City Mayor Makes a Difference at World Championships

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If there is one common theme in France Bisson’s life, it is her commitment to making a difference in the lives of others. Since 2013, France has served as the Mayor of Saint-Sébastien, Quebec, where she has worked diligently to build a better world for her community.  

Outside of city limits, France also invests her time in giving back to the sport of figure skating. As a long-time volunteer with Skate Canada and Patinage Québec, France recently held the position of Director of Volunteer Recruitment for the 2024 ISU World Figure Skating Championships (Worlds). 

Keep reading to learn more about France and her role at Worlds, which included overseeing the more than 400 volunteers who helped bring the event to life. 

What were you were responsible for as Director of Volunteer Recruitment?  

I ensured that all volunteer teams had the right number of volunteers, and the right candidate for the job required. We had many requests from volunteers, and the main objective was to place the volunteers in a team so that their experience was positive and so that the service provided would be above the requirements we had defined. 

How is your position as Mayor of Saint-Sébastien related to your volunteer work?  

The position of Director of Volunteer Recruitment and the position of Mayor have many similarities, the most important of which is to work to build a better world. In a role supporting volunteers like mine is with Skate Canada, it is important to put a lot of effort into welcoming the athletes, the teams, and visitors to create a memorable experience. Selling this idea to all the members of the Local Organizing Committee is really a challenge that I prioritize in my involvement. 

What do you like about volunteering for Skate Canada?  

I want to stay present in a sport that I’m passionate about. It’s the most beautiful sport in the world. Being a volunteer allows you to get to know people who often become friends afterwards. Over the past 20 years, I have seen volunteers grow up, and at each event, I admire the adults they’ve become and the generosity they demonstrate. 

What do you like about volunteering in general?  

I like making a difference in people’s lives and working in kindness to have beautiful relationships with people. 

Why do you think volunteering is important for young people?  

It allows you to gain experience and confidence. The involvement allows you to meet volunteers of all ages and to develop friendships. 

How many events have you participated in with Skate Canada?  

I actually don’t know. I have been a Team Leader for many Skate Canada national competitions for over 20 years with Patinage Québec. For event organizing committees, my first experience was in 2011 at the Grand Prix Final in Quebec City. Since then, I’ve held the position of Director of Volunteer Recruitment for each Skate Canada Challenge, Autumn Classic, and Skate Canada International event held in Quebec.  

Tell us about a favorite memory from an event you attended. 

At all the events I participate in, there are always magical moments. I love to have fun, laugh, and learn. In all events, these moments happen. I like to say that memories of happiness are still happiness. 

The most recent memory is when the first warm-up started at the ISU World Figure Skating Championships in Montreal. We were a bunch of volunteers in the volunteers’ lounge. We looked at the television and saw the beginning of the event, looked at each other and just started cheering because it was finally happening – eight years of work later. The emotion was overwhelming. 

I’d like to share another memory too – it marked my ‘career’ as a volunteer with Patinage Québec. It was on a trip to the Canadian Championships in 2015. We were Team Leaders for a group of 50 people from Montreal to Halifax. The practices started the next day. Unfortunately, our flight got cancelled as well as another group of 50 people later that day. With all the qualities and creativity of the Team Leaders and volunteers of Patinage Québec, we found a charter flight, buses, hotel rooms, comforted the skaters and parents, and all our skaters arrived in time for the practices. When we landed in Halifax, I thought it was a miracle and I still think it was. 

Skate Canada is grateful to France for her years of dedication to the sport and to the thousands of like-minded volunteers across the country who not only help make our work possible, but who help uplift skaters of all ages so that they can realize their dreams.  

To learn more about volunteer opportunities with Skate Canada, please click here. 

TOP 10 MOMENTS FROM THE 2024 ISU WORLD FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS

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Skate Canada hosted the 2024 ISU World Figure Skating Championships at the Bell Centre in Montreal from March 18 – 24, where sold-out crowds witnessed incredible performances by the 200 best skaters from more than 40 countries.

Here are some of our top moments from the event (in no particular order)!

  1. Deanna Stellato-Dudek rewriting the history books with Maxime Deschamps as they took home gold in the pair competition, and she became the oldest female world figure skating champion of all time at 40 years old.

  2. Retired skater Keegan Messing sharing his signature HUGE Canadian flag with Deanna & Maxime when they won gold, and then him waving it in the stands throughout the event to cheer on Team Canada.
  3. The “Quad God” Ilia Malinin of the USA absolutely living up to this moniker by nailing 6 quadruple jumps, including the quad axel to set a new World Record for the men’s free program enroute to winning his first World Championship title.

  4. The amazing choreography and visuals from the Opening Ceremony featuring Les Suprêmes, Nova and Elladj Baldé that celebrated the four seasons.

  5. Kaori Sakamoto of Japan becoming the first woman to win three-consecutive World Championship titles since Peggy Fleming (USA) did it from 1966-1968 and becoming the first Japanese skater ever to win three in a row.

  6. Adam Siao Him Fa being resurrected from 19th place after the short program to finish with a bronze medal in the men’s competition. His meteoric rise is the greatest comeback ever recorded in the sport – AND – he did it despite receiving deductions for performing an illegal backflip. What a legend.

  7. Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier taking home a silver medal for Canada in the ice dance competition after posting the highest score in the free dance portion. This was their highest finish at the World Championships since they made their debut at Worlds in 2013.

  8. Marjorie Lajoie and Zachary Lagha posting all new personal best scores for their performances just weeks after Marjorie was cleared to return to training after suffering a concussion in January

  9. Retired skater, and Event Ambassador Patrick Chan bringing in the crowds for signatures & photos at the Skate Canada EDIA booth.

  10. The Seraphim Chamber Choir from Montreal who learned 10 different national anthems to perform live for each medal presentation ceremony – a real crowd pleaser! 

Who to Watch Out For at the 2024 ISU World Figure Skating Championships

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Written by Jackie Wong of Rocker Skating

The main event is about to start. The 2024 ISU World Figure Skating Championships will take place this week in Montreal. If you’re looking for a quick download of the skaters to watch out for, you’re in the right place. If you’re looking for a quick download of everything else, check out my post on what I’m looking forward to in Montreal. Get ready for a lot of skating in the next few days. 

Pairs 

The pairs kick things off on Wednesday with their short programs. This season is shaping up to be like last season—we started wondering about the state of pair skating and we may end up being impressed about how they have pushed each other to improve the whole way. Among the storylines here will be Deanna Stellato-Dudek/Maxime Deschamps trying to win a World title at home, the continued return of reigning World champs Riku Miura/Ryuichi Kihara from injury, and the meteoric rise of two new pairs this season in Anastasia Metelkina/Luka Berulava and Minerva Hase/Nikita Volodin. 

Women 

The story of this season for the women has been one of good depth but major inconsistency. In Montreal this week, Kaori Sakamoto tries for a third consecutive World title, something that hasn’t been accomplished in 56 years. And Loena Hendrickx attempts to become the first Belgian singles skater ever to win Worlds. But perhaps more intriguingly, there are at least nine skaters who realistically have a chance to stand on the podium, and it will be hard to predict. 

Men 

Coming into Montreal, four men have separated themselves from the rest of the field this season. One has a quad axel (Ilia Malinin), one is accelerating in his comeback season (Yuma Kagiyama), one is hoping to become the first French man to win Worlds since 2007 (Adam Siao Him Fa), and the fourth is the two-time reigning champion (Shoma Uno). Barring some colossal surprise, the podium should consist of some permutation of these four skaters. But as it’s been for a number of years, the men’s event could be the field that combines depth with choreographic diversity the most. 

Dance 

Another spot for the Canadians to shine—Piper Gilles/Paul Poirier have been bronze medalists twice at Worlds; could they strike gold at home? The entire podium from last year’s Worlds is back and all three dance teams are favoured again to be back on the podium this year. If that happens, it will be the second year in a row and the second year ever that the dance podium will be occupied by skaters who are all over 30. Madison Chock/Evan Bates are the reigning champs, with Charlene Guignard/Marco Fabbri defending their silver but hoping for more. 

 

Insider Insights and Must-Dos Ahead of the 2024 ISU World Figure Skating Championships in Montreal

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With less than two weeks to go before the start of the ISU World Figure Skating Championships, we asked Rocker Skating what he was most excited about. Here’s what he had to say. 

Four years ago, we were all ready for Montreal to welcome the figure skating world with open arms—a very warm welcome, of course, to what many warned me could be a very cold city in March. And, as we all know now, it was this time four years ago when we were just getting notice that things might not be going as they had been planned.  

 So fast forward to 2024 (and I’ve been tracking the weather in Montreal, and it’s looking to be pretty nice) and it’s finally happening! The 2024 World Figure Skating Championships will be held in Montreal for the first time since 1932. And just as it was supposed to have been four years ago, it is the midway Worlds—the World Championships that is smack in the middle of the Olympic quadrennial.  

 It is consequential. 

 But before we get to the skating, one thing I always look forward to every Worlds is exploring the host city. I’ve been to Montreal before—and loved it. But this time around, I’ve been asking around even more. Because between my hours, and hours, and hours in the rink watching practice sessions, I’m going to try to take advantage of as much as I can in this historic city. In fact, there’s even a Facebook page solely dedicated to all the MTL things to do! 

Food? Yes. 

Now, if you follow me on social media, you may think all I eat are chicken tenders (you’re not wrong most of the time), but the food scene in Montreal is amazing. Like any great food city, there’s a mix of great food in formal restaurants, cheap eats, and everything in between. A couple of locals have also told me about the very Eastern Canada experience of the sugar shack. Look it up, and mmmm maple syrup. 

Coffee? Absolutely. 

A good flat white is what I need (multiple times a day) to sustain my nonstop coverage, and I already know this well because the last time I was in Montreal, I scoped out the good spots. You are sure to find me at MELK Café Stanley just a quick walk from the Bell Centre, or if I have a longer break, Bar Caffettiera just a couple blocks to the northwest. 

In and around the Bell Centre 

There will also be plenty to do in the downtown area near the venue. There are a few great museums within a 10-15 minute walk, including the Musée des beaux-arts de Montréal—that’s the quintessential art museum experience. And for those who love Aljona Savchenko or Valentina Marchei’s renditions of Barbie Girl, well, there’s a Barbie Expo with over 1,000 Barbie dolls on display. The Bell Centre will also be home to a full-fledged fan festival—food trucks, expo booths of all sorts, and lots more. You can even watch the competition there while you’re enjoying the fan festival. 

Skating legends abound 

If you caught my Instagram Live with three-time World champion Patrick Chan a couple weeks ago, you will know that he and Joannie Rochette are going to be the Event Ambassadors at Worlds. Chances that you’ll catch them at Bell Centre? High! Get your sharpies ready for those autographs. And I’ve heard through the grapevine that Elvis Stojko, Keegan Messing, and Elladj Baldé will also be there. Legends everywhere. 

And if that’s not enough, the Exhibition Gala on Sunday will have live musical performances, in addition to performances by Baldé, Chan, Messing, Stokjo, and Les Suprêmes. With that kind of lineup, I might even stay for the Exhibition Gala for once! 

 All this and I haven’t even gotten to the skating competition yet for Worlds. Hope you all are as excited as I am! 

Spotlight on Community Constellations

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At Skate Canada, we’re driven by a vision where everyone in Canada can experience the joy of skating.

In 2022, we proudly launched Community Constellations, a program designed to make skating more accessible to marginalized communities in Canada. Community Constellations removes financial barriers to give equity-deserving groups the opportunity to attend live figure skating events and experience the magic of the sport first-hand.

To date, we have partnered with organizations such as KidsUpFront, Temple Community Association, New Canadian Friendship Centre, Indigenous Sport Physical Activity and Recreation Council, and the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation to help distribute more than 700 tickets to figure skating events to underserved individuals and families, including newcomers, refugees, and Indigenous Canadians.

“I want to thank you on behalf of the entire family for the magnificent distinction you have made for us by selecting us for a beautiful and fun competition at the Calgary Olympic Park,” said a Community Constellations recipient and newcomer to Canada. “We feel privileged to be taken into account for so many and such beautiful presentations.”

Thanks to meaningful dialogue with our community partners, since launching the program, Community Constellations has evolved to better address the needs of the people it serves. In addition to an event ticket, participants receive transportation to and from the venue, onsite food vouchers, and extra tickets for their family members to attend.

“It was heartwarming to see the parents and children take in the activity they otherwise would not have had the means to attend,” said the Vanier Pediatric Social Club. “Thank you for this initiative.”

Through Community Constellations and in partnership with local organizations across the country, we are not only fostering a more diverse body of figure skating fans but also helping to make the joy of skating more accessible to all Canadians.

To learn more about Community Constellations and how your organization can participate in the program, please contact Patricia at [email protected].

Canadian Figure Skaters in Medal Contention at Four Continents

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Shanghai, China (February 2, 2024) – Canadian figure skaters sit in medal contention in both the ice dance and pair competitions following the first two days of competition at the ISU Four Continents Championships taking place in Shanghai, China, while Madeline Schizas and Sara-Maude Dupuis both finished in the top-10 in the women’s competition.

Schizas, from Oakville, Ontario, the 2023 Canadian senior women’s champion, was sitting in ninth following the short program, and then had a fantastic free skate to move up to finish sixth overall with a total score of 185.69 – her best finish at this competition to date.

“I’m happy with my skate, I’m happy with my score, and it’s a big step up from Canadian Nationals. I’m hoping to add a few more points at World Championships if I get that nomination,” said Schizas who wasn’t satisfied with finishing second at Canadian Championships last month. So much so, she debuted a new costume in Shanghai: “I wanted a new one anyway, and I had a bad nationals, so I decided that I needed new vibes.”

Sara-Maude Dupuis of Montreal, Que., posted a massive new personal best score in her free skate (118.99) to finish in 9th with a new personal best total score as well of 172.45. Justine Miclette of Chambly, Que., finished in 14th (151.30).

Mone Chiba of Japan won gold (214.98), while Chaeyeon Kim of Korea took silver (204.68), and Rinka Watanabe of Japan took bronze (202.17).

Piper Gilles of  Toronto, Ont., and Paul Poirier of Unionville, Ont., look on track to win their first Four Continents Championships title in ice dance on Sunday as they have a healthy lead following the rhythm dance that took place today. Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Nikolaj Soerensen of Montreal, Que., sit just behind them in second, while Marie-Jade Lauriault and Romain Le Gac of Ste-Anne-des-plaines, Que., sit in seventh.

“We skate everyday with commitment and passion, even when we don’t feel good, and so I think we just really enjoy flipping the switch and really seeing that energy, and I think that’s what makes us special. You see a lot of the top athletes able to do that, and we did that today,” said Gilles following their performance.

Canada has the top spot currently in the pair competition as well with Deanna Stellato-Dudek of Chicago, USA and Maxime Deschamps of Vaudreuil-Dorion, Que., having a comfortable lead heading into the free skate taking place on Saturday.

“It was fun to go out there. I’m disappointed in my mistake, but really happy with the rest of the performance. We accomplished a lot of our upgrades and have been working really hard,” said Deschamps who has been struggling with his jumps at the last couple of competitions.

Lia Pereira of Milton, Ont., and Trennt Michaud of Trenton, Ont., are sitting in sixth after the short program, and Kelly Ann Laurin of St-Jerôme, Que., and Loucas Éthier of Deux-Montagnes, Que., are in eighth.

The men’s competition will wrap up on Saturday. Wesley Chiu of Vancouver, B.C., is the top-ranked Canadian in sixth following the short program which took place on Thursday. Roman Sadovsky of Vaughan, Ont., is sitting in 11th, and Conrad Orzel of Toronto, Ont., is sitting in 17th.

For full results please click here.

The Little Club that Could – Minnedosa Skating Club Champions Inclusivity to Give Local Boy a New Way to Enjoy Skating

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On January 1, 2022, eight-year-old Cain Burgess of Minnedosa, Manitoba, and his family received news that no one ever wants to receive. A lump that his family had noticed on his shin was revealed to be osteosarcoma, and thus began Cain’s journey with cancer.

Cain spent eight months away from home undergoing chemotherapy and multiple surgeries to remove his tibia bone and replace it with a bone graft and a cadaver bone. When he finally returned home, Cain was cancer free and eager to return to his normal life.

Before his cancer diagnosis, Cain had been a very active kid, playing hockey, rugby, biking, and hiking and so getting active again was paramount for his recovery. Despite being cancer free, Cain was still unable to put any weight on his leg, so his family was unsure of what he’d be able to do. Luckily, the family’s good friend, Jacquie Gerrard – President of the Minnedosa Skating Club – had recently seen a CanSkate poster that showed a young boy using a sledge to get out on the ice.

“I really didn’t know anything about sledging, but I contacted Skate Manitoba, and they put me in touch with Skate Canada and they were able to provide me with more information. In Manitoba, it’s mostly Sledge Hockey Manitoba who do the most with sledges, and they’re managed by Manitoba Possible. They were able to get Cain fitted with a sledge, and he brought it out to Minnedosa and he was able to start in our CanSkate program using a sledge which was really cool,” said Gerrard.

Being out on the ice on his sledge has had a very positive impact on Cain says his mother, Danica Wotton: “The social aspect of getting him back on the ice has been beneficial in so many ways. He’s not excluded, and it’s a way for him to take part and be with his friends, and he’s having fun and he’s exercising, which is a huge thing, because I really can’t find many activities for him with his leg not working.”

Cain was also lucky enough to meet and skate with Paralympic athlete Tyler McGregor in February 2023 when he was in Winnipeg for his “Sledge Skate of Hope” campaign. McGregor, who also had a form of bone cancer and lost his leg, discovered para ice hockey early on and is now the captain of Canada’s national para ice hockey team and widely recognized as one of the best players in the world.

“He and Cain went for a skate on the river together, just the two of them. They got to talk and had a lot in common. Tyler has had his struggles as well, so they were chatting and sledging, and it was really cool for Cain,” said his mother Danica.

Minnedosa is a small, rural town, near Brandon, Manitoba, with few opportunities for kids with different abilities to get involved in sport and recreation. After seeing the impact that sledge skating has had on Cain, Gerrard is working to create better access to the sport for other local skaters. She applied for a grant with the Minnedosa and District Foundation to purchase two additional sleds for the club.

“We just got those before Christmas, and together with our recreation department, they’re now available anytime we have public skating, or sticks and pucks – our whole community can use them and try them out. Anyone who’s tried it thinks it’s super fun,” said Gerrard.

Cain has become the resident expert on sledge skating in his town. He helped make some videos for the club about how to use them, how to get in them, and how to stop and will be helping to teach other kids that want to learn how to sledge through the club’s CanSkate programs.

“We’re just so thankful to the club,” said Wotton. “At the time that this was all going on, Cain was really struggling with a lot and having a lot of challenges with his chemo, and his treatment, and not being mobile, and they were in the background, doing all of this and taking the lead on it, which took a lot off our plate. They gave Cain this opportunity – we didn’t ask for it – they just did it, and we’re really grateful to them for thinking of him and doing their work towards making this inclusive activity out here in in a rural area setting where we don’t have these things.”

If you’d like to find out more about sledge skating, and you live in Manitoba, visit any of the links in this story. For other parts of Canada, please get in touch with our Member Services desk at Skate Canada and they will direct you appropriately.

View Skate Canada’s CanSkate-Sledge Skating Development Library

CanSkate@School Breaks Barriers in Edmonton

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It’s a cold blustery morning in Edmonton, Alberta as local elementary school children board a bus for a trip to the downtown community arena next to Rogers Place and the home of the Edmonton Oilers. For many of the children, the bus ride from their school to the rink is an adventure in and of itself. Putting on the skates and helmets awaiting them — an even bigger adventure. For some, this is the first time they will have ever stepped on the ice. Thanks to a partnership between Skate AB|NT|NU, EverActive Schools, The City of Edmonton, and the Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation, many of these children are about to experience the joy of skating for the first time. This is the CanSkate@School program.

CanSkate@School started in 2018 with the sole purpose of providing children in grades 1-4 who come from inner city and under-served school communities, an opportunity to experience the joy of skating and learning to skate. Participants don’t even need to bring their own helmets or skates – as equipment is often a key barrier to entry, all the equipment required is housed at the arena waiting for them. In fact, most of the equipment is legacy funded equipment from the Skate Canada “Skate Bank” program from Canada 150, a gift that keeps on giving to this community.

Since it first started, over 4700 students have gone through the program with 90% of participants experiencing skating for the first time. These are impressive numbers considering the program had to pause for a year and half during the COVID-19 pandemic. The program also serves sledge skaters and adaptive skaters – ensuring that anyone who wants to, has the opportunity to attend by participating in specialized sessions called interaction sessions.

Each child’s class registers for the program through EverActive schools and gets three sessions that follow the CanSkate program, and which are led by Skate Canada certified coaches. It works just like a skating field trip – board the bus to the rink, skate, go back to school…and the kids seem to really love it.

When speaking with one parent whose child recently participated in the program, she shared that, “he loved it and had so much fun”. Tehmina’s son, Shuwaiz, is 11 years old, blind, and like many other families, faced a financial barrier to entry. This barrier was quickly removed because everything he needs to participate is provided through the program. After he was able to step on the ice for the first time, his mom said that: “he really enjoyed it and improved a lot by the third day.” Shuwaiz, like many other children, was able to have a new experience that might never had happened if it were not for the CanSkate@School program.

In its first year, the program served 732 kids – that’s 32 classes from seven schools and all of those were primarily grade two students (while geared towards grades 1-4, the program will accept students up to grade 9). To date, 4,700 kids have had the opportunity to skate that may never have otherwise stepped foot on the ice — and that’s just in one city. So, what does the future hold? Speaking with Leona Boyle, Administrative Coordinator and Lisa Hardy, Executive Director of Skate AB|NT|NU, the section is looking to expand the program offering to the City of Calgary soon.

The confluence of events that came together to create this program is nothing short of amazing. After the construction of Rogers Place Arena and the downtown community rink in 2016, it soon became apparent the rink was being under-utilized. The equipment from Canada 150 was still pretty much brand new and was able to provide the skates and helmets the skaters require to participate. Funding from the City of Edmonton and the Edmonton Oilers Foundation, in conjunction with the coordination of logistics from EverActive schools and Skate AB|NT|NU’s expert coaches, all came together to build this unique program. It was a perfect skating storm that managed to remove some of the most basic barriers to entry and to serve some of the most under-served members of the Edmonton community.

Programs and opportunities like CanSkate@School continue to make strides towards ensuring this beloved Canadian pastime really does have the potential to be available to everyone.
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*If you are interested in starting a CanSkate@School program in your area, please reach out to [email protected].

 

Gold for Canadian Pair and Ice Dance Team at Skate Canada International

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Vancouver, Canada (October 28, 2023) – Deanna Stellato-Dudek of Chicago, USA and Maxime Deschamps of Vaudreuil-Dorion, Que., showed that they are well on the path towards their goal of standing on the podium at the World Championships in Montreal next spring with a commanding free skate that earned them the gold medal in the pair competition at 2023 Skate Canada International.

Piper Gilles of Toronto, Ont., and Paul Poirier of Unionville, Ont., also retained their Skate Canada International title for the fourth year in a row with a beautiful performance in the free dance to win gold in ice dance.

Stellato-Dudek and Deschamps scored a personal best of 142.34 in their free skate to the theme from “Interview with a Vampire” to win gold by 27 points (214.64 total score) over the Hungarian team of Maria Pavlova and Alexei Sviatchenko who took silver (187.78). The Italian team of Lucrezia Beccari and Matteo Guarise captured bronze (181.42).

“I’m very happy with today’s performance which is a rarity for me,” laughed Stellato-Dudek following their performance. “It’s still early in the season, but we’ve been waiting for a performance like this for years. We were sick of it last year and never skating even close to a clean long program, so we worked really hard to be able to put this out today.”

Kelly Ann Laurin of St-Jérôme, Que., and Loucas Éthier of Deux-Montagnes, Que., improved on their short program performance where they were sitting in seventh, to finish the competition in fifth overall with a total score of 168.12. Brooke McIntosh of Toronto, Ont., and Benjamin Mimar of Terrebonne, Que., finished sixth overall with a total score of 166.00.

Gilles and Poirier performed a moving free dance to music from “Wuthering Heights” to win their first gold of the season with a total score of 219.01. Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson of Great Britain and Allison Reed and Saulius Ambrulevicius of Lithuania retained their positions from the rhythm dance to capture silver (209.55) and bronze (192.01) respectively.

“This has been such a successful competition for us,” said Poirier. “We’ve been able to debut both of our new programs which has been really exciting just to put them out there in the world. We’re proud of how we skated and contained our nerves, and we’re both really looking forward to improving on both of these skates as we go through the season.”

Alicia Fabbri of Terrebonne, Que. and Paul Ayer of Brossard, Que. finished seventh with a score of 173.34, while Molly Lanaghan of Doncaster, GB and Dmitre Razgulajevs of Ajax, Ont. placed ninth.

Madeline Schizas of Oakville, Ont., bounced back from her disappointing short program on Friday with a flawless free skate in the women’s competition that gave her the second highest score of the day, which saw her move her up from eighth to fourth overall with a total score of 189.91.

“I’m feeling really good. I was very disappointed after my short yesterday, but I was able to pull it together in the free to put up a really big score which is what I was really looking for. I know I can skate a good short, but sometimes the free gets away from me so I was really happy,” said Schizas whose free skate score of 132.47 is a new personal best and season’s best.

Kaori Sakamoto, the reigning world champion, continued her dominance in the free skate to win the gold with a total score of 226.13. Chaeyeon Kim of Korea took the silver with an overall score of 201.15, and Rino Matsuike of Japan took bronze with an overall score of 198.62. Senior Grand Prix rookies Kaiya Ruiter of Calgary, Alta., and Sara-Maude Dupuis of Montreal, Que., finished the competition 10th (155.44) and 11th (151.95) respectively.

The men’s competition saw Wesley Chiu of Vancouver, B.C., take the title of the top Canadian as he finished in seventh position with a total score of 221.54. Toronto’s Conrad Orzel finished 10th with a total score of 213.12, and Aleksa Rakic of Burnaby, B.C., finished 12th with a total score of 189.38.

It was a close fight for the gold, with Sota Yamamoto of Japan squeaking through to take the gold with an overall score of 258.42 – just ahead of his teammate Kao Miura who took silver with an overall score of 257.89. Matteo Rizzo of Italy captured bronze with a total score of 246.01 after an inspired performance that saw him move up to the podium from eighth after the short program.

Next up for Canadian skaters is the Grand Prix de France taking place in Angers, France from November 3-5, 2023. For full results, please click here.

Adaptive CanSkate is a Win for Everyone

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In the Fall of 2022, the phone started ringing and emails started coming into the Kitchener-Waterloo Skating Club (KWSC). Parents had questions about possibilities for their children with disabilities to access the club’s CanSkate program. They wanted to know what kind of equipment was available and if there was a volunteer that could be with their child while they were on the ice.

Debra Brown, Executive Director of KWSC, started looking at the landscape in her local community. There were programs like sledge hockey, gymnastics, baseball and even horseback riding but nothing regarding learning to skate. The demand was there but how could they make that work at their club? Inspired by the recent Skate Canada annual Ice Summit, Brown remembered a workshop focused on adaptive skating that a colleague of hers mentioned and had also returned with numerous resources. Slowly the pieces started coming together.

“We will need a process for kids to be accompanied on the ice, funding and some support in working with children with disabilities,” she thought to herself. Where there is a will, there is often a way and around the same time, Brown discovered that the City of Waterloo was giving seed money in the form of community cash grants. For assistance, she reached out to KidsAbility, a non-profit that provides support for children and youth to reach their communication, social, physical and behavioural goals. KWSC received the grant and the journey towards building the program began.

With the support and expertise of KidsAbility, KWSC was able to train all their volunteers on best practices when working with children with disabilities. In the Fall of 2022, KWSC launched their pilot adaptive CanSkate program with eight skaters and nine volunteers registered.

Alison McLaren, who is now the Program Coordinator, was one of the original volunteers. “One of my best friends has a daughter with a disability, and I have seen first-hand the lack of inclusive recreation opportunities available to her. When I saw that the KW Skating Club was starting an Adaptive Canskate program, I knew I wanted to be involved.”

This was the beginning of something that would soon make session days her favourite day of the week. While Alison does receive some pay for her role in the program, she says that this is really a passion project for her.

A regular at the program is Kunsh who is 14 years old, has down syndrome, and is non-verbal. This program makes a difference, not just for him but for his mother. “I am very happy seeing the changes in Kunsh,” she shares. “He is very happy skating and always with a big smile on his face.” His mother Nidhi wishes the club ran summer sessions because “he loves it so much”.

Alison and Nidhi recount his progress and how the program helped him get there. It was slow and took many sessions. He started by just getting in the arena. The next step was getting him to wear skates, to moving around and keeping his balance on his skates and then finally, Kunsh was on the ice with his skates at the last session.

The program’s success stems from the fact that volunteers are able customize it and give children one-on-one attention. Kunsh’s Mom confirms the same. She explained that his on-ice aid Leah has been a huge difference maker and that she engages Kunsh with bubbles, little basketballs and is always encouraging him to be involved.

“It’s a win for everyone,” Alison says. “A win for the club, a win for the volunteers and a win for the kids.” As of this fall, the club is now offering two sessions of Adaptive CanSkate and both currently have a waitlist.

The landscape continues to shift in terms of adaptive and inclusive sporting opportunities and while there might still be a lot of work left to do, this reminds us just what is possible and how much impact it can have.

Click here to learn more about Skate Canada’s clubs and programs.

The Evolution of Bruno Delmaestro: From Skating Champion to Coaching Icon

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Building the champions of tomorrow is every coach’s dream. It takes years of commitment, dedication, patience, and sacrifice. In figure skating and hockey, it means time away from your family, late nights and early mornings at the rink and countless days on the road. Esteemed skating coach and BC Section Skate Canada Competitive Coach of the Year Award (1999, 2001, 2006) Bruno Delmaestro will tell you; nothing happens overnight.

In his early years, Delmaestro was both a figure skater and a hockey player, playing hockey up until he was 15 years of age. His figure skating career continued for years beyond that. In 1980, as a dual citizen of both Canada and Italy, Delmaestro left Canada to go compete for Italy. During his figure skating career, Delmaestro became a three-time national champion and won a silver medal at the 1982 Nebelhorn Trophy and a bronze medal at the St. Gervais international competition in France. He skated in the European and World Championships on track to be named to Italy’s 1984 Olympic team when he was sidelined by a hip-flexor injury that ended his competitive career.

His on-ice accomplishments would turn out to be to what just one chapter of a long and accomplished career built around skating. After recovering from his injury, Delmaestro entertained offers to skate professionally but was also curious about dabbling in the coaching world. Instead of skating professionally, he began taking coaching courses under the National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP) while going to school and gradually became a skating coach.

After the first year, Delmaestro started to notice a trend in his skaters. “Guys were taking figure skating for hockey, and then quitting.” This opportunity would become a game changer for his career and that of many young hockey players.

His thought process became: “If you want to a be a hockey player, come train at my hockey school and if you want to be a figure skater, come train at the clubs.” This quickly became the motto he would share with all young skaters looking to train with him and the foundation of what would become Bruno Delmaestro’s Skating Schools. Delmaestro took his knowledge of both sports to create unique and effective skating programs.

In the years since, he has coached several prominent athletes, such as Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Matthew Barzal and 2023 first 2023 NHL Entry Draft pick Connor Bedard. In addition to Connor Bedard, Delmaestro also coached two additional NHL draft picks this year. In figure skating, he has coached numerous national champions and international medallists.

While these accomplishments bring him pride, he shares that the real joy comes from, “when you get to touch the lives of these skaters, you give them guidance to overcome things in skating and that makes them strong in life.”

Just like anything else in life, there is always much behind-the-scenes work that goes into every success story and Delmaestro is no exception to this. At 60 years old, he has now been coaching for 38 years in the two sports he is passionate about. He is an NCCP level 4 (partially level 5) coach, which represents countless hours spent learning both on and off the ice. Logging coaching hours, completing tests, attending trainings, in addition to the time he spends directly with his athletes he was also a Skate Canada Master Course Conductor in Power Skating. Today he is a High Performance, Pre-Power and PowerSkate Manager and skating coach at the Coquitlam Skating Club in British Columbia.

He attributes much of his success to the incredible mentorship he found in Cynthia and Jan Ullmark, and while mentorship brought him a long way, he continued to train and evolve as a coach. Continued NCCP training and listening to his athletes brought him staying power in two sports that have changed leaps and bounds since he started coaching.

“We are so beyond the way we taught 38 years ago. You must adapt as the sport evolves and today the kids are stronger, better trained, and more skilled.”

Both hockey and figure skating are so radically different than they were years ago. Athletes are constantly breaking new physical barriers. In figure skating, we see more quads in the programs, better skating skills and hockey is faster now than it has ever been, with better equipment and puck handling skills. So, Delmaestro kept evolving, kept learning, kept growing with both the sport and his athletes.

For new coaches coming up through the ranks, Delmaestro relays some key advice. “For a coach working with any high-performance athlete, it’s a good balancing act of getting that person to their best performance. The road is never easy, there are lots of ups and downs, it’s important to be patient. We all need a basic understanding that this is their sport and part of your job is to keep them grounded.”

Getting to the top is challenging and requires a network of people and assets to get there. After 38 years of coaching, Delmaestro is now setting new goals and new aspirations. “I never thought I could push 60 with my body and now the dream is 65 and maybe 70,” he shares. In one last parting thought Bruno reminds us that, “sport is active for life and if you keep active for life, you will push through.”

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This week is National Coaches Week. Join Skate Canada in celebrating coaches across the country working to help skaters of all ages accomplish their goals. We invite you to thank your coach in your own special way and to tag Skate Canada so we can join in the celebration.

Bruno Delmaestro is a World and International Level Skater and Coach who is NCCP Level 4 certified (partial level 5) and trainer of hockey players from beginner to NHL. To find out more about his skating schools, click here.

Empowering Joy: How Figure Skating Transformed Jayda’s World

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Life opens up for all of us at different times and in different ways. Sport is something unique that pushes us, asking us to give it a shot, to improve and most of all, to have fun. Sport also provides social structures and opportunities to bond. In a positive and inclusive sporting environment, people thrive. This is exactly what happened for Jayda Yang when she took up skating.

Jayda started skating at five years old and seven years later, she still loves going to the rink. She thrives off the relationships she has built with her coaches, especially Coach Lisa, and while group activities have been difficult for her in the past, she absolutely loves being involved in programs at not just one but two skating schools in her area. In fact, Jayda loves skating so much that her mother registers her for a double session in the winter.

Jayda is also autistic and has limited verbal communication. For special needs individuals, group and social activities can often be challenging, anxiety provoking and stressful, but just as essential as they are for neurotypical people. Individuals all need a place where they belong and can develop relationships and skating has done just that for Jayda.

The rink has become a place where she is engaged, feels safe, and looks forward to being. Her clubs have adapted to keep her interested and enjoying the experience. Jayda is a very visual learner and sometimes needs things like timers and choices to help her continue to succeed. Her bond with her coaches, particularly Coach Lisa, gives her the motivation to keep going session after session.

Jayda’s autism diagnosis brings with it certain struggles. Some days it can take almost half an hour for Jayda to summon the motivation to get out of bed, but on days when she knows she has skating, she is excited to get up and get going. These are some of the small but hugely impactful differences Jayda’s mother has noticed as a result of skating.

Following her skating sessions, Jayda is “often happier, calmer and more open.” These become teachable moments where they get to communicate more. Jayda has limited verbal capacity and communicates largely by sign language and via an iPad. After skating, she will often sit outside with her mom having a snack and watch other skaters through the window of the arena with a smile on her face.

The clubs that Jayda skates at are a key contributor to this world of difference for her. The class sizes are small at both clubs which allows for more one-on-one attention. These classes are also organized in a way that works well for Jayda, with children moving station to station with their teacher and the rest of their group. Her coaches will also take time to bring her back to the group and have put in place accommodations that ensure a positive experience and the opportunity to learn and progress.

“It sounds like a small thing, but it’s not a small thing. It takes a lot of people’s goodwill and consideration to keep this a positive experience” for Jayda and others who might have additional needs to succeed and thrive in a skating environment.

There is no doubt that Jayda’s clubs, coaches and friends have contributed to her skill development and continue to provide her with a wonderful opportunity to grow. For a parent, there is nothing sweeter than seeing your child find joy, especially after periods of hardship. For Jayda, figure skating is that joy, that social circle we all crave so deeply and a place for her to grow. It’s been a gift and one that will hopefully continue to give to her for years to come.