OTTAWA, ON: Skate Canada will send four entries, for a total of six skaters to the 2018 U.S. International Figure Skating Classic, the second event on the International Skating Union’s (ISU) 2018 Challenger Series. Canada will have one entry per discipline in men, women, pairs and ice dance, at the event which runs from September 12-16, 2018, in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA.
Canadian bronze medallist Nam Nguyen, 20, Ajax, Ont., will be the Canadian men entry. In 2016, he placed fifth at this event. Last season on the ISU Challenger Series, he placed fifth at the 2017 Autumn Classic International. Nguyen ended last season with a 25th place finish at the 2018 ISU World Figure Skating Championships. The three-time Canadian medallist is coached by Robert Burk in Richmond Hill, Ont.
Olympic gold medallist (team) and world bronze medallist Gabrielle Daleman, 20, Newmarket, Ont., will represent Canada in women. This will be her first time competing at this event. Last season, she placed 15th in women’s singles at the Olympic Winter Games and seventh at the 2018 ISU World Figure Skating Championships. The two-time Canadian champion is coached by Lee Barkell, Brian Orser and Tracy Wilson in Toronto, Ont.
Camille Ruest, 24, Rimouski, Que., and Drew Wolfe, 23, Calgary, Alta., will be the Canadian entry in pairs. This will also be their first time competing at this event. Last season, they placed sixth at the 2018 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships, seventh at the ISU Four Continents Championships and 18th at the ISU World Figure Skating Championships. Ruest and Wolfe are coached by Richard Gauthier and Bruno Marcotte in Montreal, Que.
Haley Sales, 21, Kelowna, B.C., and Nikolas Wamsteeker, 21, Langley, B.C., will be the Canadian ice dance entry at the event, and will also be competing at this event for the first time. Last season, they placed sixth at the 2018 Canadian championships and ninth at the ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships. Sales and Wamsteeker are coached by Megan Wing and Aaron Lowe in Burnaby, B.C.
Mike Slipchuk, Skate Canada High Performance Director, will be the Canadian team leader at the event. Physiotherapist Scott Fraser of Kingston, Ont., will be the Canadian medical staff onsite. Jeff Lukasik of Calgary, Alta., and Ron Conacher of Toronto, Ont., will be the Canadian officials at the event.
For more information and full entries please visit www.isu.org or www.usfigureskatingclassic.com.
CANADIAN ENTRIES AT 2018 U.S. INTERNATIONAL FIGURE SKATING CLASSIC
Discipline |
Name |
Age |
Hometown |
Club |
Coach |
Men |
Nam Nguyen |
20 |
Ajax, Ont. |
Richmond Training Centre |
Robert Burk |
Ladies |
Gabrielle Daleman |
20 |
Newmarket, Ont. |
Toronto Cricket, Skating and Curling Club |
Lee Barkell / Brian Orser / Tracy Wilson |
Pairs |
Camille Ruest / Drew Wolfe |
24/23 |
Rimouski, Que. / Calgary, Alta. |
CPA De Rimouski / Glencoe Club |
Richard Gauthier / Bruno Marcotte |
Ice Dance |
Haley Sales / Nikolas Wamsteeker |
21/21 |
Burnaby, B.C. / Langley, B.C. |
Kelowna SC / Champs International Skating Centre |
Megan Wing / Aaron Lowe |