Canadians begin ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Season in Chicago

OTTAWA, ON: Skate Canada will send four entries, for a total of seven skaters to Skate America, the first event on this season’s ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating. The competition, which is the first of six ISU Senior Grand Prix stops, will be taking place at the Sears Centre in Hoffman Estates/Chicago, Illinois, from October 24-26, 2014. Canada will have one entry per category in men’s and pair, and two entries in ice dance.

World Junior Champion Nam Nguyen, 16, Toronto, Ont., will be the Canadian entry in men’s. This will be Nguyen’s first ISU Grand Prix assignment at the senior level. Earlier this month, he won silver at the inaugural Skate Canada Autumn Classic International. Last season, he placed 12th at the 2014 ISU World Figure Skating Championships and fifth at the 2014 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships. Nguyen is coached by Brian Orser and Ernest Pryhitka at the Toronto Cricket Skating & Curling Club.

Vanessa Grenier, 22, Sherbrooke, Que., and Maxime Deschamps, 22, Vaudreuil-Dorion, Que., will represent Canada in pair. The 2014 Canadian junior pair champions from CPA Sherbrooke and CPAR Vaudreuil will be competing at their first ISU Grand Prix assignment. This season, Grenier and Deschamps placed fifth at both of their assignments on the ISU Challenger Series, Nebelhorn Trophy, and the Skate Canada Autumn Classic International. They are coached by Richard Gauthier and Bruno Marcotte at CPA Saint- Léonard.

Nicole Orford, 22, Burnaby, B.C., and Thomas Williams, 23, Okotoks, Alta., are the first of two Canadian entries in ice dance. Earlier this season, the representatives of Inlet SC and Calalta Community FSC won silver at the U.S. International Figure Skating Classic and placed sixth at the Skate Canada Autumn Classic International on the ISU Challenger Series. Last season, they placed fifth at the 2014 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships and fifth at the 2014 ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships. Orford and Williams are coached by Megan Wing and Aaron Lowe at the Champs International Skating Centre.

Élisabeth Paradis, 22, Loretteville, Que., and François-Xavier Ouellette, 22, Laval, Que., will also represent Canada in ice dance. This will be their first assignment on the ISU Senior Grand Prix circuit. Earlier this season, the representatives of CPA Loretteville and CPA Les Lames D’Argent De Laval Inc., placed fifth at Nebelhorn Trophy. Last season, they placed fifth at the 2013 Cup of Nice and eighth at the 2014 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships. They are coached by Marie-France Dubreuil and Patrice Lauzon in Montreal, Que.

Petra Burka, of Toronto, Ont., will be the Canadian team leader at the event. Meghan Buttle, also of Toronto, Ont., will be the Canadian team physiotherapist and Leslie Keen of Vancouver, B.C., will be the sole Canadian official at the event.

For more information and full entries please visit www.isu.org.

CANADIAN ENTRIES AT 2014 SKATE AMERICA

Discipline Name Age Hometown Club Coach
Mens Nam Nguyen 16 Toronto, Ont. Toronto Cricket Skating & Curling Club Brian Orser / Ernest Pryhitka
Pairs Vanessa Grenier / Maxime Deschamps 22/22 Sherbrooke, Que. / Vaudreuil-Dorion, Que. CPA Sherbrooke / CPA Vaudreuil Richard Gauthier / Bruno Marcotte
Ice Dance Nicole Orford / Thomas Williams 21/23 Burnaby, B.C. / Okotoks, Alta. Inlet SC / Calalta Community FSC Megan Wing / Aaron Lowe
Ice Dance Élisabeth Paradis / François-Xavier Ouellette 22/22 Loretteville, Que. / Laval, Que. CPA Loretteville / CPA Les Lames D’Argent De Laval Inc. Marie-France Dubreuil / Patrice Lauzon
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