Tag Archive for: 2016-2017 ISU Junior Grand Prix

Whitley and Graham top Canadians at ISU Junior Grand Prix

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OSTRAVA, Czech Republic – Hannah Whitley of Barrie, Ont., and Elliott Graham of Angus, Ont., placed fifth in ice dance on Friday for Canada’s best result so far at the second stop on the ISU Junior Grand Prix circuit.

Lorraine McNamara and Quinn Carpenter of the U.S. took the gold with Nicole Kuzmich and Alexandr Sinicyn of the Czech Republic second and Arina Ushakova and Maxim Nekrasov of Russia third.

Whitley and Graham posted their best international score with 126.27 points to also improve on their seventh place finish from last year’s ISU Junior Grand Prix stop.

“We skated two of our best programs and we’re impressed to make the top-five,’’ said Whitley, 16, who sat out part of last season due to a shin injury. “We learned a lot and going home we have a lot to work on for our next competition. Our speed is one area in particular that needs improvement. For me it’s great to be back on the ice pain free.’’

Danielle Wu and Nik Mirzakhani of Burnaby, B.C., were seventh in their international debut.

‘’It was quite a learning experience,’’ said Wu. ‘’The short dance was a bit disappointing but we came back with a strong free. We are learning to connect together as a team and we can see a lot of improvement.’’

In pairs, Anna Duskova and Martin Bidar of the Czech Republic were the winners. Amina Atakhanova and Ilia Spiridonov of Russia were second and Chelsea Liu and Brian John son of the U.S. third.

Lori-Ann Matte and Thierry Ferland of Levis, Que., were sixth with a career-best 137.89 points while Justine Brasseur of Brossard, Que., and Mathieu Ostiguy of Ste-Angèle-de-Monnoir, Que., were 11th.

‘’We are very proud of our performances here,’’ said Ferland. ‘’We achieved our goals and proud with how well we did in our first Grand Prix. We had never measured ourselves against skaters from other countries so we kept our goals focused on our own performances.’’

In the men’s short program on Friday, Canadian junior champion Joseph Phan of Laval, Que., is sixth and Samuel Turcotte of Varennes, Que., 10th.

In Thursday’s women’s short program Alicia Pineault of Varennes is 10th.

The men’s and women’s free skates are Saturday.

Complete results: http://www.isuresults.com/results/season1617/jgpcze2016/index.htm.

Canadian skaters head to Czech Republic for second stop on ISU Junior Grand Prix circuit

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OTTAWA, ON: Skate Canada will send seven entries, for a total of 11 skaters to Ostrava, Czech Republic, for the second stop on the ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating. Canada will have two entries per category in men’s, pair and ice dance, and one entry in ladies. The competition takes place from August 31-September 4, 2016.

Joseph Phan, 15, Laval, Que., is the first of two Canadian men’s entries. This will be the first ISU Junior Grand Prix assignment for the 2016 Canadian junior champion. Last season, he won silver in the junior category at the 2015 Skate Canada Autumn Classic International. He is coached by Yvan Desjardins and represents CPA Laval.

Samuel Turcotte, 16, Varennes, Que., will also represent Canada in men’s and will be competing at his first ISU Junior Grand Prix assignment. Last season, he won the silver medal at the 2016 Skate Canada Challenge in the novice category. He is coached by Andree Beauchemin and represents CPA Varennes.

Alicia Pineault, 17, Varennes, Que., will be the Canadian entry in the ladies discipline. Last season, she won silver in the junior category at the 2015 Skate Canada Autumn Classic International and also won silver in the junior category at the 2016 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships. She is coached by Stéphane Yvars and represents CPA Varennes.

Justine Brasseur, 15, Brossard, Que., and Mathieu Ostiguy, 19, Sainte-Angèle-de-Monnoir, Que., one of two Canadian pair entries at the event. Representing CPA Brossard and CPA Saint-Césaire, they placed sixth in Latvia and fourth in Austria at their ISU Junior Grand Prix assignments last season. They also placed fourth at the 2016 Youth Olympic Games, fourth in the junior category at the 2016 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships, and seventh at the 2016 ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships. Brasseur and Ostiguy train in Saint-Léonard, Que., with coaches Richard Gauthier and Bruno Marcotte.

Lori-Ann Matte, 17, Lévis, Que., and Thierry Ferland, 19, Lévis, Que., are the second Canadian pair entry at the event. This will be their first ISU Junior Grand Prix assignment. Last season, they placed sixth at the 2016 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships in the junior category. Matte and Ferland are coached by Martine Simard and represent CPA St. Romuald – St. Jean.

Hannah Whitley, 16, Barrie, Ont., and Elliott Graham, 18, Angus, Ont., are one of two entries in ice dance. Last season, they placed seventh at their international assignment in Latvia. Whitley and Graham are coached by David Islam and Kelly Johnson at the Mariposa School of Skating in Barrie, Ont.

Danielle Wu, 18, Burnaby, B.C., and Nik Mirzakhani, 20, Burnaby, B.C., are the second Canadian entry in ice dance. Last season, they placed ninth in the junior category at the 2016 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships. They are coached by Megan Wing and Aaron Lowe at the Champs International Skating Centre.
André Bourgeois, Skate Canada NextGen Director, and Scott Rachuk of Strathroy, Ont., will be the Canadian team leaders at the event. Physiotherapist Josiane Roberge of Sillery, Que., will be the Canadian team medical staff on site. Veronique Gosselin of Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Que., and Jacqueline Wickett Warren of Ottawa, Ont., will be the Canadian officials at the event.

For results and full entries please visit www.isu.org.

CANADIAN ENTRIES AT ISU JGP #2 – Ostrava, Czech Republic

Discipline Name Age Hometown Club Coach
Mens Joseph Phan 15 Laval, Que. CPA Laval Yvan Desjardins
Mens Samuel Turcotte 16 Varennes, Que. CPA Varennes Andree Beauchemin
Ladies Alicia Pineault 17 Varennes, Que. CPA Varennes Stéphane Yvars
Pair Justine Brasseur / Mathieu Ostiguy 15/19 Brossard, Que. / Sainte-Angèle-de-Monnoir, Que. CPA Brossard CPA Saint-Césaire Richard Gauthier / Bruno Marcotte
Pair Lori-Ann Matte / Thierry Ferland 17/19 Lévis, Que. / Lévis, Que., CPA St. Romuald – St. Jean / CPA St. Romuald – St. Jean Martine Simard
Ice Dance Hannah Whitley / Elliott Graham 16/18 Barrie, Ont. / Angus, Ont. Barrie SC / Barrie SC David Islam / Kelly Johnson
Ice Dance Danielle Wu / Nik Mirzakhani 18/20 Burnaby, B.C. / Burnaby, B.C. Champs International Skating Centre / Champs International Skating Centre Megan Wing / Aaron Lowe

Canada’s Conrad Orzel in medal hunt at season opening ISU Junior Grand Prix

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ST-GERVAIS, France – Conrad Orzel of Woodbridge, Ont., will go for a medal in men’s singles at his first career ISU Junior Grand Prix figure skating competition as he stands fourth after the short program in the season opening event.

Yaroslav Paniot of Ukraine leads at 68.58, Roman Savosin of Russia is second at 67.44 and Kevin Aymoz of France third at 64.74. Orzel, a 16-year-old who was fifth at the junior nationals last season, follows at 61.65.
Eric Liu of Edmonton is 17th.

There was one final on Friday as Alina Zagitova of Russia took the gold medal in women’s singles. Kaori Sakamoto and Rin Nitaya, both of Japan, were second and third.

Olivia Gran, a 13-year-old from Kelowna, B.C., made a strong climb in the standing jumping from 13th after the short program to ninth overall. She had the eighth best free skate.

In ice dancing after the short dance, Ashlynne Stairs of Calgary and Lee Royer of St. Albert, Alta., are in eighth place.

Competition ends Saturday with the men’s free skate and the free dance.

Complete results: ISU JGP St. Gervais 2016

Canadian ice dancers Stairs and Royer climb standings at ISU Junior Grand Prix

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ST-GERVAIS, France – Ashlynne Stairs of Calgary and Lee Royer of St. Albert, Alta., produced the sixth best free skate to finish seventh overall in ice dancing Saturday to conclude the first stop on the ISU Junior Grand Prix figure skating circuit.

Angelique Abachkina and Louis Thauron of France won the gold medal with 152.17 points. Christina Carreira and Anthony Ponomarenko of the U.S. took the silver at 148.38 and Sofia Polischuk and Alexander Vakhnov of Russia were third at 137.77.

The Canadians produced a strong free skate to The Beatles hits Here Comes the Sun and Something and to finish with the best ISU Junior Grand Prix result of their career. They were eighth at their two Junior Grand Prix assignments last season.

“It felt a lot stronger than the short program,” said Stairs, 16. “We were more in tune together and skated really well. We kept our positive attitude after a rough short program and that really helped. We wanted to do our absolute best.”

It was a 1-2 Russian finish in men’s singles with Roman Savosin taking the gold and Ilia Skirda the silver. Koshiro Shamada of Japan was third.

Conrad Orzel of Woodbridge, Ont., was 11th and Eric Liu of Edmonton gained two spots for 15th. Liu landed his first career triple Axel in competition in Friday’s short program.

“It was a great experience,” said Liu about his international debut. “I got way more nervous than before and it was good to learn it now. I felt my jumping is where it should be at this point but I definitely messed up my spins.”

On Friday, 13-year-old Olivia Gran of Kelowna, B.C., made a strong climb in the standing jumping from 13th after the short program to ninth overall. She had the eighth best free skate.

“It didn’t go the way I plan but there is some learning experience taken out of it,” said Gran about her international debut. “The level of competition was really good and I was impressed by the high scores.”

The second stop on the circuit is this Thursday to Friday in Ostrava, Czech Republic.

Complete results: ISU JGP St. Gervais 2016