OTTAWA, ON: Canada will send 11 entries, for a total of 16 athletes, to the 2014 ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships® in Taipei City, Chinese Taipei. The event takes place from January 20-26, 2014, at the Taipei Arena. The Canadian team will have three entries in men’s, ladies, and ice dance, and two entries in pair.
Elladj Baldé, 23, Pierrefonds, Que, representing Club de Patinage des Deux-Rives, will be the first entry in the men’s category. Baldé finished 18th at this event in 2013. This season, he placed fourth at the 2014 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships, and seventh at Skate Canada International. He trains out of the Detroit Skating Club with coaches Yuka Sato and Jason Dungjen.
Nam Nguyen, 15, Burnaby, B.C., will be the second Canadian entry in men’s. This is his first international assignment at the senior level. Last season, he placed 12th at the 2013 ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships. Nguyen most recently placed fifth at the 2014 Canadian Tire National Figure Skating Championships. He is coached by Brian Orser at the Toronto Cricket, Skating and Curling Club.
Jeremy Ten, 24, Vancouver, B.C., will also represent Canada in men’s. Representing the North Shore Winter Club, Ten has previously competed at this event in 2012, placing 14th, and 2009, placing seventh. This season, he placed third at the 2013 Nebelhorn Trophy, and sixth at the 2014 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships. He is coached by Joanne McLeod and Neil Wilson at the BC Centre of Excellence.
In ladies, veteran Amélie Lacoste, 25, Delson, Que., will lead the way. Representing CPA du Roussillon, the 2012 Canadian Champion has previously competed at this event six times (2005, 2009-2013). This season, she placed fifth at Skate Canada International, sixth at Trophée Eric Bompard, and earned bronze at the 2014 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships. Lacoste is coached by Christy Krall in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Véronik Mallet, 19, Sept-Îles, Que., is the second Canadian entry in ladies. This will be the first time competing at this event for the representative of CPA Sept-Îles. This season, Mallet placed eighth at Skate Canada International and fourth at the 2014 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships. Mallet is coached by Annie Barabé and Sophie Richard at CTC Contrecoeur.
Alaine Chartrand, 17, Prescott, Ont., rounds out the Canadian entries in the ladies category. This will be her first international assignment at the senior level. The 2013 Canadian bronze medallist also placed eighth at the 2013 ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships. Most recently, she placed fifth at the 2014 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships. She is coached by Michelle Leigh and Leonid Birinberg, and trains at the Nepean Skating Club.
Natasha Purich, 18, Sherwood Park, Alta., and Mervin Tran, 23, Regina, Sask., are one of two Canadian pair entries. Representing Ice Palace FSC and CPA Saint-Léonard, the pair placed sixth at Nebelhorn Trophy and Trophée Eric Bompard this season. Purich and Tran also placed fourth at the 2014 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships. They train at CPA Saint-Léonard and are coached by Richard Gauthier and Bruno Marcotte.
Margaret Purdy, 19, Strathroy, Ont., and Michael Marinaro, 22, Sarnia, Ont., will be the second Canadian entry in pair. Representing Watford FSC and Point Edward SC, the pair placed eighth at both of their international assignments this season, Skate America and Skate Canada International. Purdy and Marinaro also placed fifth at the 2014 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships. They are coached by Scott Rachuk and Alison Purkiss at the Competitive Skating Centre of Strathroy.
Two-time Canadian medallists Piper Gilles, 22, Toronto, Ont., and Paul Poirier, 22, Unionville, Ont., are the first of three Canadian entries in ice dance. Last season, they placed fifth at this event. This season, they placed fifth at NHK Trophy, sixth at Rostelecom Cup, and fourth at the 2014 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships. They are coached by Carol Lane and Juris Razgulajevs at Ice Dance Elite in Scarborough, Ont.
Nicole Orford, 21, Burnaby, B.C., and Thomas Williams, 22, Okotoks, Alta., are the second Canadian entry in ice dance. Representing Inlet SC and Calalta Community FSC, they are the 2013 Canadian bronze medallists. This season, they won bronze at the 2013 U.S. International Figure Skating Classic, and placed fifth at the 2014 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships. They are coached by Megan Wing and Aaron Lowe at the B.C. Centre of Excellence.
Kharis Ralph, 21, Toronto, Ont., and Asher Hill, 22, Pickering, Ont., will also represent Canada in ice dance. They previously competed at this event in 2010, placing sixth. This season, they placed fourth at the Cup of Nice, won bronze at NRW Trophy, and placed sixth at the 2014 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships. Ralph and Hill train out of Scarboro FSC and are coached by Carol Lane and Juris Razgulajevs.
The team leaders for this event are Petra Burka of Toronto, Ont., and Manon Perron of Boucherville, Que. Dr. Ed Pilat, Winnipeg, Man., will be the Canadian team doctor and Agnes Makowski of Toronto, Ont., will be the team physiotherapist. Canadian officials at the event are Susan Blatz of Burlington, Ont., Pam Chislett of Grand Prairie, Alta., Andrea Derby of Windsor, Ont., and Jeff Lukasik, of Calgary, Alta.
For results and full entries please visit www.isu.org.
CANADIAN ENTRIES AT 2014 ISU FOUR CONTINENTS FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS®
Discipline |
Name |
Age |
Hometown |
Club |
Coach |
Men’s |
Elladj Baldé |
23 |
Pierrefonds, Que. |
Club de Patinage des Deux-Rives |
Yuka Sato / Jason Dungjen |
Men’s |
Nam Nguyen |
15 |
Burnaby, B.C. |
Toronto Cricket, Skating and Curling Club |
Brian Orser |
Men’s |
Jeremy Ten |
24 |
Vancouver, B.C. |
North Shore WC |
Joanne McLeod / Neil Wilson |
Ladies |
Amélie Lacoste |
25 |
Delson, Que. |
CPA du Roussillon |
Christy Krall |
Ladies |
Veronik Mallet |
19 |
Sept- Îles, Que. |
CPA Sept-Îles |
Annie Barabé / Sophie Richard |
Ladies |
Alaine Chartrand |
17 |
Prescott, Ont. |
Nepean Skating Club |
Michelle Leigh / Leonid Birinberg |
Pair |
Natasha Purich / Mervin Tran |
18/23 |
Sherwood Park, Alta. / Regina, Sask. |
Ice Palace FSC / CPA Saint-Léonard |
Richard Gauthier / Bruno Marcotte |
Pair |
Margaret Purdy / Michael Marinaro |
19/22 |
Strathroy, Ont. / Sarnia, Ont. |
Watford FSC / Point Edward SC |
Scott Rachuk / Alison Purkiss |
Ice dance |
Piper Gilles / Paul Poirier |
22/22 |
Toronto, Ont. – Colorado Springs, CO. / Toronto, Ont. |
Scarboro FSC / Scarboro FSC |
Carol Lane / Juris Razgulajevs |
Ice Dance |
Nicole Orford / Thomas Williams |
21/22 |
Burnaby, B.C. / Okotoks, Alta. |
Inlet SC / Calalta Community FSC |
Megan Wing / Aaron Lowe |
Ice Dance |
Kharis Ralph / Asher Hill |
21/22 |
Toronto, Ont. / Pickering, Ont. |
Scarboro FSC / Scarboro FSC |
Carol Lane / Jon Lane / Juris Razgulajevs |