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

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.