Tag Archive for: 2016 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships

Bent and Razgulajevs crowned junior ice dance champions

Junior Dance Podium National Skating Championships 2016

Junior – Dance

Junior Pair Podium national skating championships 2016

Junior – Pair

HALIFAX – First year partners MacKenzie Bent of Uxbridge, Ont., and Dmitre Razgulajevs of Toronto won the gold medal in ice dancing as junior competition concluded Thursday at the 2016 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships.

Bent and Uxbridge totalled 145.31 points for the victory with Marjorie Lajoie and Zachary Lagha of Montreal second at 141.23 and Melinda Meng and Andrew Meng of Montreal third at 139.12. It was a second Canadian junior title for Bent who won with former partner Garrett MacKeen in 2014.

‘’We paired up in June and haven`t had a break so it’s been pretty crazy,’’ said Bent, a silver medallist with her new partner this past fall at an ISU Junior Grand Prix event. ‘’But it seems to have paid off. We are gaining confidence with each of our performances.’’

In pairs, Hope McLean and Trennt Michaud of London, Ont., were the winners at 154.45 with Bryn Hoffman and Bryce Chudak of Calgary second at 139.15 and Allison Eby and Brett Varley of Cambridge, Ont., third at 136.01.

‘’It’s just great to have that skate under our belts heading into the world juniors,’’ said McLean. ‘’We know what we are capable of and we just have to keep pushing.’’

Junior - Men

Junior – Men

Junior - Women

Junior – Women

In men’s competition, Joseph Phan of Gatineau, Que., took the junior crown scoring 189.30 while Edrian Paul Celestino of Montreal was second at 179.92 and Christian Reekie of Orleans, Ont., third at 164.65.

‘’I’m happy to win the title,’’ said Phan. ‘’I was more stressed during my long program because I didn’t have a very good warm-up. I was really struggling with my triple Lutz so it was a big moment when I landed it successfully in the competition.’’

Sarah Tamura of Burnaby, B.C., Alicia Pineault of Montreal and Megan Yim of Vancouver were 1-2-3 in women’s competition.

‘’I feel really good about my performances and the hard work is paying off,’’ said Tamura. ‘’I executed the two programs the way I was practicing them at home.’’

The senior competition concludes the nationals on Friday and Saturday.

More information: 2016 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships

Eleven-year-old wows crowd at 2016 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships

Novice Men Podium National Skating Championships 2016

Novice – Men

Novice Dance Podium National-Skating Championships 2016

Novice – Dance

HALIFAX – Eleven-year-old Stephen Gogolev of Toronto landed a triple Axel en route to the gold medal in men’s novice competition which concluded on Wednesday at the 2016 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships.

Gogolev scored 142.30 to outdistance his nearest rival by more than 20 points. Matthew Markell of Prescott, Ont., took silver at 120.25 and Bruce Waddell of Toronto was third at 106.91.

‘’I felt more comfortable in the long program than the short,’’ said Gogolev, who is coached by Brian Orser. ‘’I just wanted to go out there and do my best for my first nationals.’’

Markell also delivered a personal best performance. ‘’There are some elements I know I could have done better but it is a great way to end the season,’’ he said.

Ontario skaters grabbed all four Canadian titles in novice.

In ice dancing, Olivia Han and Grayson Lochhead of Kitchener, Ont., took the gold with 90.26 points. Alicia Fabbri of Terrebonne, Que., and Claudio Pietrantonio and Laval, Que., were second at 89.22 and Irina Galiyanova and Tommy Tang of Toronto were third at 87.50.

‘’It was pretty intense and lots of fun,’’ said Han. ‘’We are pretty proud of our performances.’’

Novice Pair Podium national skating championships 2016

Novice – Pair

Novice Women Podium National Skating Championships 2016

Novice – Women

In pairs, first-year teammates Jamie Knoblauch and Cody Wong of Milton, Ont., were the victors at 119.90. Katrina Lopez and Kurtis Schreiber of Calgary were second at 104.81 and Hannah Dawson of Hawkesbury, Ont., and Daniel Villeneuve of Sherbrooke, Que., were third at 103.50.

‘’We did exactly what we wanted,’’ said Wong. ‘’We had fun with it.’’

In women’s competition, Aurora Cotop of Thornhill, Ont., overcame a three point deficit after the short program to win gold with 123.85. Olivia Gran of Kelowna, B.C., the leader heading into the long, followed at 121.84 and Natalie D’Alessandro of Thornhill was third 117.56.

‘’For my free program I really wanted to just perform after getting the nerves out in the short,’’ said Cotop. ‘’I wanted to show what I could do.’’

Competition continues Thursday with the completion of the junior event.

The seniors go Friday and Saturday.

More information: 2016 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships

Twenty-six years after “epic moment”, Elvis Stojko returns to Halifax as Athlete Ambassador

Photos : Gladys Orozco

Elvis Stojko can’t believe it’s been that long.

It’s been more than a quarter-century since Stojko introduced himself to the world in Halifax, NS, and the three-time world champion wonders where the time has gone.

This week, Stojko returns to the picturesque Maritime city, serving as the official Athlete Ambassador for the 102nd edition of the Canadian Tire National Skating Championships. In the role, Stojko will handle speaking engagements, media interviews and in-venue activations and, as always, make a little time for competing athletes and his legion of fans.

Stojko will always hold a soft spot in his heart for Halifax, host city of the 1990 ISU World Figure Skating Championships. A fresh-faced youngster still a couple of weeks shy of his 18th birthday, Stojko, fresh off a silver medal performance at the national championships in Sudbury, Ont., arrived in Nova Scotia primed for his first senior worlds.

That week in Halifax, the world was introduced to 17-year-old Elvis Stojko. When he left town, Kurt Browning had racked up his second of three straight world titles, and Stojko was a very respectable ninth

“Halifax – wow, what a week that was,” says Stojko with a laugh. “It was a dream week for me, just an amazing experience. There is no doubt it was a turning point for my career.

“I’ll never forget it. The place was sold out, the fans were just packed in there, and they were going ballistic (for the free program). It was just one of those epic moments.”

“I’ll never forget, the previous year at junior worlds, I was eighth overall. Suddenly, here I was, skating against Kurt, and Viktor Petrenko, and Todd Eldridge – guys I always watched on TV – and I was ninth best in the world, and sixth in the long (program). It was pretty surreal. Everything just kind of snowballed after Halifax. It just kept building and I never really looked back.”

After leaving Halifax. Stojko set off on a gradual climb to the top of the skating world. At the 1991 world championships, he became the first skater to land the quad-double jump combination. The following year, he took home his first world medal with a bronze and followed that up with a silver in 1993.

In 1994, Stojko made it to the top of the skating mountain, winning his first of three world titles over a four-year span.

For good measure, Stojko also became the first skater to complete a quad/triple combination at the 1997 Champions Series Final in Hamilton, Ont.

In addition to his three world titles and seven Canadian senior crowns, Stojko has a pair of Olympic silver medals in his trophy case (1994, 1998).

It was after his second Olympic silver in Nagano – where he skated with a painful groin injury – that Stojko hit tough times. Over the next few years, Stojko admits he fell into a long stretch of depression. Needing a break, Stojko went to visit a friend in Mexico in 2001.

It was what he needed: a chance to relax, escape the merciless Canadian winters and get a little privacy.

He ended up buying an apartment on the spot.

In 2009, he met Gladys Orozco, a former Mexican figure skating champion, while at a skating competition. Stojko and Orozco were married in Las Vegas a year later. The couple lived in Ajijic, a stunning village about an hour from Guadalajara.

But eventually, Canada called him home.

“I never really left,” he says of the return to Canada. “Sure, I was living in Mexico, but I have always been a Canadian. That never changed.

“It was time to come home.”

Since touching down back in Canada, Stojko has been working with Skate Canada, taking young skaters under his wing with on-ice training and mental preparation. Stojko, a martial arts expert, has also given kung fu lessons to his young charges.

Elvis Stojko trains young skaters.

In his limited spare time, Stojko continues to skate in shows while chasing another of his passions: professional kart racing at the national and international level. Stojko also recently dipped his toe in the Broadway show pond, starring as manipulative lawyer Billy Flynn in Chicago: The Musical.

Despite his busy schedule, Stojko is focused on giving back to a sport that has given him so much.

As he was coming up through the ranks as a youngster, Stojko says he often turned to 1987 world champion and two-time Olympic silver medallist Brian Orser for advice.
Stojko has never forgotten that Orser always seemed to find time for him, and he plans on paying it forward.

“If I can help guide them and get them pointed in the right direction, and teach them some of what I have learned, well, that’s what it’s all about. Giving something back.”

“I was fortunate enough to have others I could go to, guys like Brian, who were busy with their own careers but always took time to help out,” adds Stojko.

“These kids today are going to have their own hurdles. It can be a daunting process. You worry about what people think, you want to please everyone.

“If I can help guide them and get them pointed in the right direction, and teach them some of what I have learned, well, that’s what it’s all about. Giving something back.”

And as Stojko gets set to arrive in Halifax in his Athlete Ambassador role, the memories of 1990 are sure to come flooding back.

His advice for those competing this week at the Canadian Tire National Skating Championships?

“It sounds cliché, but just embrace the moment,” says Stojko.

“These kids are the best in Canada. They are here for a reason. A few of them are going to have a magical week, but some will not. For a lot of these kids, this week is going to be a learning experience. You learn, you adapt and you come back stronger.

“Just go for it. This is your chance. Don’t hold anything back.”

And who knows. Perhaps a few skaters will be leaving Halifax with memories of their own.

Skate Canada School Program Comes to Halifax

HALIFAX, NS: Skate Canada is proud to activate the Skate Canada School Program during the 2016 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships. The championships will take place from January 18-24, 2016 in Halifax, N.S. at the Scotiabank Centre. The School Program will take place on Thursday, January 21 from 9:45 a.m. until 11:15 a.m.

The Skate Canada School Program allows local area schools to come and watch the senior practices for free. Skate Canada provides educational materials to the schools regarding the event, the athletes competing and the benefits of skating for a healthy lifestyle, in advance of the students coming to watch. Students are encouraged to get creative by making handmade posters to cheer on the skaters.

During their visit, the students will join in on in-venue activities like the Dance Cam and get a special visit from Athlete Ambassador Elvis Stojko.

This year, 12 schools from the Halifax metro area will be participating, for a total of just over 1,000 students from grades 4-6.

Participating Schools

  • Inglis Street Elementary School
  • Sycamore Lane Elementary
  • Astral Drive Elementary School
  • Hammonds Plains Consolidated Elementary
  • Sackville Heights Elementary
  • Prospect Road Elementary
  • Grosvenor-Wentworth Park Elementary
  • Hawthorn Elementary School
  • Elizabeth Sutherland School
  • Beaver Bank Monarch Drive Elementary
  • Tantallon Junior Elementary
  • Shatford Memorial Elementary

 

Canada’s Top Figure Skaters Descend on Halifax for the 2016 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships

HALIFAX, NS – From January 18 to 24, the 2016 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships will bring together Canada’s top 250 figure skaters for a week of on-ice competition in Halifax. The all-Canadian championships take place at the Scotiabank Centre and will feature competition in the men’s, women’s, pair and ice dance disciplines at the senior, junior and novice levels.

“From our reigning champions to the novice skaters attending the event for the first time, the Canadian Tire National Skating Championship is the pinnacle of Canadian skating season,” explains Dan Thompson, Skate Canada CEO. “Skate Canada, together with our title partner, Canadian Tire are thrilled to be in Halifax to celebrate the 102nd instalment of this historic event.”

“At Canadian Tire, we believe in the power of sport to change lives, bring communities together and inspire greatness,” says Allan MacDonald, Chief Operating Officer, Canadian Tire. “Nova Scotia is my home province and I’m so proud to welcome and cheer on Canada’s top skaters, as well as their coaches, families and friends as they advance the sport of figure skating in Canada.”

The week long competition will begin with the novice ice dance on Monday, January 18 and the senior events will begin on Friday, January 22. Athletes will vie for spots on the Skate Canada National Team and the Canadian teams that will compete at the 2016 ISU World Figure Skating Championships, 2016 ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships, and 2016 ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships.

Leading the senior events are 2015 World Pair Champions Meagan Duhamel, 30, from Lively, ON, and Eric Radford, 30, from Balmertown, ON. The four-time Canadian champions will look to win their fifth consecutive title, taking on Canada’s best.

In ice dance, two-time world medallists Kaitlyn Weaver, 26, from Waterloo, ON, and Andrew Poje, 28, from Waterloo, ON, plan to capture their second Canadian title. They will be challenged by a rising field of ice dance talent.

Current Canadian champion Nam Nguyen, 17, from Toronto, ON, will go head-to-head with three-time world champion Patrick Chan, 25, from Toronto, ON, as he returns to the Canadian Tire National Skating Championships after a year off.

In women’s Gabrielle Daleman, 17, from Newmarket, ON, will defend her 2015 Canadian title against two-time Canadian champion Kaetlyn Osmond, 20, from Marystown, NL, and Sherwood Park, AB, who will return to competition after missing last season due to injury.

For full entries and the event start orders please click here.

Skate Canada is adding some extra sheen to the event with the addition of three-time World Champion, Elvis Stojko. He will be returning to the competitive sphere, but this time as the 2016 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships Athlete Ambassador. Representing his fellow athletes, Stojko will lend his engaging personality and time to public appearances, media interviews and in-venue fan activities.

Kids will add to the glow of the week through the Skate Canada School Program. As part of Skate Canada’s vision to help youth develop a love for skating, over 1,000 kids from grades three to five will have the opportunity to participate in a free session to watch and learn about the sport during the senior practices on Thursday, January 21.

The spotlight will also shine on 2008 world champion Jeffrey Buttle who will be officially inducted into the Skate Canada Hall of Fame on Sunday, January 24. There will be a special ceremony to honour his tremendous career in skating during the Gala. In addition, Buttle will skate a solo in the Gala and choreograph the closing group number.

TICKETS

Tickets can be purchased online at www.ticketatlantic.com, by phone at 902-451-1221 or toll free 1-877-451-1221 or in person at the Ticket Atlantic box office located on the Scotiabank Centre Promenade.

Senior competition prices range from $30-$55 per session, plus surcharges. Promotional four-packs are available for $100-$175, for senior events only.

Tickets for the junior and novice competition are $15-$20 per day. Seating for the junior and novice competition days is general admission. Children 12 and under are free for the junior and novice events only.

In addition, all-event ticket packages are still available for purchase. All-event ticket packages range from $125-$175, plus applicable surcharges.

ABOUT SKATE CANADA

Skate Canada is the nation’s governing body for skating and dedicated to creating a nation of skaters both recreationally and competitively. At over 125 years old, it is the world’s oldest skating organization and Canada’s preeminent leader in skate training and education, providing high performance coaching and skating development education. Over 130,000 Canadians participate in Skate Canada educational programs each year.

Canada’s most successful governing sport body, Skate Canada athletes have won 25 Olympic medals and 32 world championships. Today’s Canadian world and Olympic medalists all began at one of our 1,200 local Skate Canada clubs or skating schools. Through our programs, more than 5,200 certified professional coaches encourage Canadians of all ages to skate together as a family, pursue competitive ice sports and enjoy an active lifestyle.

Skate Canada has a National Service Centre in Ottawa, marketing headquarters in Toronto and High Performance facilities in Toronto and Calgary.

ABOUT CANADIAN TIRE CORPORATION

Canadian Tire Corporation, Limited, (TSX:CTC.A) (TSX:CTC) or “CTC,” is a family of businesses that includes a retail segment, a financial services division and CT REIT. Our retail business is led by Canadian Tire, which was founded in 1922 and provides Canadians with products for life in Canada across its Living, Playing, Fixing, Automotive and Seasonal categories. PartSource and Gas+ are key parts of the Canadian Tire network. The retail segment also includes Mark’s, a leading source for casual and industrial wear, and FGL Sports (Sport Chek, Hockey Experts, Sports Experts, National Sports, Intersport, Pro Hockey Life and Atmosphere), which offers the best active wear brands. The nearly 1,700 retail and gasoline outlets are supported and strengthened by our Financial Services division and the tens of thousands of people employed across the Company. For more information, visit Corp.CanadianTire.ca.

Single Event Tickets for the 2016 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships On Sale Friday

OTTAWA, ON: Single event tickets for the 2016 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships will go on sale this Friday, November 20 at 11:00 a.m. (AT). The championships will take place from January 18-24, 2016 in Halifax, N.S., at the Scotiabank Centre.

Tickets can be purchased online at www.ticketatlantic.com, by phone at 902-451-1221 or toll free 1-877-451-1221 or in person at the Ticket Atlantic box office located on the Scotiabank Centre Promenade.

Senior competition prices range from $30-$55 per session, plus surcharges. Promotional four-packs are available for $100-$175, for senior events only.

Tickets for the junior and novice competition are $15-$20 per day. Seating for the junior and novice competition days is general admission. Children 12 and under are free for the junior and novice events only.

In addition, all-event ticket packages are still available for purchase.

EVENT INFO

The event will feature approximately 250 skaters in the men’s, women’s, pair and ice dance disciplines, competing in three levels: senior, junior and novice.

Leading the senior events are 2015 World Pair Champions Meagan Duhamel, 29, Lively, Ont., and Eric Radford, 30, Balmertown, Ont. The four-time Canadian champions will look to win their fifth title, taking on Canada’s best. Current Canadian champion Nam Nguyen, 17, Toronto, Ont., will go head-to-head with three-time world champion Patrick Chan, 24, Toronto, Ont., as he returns to competition after a year off. In ice dance, two-time world medallists Kaitlyn Weaver, 26, Waterloo, Ont., and Andrew Poje, 28, Waterloo, Ont., plan to capture their second Canadian title. In women’s Gabrielle Daleman, 17, Newmarket, Ont., will defend her 2015 Canadian title against two-time Canadian champion Kaetlyn Osmond, 19, Marystown, Nfld. & Sherwood Park, Alta., who will return to competition after missing last season due to injury.

Athletes will vie for spots on the Skate Canada National Team and the Canadian teams that will compete at the 2016 ISU World Figure Skating Championships, 2016 ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships, and 2016 ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships.

Halifax to host 2016 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships

HALIFAX, NS: Skate Canada and Canadian Tire announced today that Halifax, Nova Scotia will be the host city for the 2016 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships. The championships will take place from January 18-24, 2016, at the Scotiabank Centre. The event will feature approximately 250 skaters in the men’s, women’s, pair, and ice dance disciplines, competing in three levels: senior, junior, and novice.

This is the fourth time that Halifax will play host to the National Skating Championships. The city held the event in 1981, 1995 and 2007. Halifax has also been the site of several international events, including Skate Canada International in 1983, 1997 and 2004, and the ISU World Figure Skating Championships in 1990.

“The city of Halifax is the site of so many memorable moments in skating history. We’ve seen champions crowned here on both national and world stages. We’re excited to bring the 2016 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships back to Halifax and create more unforgettable skating moments,” said Dan Thompson, Skate Canada CEO. “This event is the pinnacle of the Canadian skating calendar and we know the support from the fans, volunteers, and the rest of the city will be a catalyst for an incredible competition.”

“Canadian Tire believes in the power of sport to rally our nation and define us on a global stage,” said Pat McEleney, Vice President, Sport Partnerships, Canadian Tire Corporation. “We have celebrated skating for over 90 years, and as title sponsor of the Canadian Tire National Skating Championships, we could not be more proud to help bring this world-class event to Halifax in 2016.”

Leading the senior events are 2015 World Pair Champions Meagan Duhamel, 29, Lively, Ont., and Eric Radford, 30, Balmertown, Ont. The four-time Canadian champions will look to win their fifth title, taking on Canada’s best. Current Canadian champion Nam Nguyen, 16, Toronto, Ont., will go head-to-head with three-time world champion Patrick Chan, 24, Toronto, Ont., as he returns to competition after a year off. In ice dance, two-time world medallists Kaitlyn Weaver, 25, Waterloo, Ont., and Andrew Poje, 28, Waterloo, Ont., plan to capture their second Canadian title. In women’s Gabrielle Daleman, 17, Newmarket, Ont., will defend her 2015 Canadian title against two-time Canadian champion Kaetlyn Osmond, 19, Marystown, Nfld. & Sherwood Park, Alta., who will return to competition after missing last season due to injury.

“We are very excited to welcome fans, coaches and athletes for the Canadian Tire National Skating Championships in 2016,” said Scott Ferguson, President and CEO of Scotiabank Centre. “Scotiabank Centre has a rich history of attracting world-class skating events and we’re proud to continue delivering a diverse lineup of events for Nova Scotians to enjoy.”

Athletes will vie for spots on the Skate Canada National Team and the Canadian teams that will compete at the 2016 ISU World Figure Skating Championships, 2016 ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships, and 2016 ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships.

All-event ticket packages for the entire week will go on sale this Saturday, May 2, 2015, at 10 a.m. (AT). This is the ultimate ticket package that will allow fans to experience all levels (novice, junior, senior) and disciplines of skating (men’s, women’s, pair, ice dance), including practices. All-event ticket packages range from $125-$175, plus applicable surcharges. Fans can purchase tickets online at www.ticketatlantic.com, by phone at 1-877-451-1221, or in person at the Scotiabank Centre box office.

Tickets on Sale Now for the 2016 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships

HALIFAX, NS: All-event ticket packages for the 2016 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships will go on sale Saturday, May 2, 2015, at 10 a.m. (AT). The event will take place in Halifax, N.S., at the Scotiabank Centre from January 18-24, 2016.

The all-event ticket package is the ultimate ticket package that will allow fans to experience all levels (novice, junior, senior) and disciplines of skating (men’s, women’s, pair, ice dance), including practices. All-event ticket packages range from $125-$175, plus applicable surcharges. Fans can purchase tickets online at www.ticketatlantic.com, by phone at 1-877-451-1221, or in person at the Scotiabank Centre box office.

Leading the senior events are 2015 World Pair Champions Meagan Duhamel, 29, Lively, Ont., and Eric Radford, 30, Balmertown, Ont. The four-time Canadian champions will look to win their fifth title, taking on Canada’s best. Current Canadian champion Nam Nguyen, 16, Toronto, Ont., will go head-to-head with three-time world champion Patrick Chan, 24, Toronto, Ont., as he returns to competition after a year off. In ice dance, two-time world medallists Kaitlyn Weaver, 25, Waterloo, Ont., and Andrew Poje, 28, Waterloo, Ont., plan to capture their second Canadian title. In women’s Gabrielle Daleman, 17, Newmarket, Ont., will defend her 2015 Canadian title against two-time Canadian champion Kaetlyn Osmond, 19, Marystown, Nfld. & Sherwood Park, Alta., who will return to competition after missing last season due to injury.

Athletes will vie for spots on the Skate Canada National Team and the Canadian teams that will compete at the 2016 ISU World Figure Skating Championships, 2016 ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships, and 2016 ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships.