus applicable fees. Tickets can be purchased at Tributecommunitiescentre.com, with a maximum of eight tickets available per individual. All-event ticket packages will include all competitions, Thursday practices, and the Exhibition Gala.  

Returning this year will be the Super Fan Section, an exclusive section offered at Skate Canada events for the most passionate skating fans that allows them to be close to the action. Spectators in our Super Fan Section will receive a Super Fan bag which includes an event pin, souvenir program and branded item. The Super Fan Section is designated for all seats in P1. For fans looking to find that perfect seat, please be advised that the judges’ stand will be located in sections 113-115 and the Kiss & Cry is located in section 119. 

Single session tickets will be available for sale in December 2022. 

ABOUT THE CANADIAN TIRE NATIONAL SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS  

The pre-eminent all-Canadian sporting event will feature approximately 200 skaters in the men, women, pair, ice dance and synchronized skating disciplines, competing at the senior and junior levels. Athletes will vie for a spot on the National Team and for a selection on the teams that will represent Canada at the ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships 2023, the ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships 2023, the ISU World Figure Skating Championships 2023, the ISU World Synchronized Skating Championships 2023, and the ISU World Junior Synchronized Skating Championships 2023.   

This will mark Oshawa’s second time hosting the Canadian Tire National Skating Championships, having last hosted the event in 1952. Most recently, Oshawa and Durham Region hosted the Skate Canada Synchronized Skating Championships in 2018. 

NextGen Skaters Travel to France to Kick Off the 2022-2023 Skating Season

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OTTAWA, ON (August 22, 2022) – Six NextGen skaters will be representing Canada across three events at the first ISU Junior Grand Prix Series of the season, set to take place in Courchevel, France from August 24-27, 2022. Canadian entries include one participant in each of the men’s and women’s events, as well as two in ice dance. 

David Li of Richmond, B.C., will be the sole athlete to represent Canada in the men’s discipline in his first year as a junior. The 15-year-old had a standout 2022 novice season, which included winning gold at the Egna Spring Trophy in Italy and bronze at the Skate Canada Challenge. He is currently coached by Keegan and Eileen Murphy in Vancouver, B.C. 

In women’s, 18-year-old Lia Pereira of Milton, Ont., will be kicking off her season after finishing first at the 2022 Cranberry Cup International in Boston and 14th at the 2022 ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships. She is coached by Nancy Lemaire and Derek Schmidt in Milton, Ont.   

Chaima Ben Khelifa, 17, Laval, Que., and Everest Zhu, 19, Waterloo, Ont., will be competing in ice dance, with the duo looking to better last year’s performance that landed them in 8th place. They will be joined by current Canadian novice champions Layla Veillon, 16, London, Ont., and Alexander Brandys, 17, London, Ont. who will be competing in the same event. The teams are coached by Shawn Winter and Elise Hamel in Pierrefonds, Que. and Alma Moir, Scott Moir and Cara Moir in London, Ont. respectively.  

Team Canada 

David Li – Men
Lia Pereira – Women 
Chaima Ben Khelifa & Everest Zhu – Ice dance
Layla Veillon & Alexander Brandys – Ice dance   

Team leaders – Mike Slipchuk & Josée Bourdon
Physiotherapist – Kirsten Lemmon 
Officials – Christine Bourdeau & Cynthia Benson  

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

Walsh and Michaud End Partnership

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OTTAWA, ON: Evelyn Walsh, 21, London, Ont., and Trennt Michaud, 25, Trenton, Ont., have ended their pair partnership. They teamed up in 2016 and represented Canada internationally throughout their partnership.

Walsh and Michaud began their career together winning the 2017 junior national pair title and would go onto win three silver medals at the senior national championships. Their best international placement at the senior level was a bronze medal at the 2022 ISU Four Continents Championships.

“Although earlier than I envisioned within my skating career, I am stepping away from the sport that I love.  I wish to thank the current and past members of the National Team for their ongoing support and to all other individuals, especially Trennt Michaud and Alison Purkiss who significantly impacted my career,” said Walsh.

This September, Walsh plans to continue her university studies. Michaud plans to continue skating and will search for a new partner.

Skate Canada Celebrates Jean Westwood

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We all leave legacies when we pass, and Jean Westwood unquestionably has left a tremendous mark on the world of figure skating. An esteemed coach and decorated ice dancer, Westwood and her partner Lawrence Demmy were a British ice dance team, the first to win the world and European championships in ice dancing. The duo would go on to win four consecutive world titles from 1952 to 1955, two European championships and four British championships before deciding to retire.

For Westwood, a well decorated skating career transitioned into a successful coaching career in 1956. Almost Immediately following her retirement Westwood began coaching at a very high-level, carrying a roster of elite skaters, which included Canadian ice dance duo Geraldine Fenton and Bill McLachlan. During her tenure with them, Westwood coached the team to three national titles from 1957 to 1959, two gold medals at the North American Championships and two silver world championship medals in 1957 and 1958.

This was just the beginning for Westwood who would go on to coach figure skating for the next 20 years across all four disciplines. During that time, Westwood was also a NCCP course conductor and a clinic conductor of both CanSkate and CanFigureSkate programs. Westwood was the head coach of National Dance Seminars for 14 years and regularly contributed to publications on ice dance.

Accomplishments continued for Westwood into the late 1970s when her and Lawernce Demmy were the first ice dance team to be inducted into the World Figure Skating Hall of Fame in 1977. The team was also inducted into the Skate Canada Hall of Fame in 1997. Then in 2017, Westwood was inducted into yet another Hall of Fame with Skate BC/YK.

Jean Westwood made history during her 91 years. On July 26, 2022, Westwood passed away following a battle with cancer. Skate Canada wishes to express their immense gratitude for her decades of contribution to the sport, as well as their sincere condolences to Westwood’s family and friends for the loss of their loved one.

Skate Canada Unveils New Brand Identity

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You may….Skate alone. Skate in pairs. Skate with a Team. Skate with hundreds. Skate for fun. Skate to win. Skate to travel. Skate to exercise. Skate to excel. Skate to relax. But you’ll always… #SkateWithUs. 

OTTAWA, ON: For over 135 years when the temperature starts to drop and winter begins to descend on most of the country, Canadians lace up their skates and return to frozen lakes, ponds, backyards, and arenas, as the ice freezes. Whether you skate for fun with family and friends, skate to win, or are enrolling your little one in their first CanSkate class, you have been skating with us, Skate Canada, since the beginning. As another skating season peaks on the horizon, Skate Canada is proud to launch a new brand identity that invites everyone to #SkateWithUs. 

The new emblem captures the essence of the brand by combining three iconic elements: A skate, a maple leaf and a container that references skating badges of decades past. In developing the new emblem and brand identity, Skate Canada worked with Hulse & Durrell, a design-led creative studio based in Canada that specializes in making brands memorable, valuable, and built to last. Hulse & Durrell collaborated with commercial and art photographer Luis Mora for the #SkateWithUs brand campaign featuring National Team members Madeline Schizas and Roman Sadovsky, former Canadian Champions Nam Nguyen and Andrea Satar, and six youthful skaters from various Skate Canada competitive and recreational programs. 

“Skate Canada is committed to making equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility fundamental in all that we do. Our new brand identity recognizes this important and vital movement and aligns us with our 2022-2026 strategic plan,” said Debra Armstrong, Chief Executive Officer, Skate Canada. “Our new brand identity is vibrant, energetic, and welcoming. We want anyone who participates in skating to feel free to be their authentic self. Whether you are just learning to skate, skating for fun or skating to win we want you to skate with us.”    

The new brand identity has been applied across Skate Canada digital channels and will be integrated into everything skating as the season progresses. Included in the launch is a fashion-forward capsule collection. This limited time offering features Skate Canada branded unisex athleisure clothing for both the athlete and fans alike. Shop the collection online exclusively at the Skate Canada Online Store.  

Skate Canada is the oldest and largest figure skating organization in the world, having originated in 1887. Skate Canada last updated its logo in 2010 and has nine variations of its emblem over the years.