Top Alumni Moments from the 2023-2024 Season

While our athletes wowed at events this season, Canada’s former figure skaters also achieved outstanding accomplishments outside of the competition rink. Take a look at some of our favourite skating stories from beyond the boards that you may have missed this year.  

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Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir Receive Highest Honour in Sport

Considered one of the greatest skating duos of all time, Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir received the Order of Sport – Canada’s highest sporting honour – and were inducted into Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2023. The team spent nearly a decade at the top of our sport, becoming the most decorated ice dancers in the world winning a record-setting five Olympic medals, three World Championships, and eight Canadian National Championships while capturing the hearts of fans around the world and elevating the sport of figure skating in the process.  

Photo credit: Danielle Earl / Stars on Ice

Patrick Chan Performs his Swan Song with Stars on Ice 

With his second baby on the way and a budding new career in finance, skating superstar Patrick Chan announced his retirement from show skating this year. Chan marked the culmination of his illustrious career with a final farewell tour with Stars on Ice this spring, where he performed in 12 cities and officially said farewell to his devoted fans across Canada. Chan retired from competitive skating in 2018 after a remarkable career which included Olympic gold and silver medals, three World Championship titles, and 10 National Championship victories, solidifying his status as the most decorated figure skater in Canadian history. 

Photo by Elsa Garrison – International Skating Union/International Skating Union via Getty Images

Skating Leaders Recognized for Coaching Excellence  

Among the best national team coaches in Canada, five figure skating leaders were honoured for their outstanding achievements in coaching last fall. Jon Lane, Juris Razgulajevs and Carol Lane, Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier’s coaches, and Pascal Dennis and Marilyn Langlois, Les Supremes coaches, received the Petro-Canada Coaching Excellence Award. These prestigious awards recognize coaches whose athletes have excelled at world championships, Olympic and Special Olympics Worlds Games.  

Elvis Stojko Brings Down the House at Gala 

The man, the myth, the legend, Elvis Stojko was true to form in his Gala performance at the 2024 ISU World Figure Skating Championships in Montreal, Quebec. As the opening act for the Exhibition Gala, the closing event which showcases the fun and humorous side of figure skating, Stojko fired up the hometown crowd with his signature ‘bad boy’ skating style. The star-studded Gala lineup included other Canadian alumni like Keegan Messing and Patrick Chan, the medallists from the World Championships, and a selection of fan-favourite athletes.   

Elizabeth Manley Inspires at Special Olympics Canada Winter Games 

Nearly 40 years after winning the silver medal at the 1988 Winter Olympics, Elizabeth Manley returned to Calgary this year to help pave the way for the next generation of Canadian figure skaters. In partnership with the Special Olympics Canada Winter Games, Manley led training sessions and coaching clinics with the 44 figure skaters and their coaches who were participating in the event, offering cherished advice and words of inspiration ahead of the competition. “There should be … no barriers in sport,” said Manley. “We should all be able to do it no matter what our situation may be.”

Photo credit: Danielle Earl / Stars on Ice

Kurt Browning Assumes Director Role with Stars on Ice

After an incredible 30-year stint performing in shows with Stars on Ice, the iconic Kurt Browning hung up his skates in 2023. However, to the delight of fans, Browning’s retirement from Stars on Ice was short-lived. He returned to the tour this spring in a new and exciting fashion as the Director and Choreographer of the 2024 production. His connection with the audience and skating expertise brought unique creativity and charisma to each performance, providing an unforgettable experience for all. 

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