Tag Archive for: 2023 ISU Grand Prix

Five Skilled Skaters Head to Osaka to Compete at Final Grand Prix of the Season

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OTTAWA, ON (November 20, 2023) – Five talented skaters are set to compete at the NHK Trophy, which will mark the sixth and final stop of the ISU Grand Prix series circuit. The event, which will take place in Osaka, Japan from November 24-26, 2023, will feature Canadian athletes in the men’s, pair, and ice dance categories. 

In the men’s category, 2023 Cranberry Cup International silver medallist Wesley Chiu will be looking to improve on his results from Skate Canada International, where he set a season’s best score to finish seventh overall. 

Pair skaters Kelly-Ann Laurin and Loucas Éthier will also have big goals for the event after winning their first Grand Prix medal last season and finishing fifth at 2023 Skate Canada International. 

Completing the Canadian delegation will be ice dance duo Marie-Jade Lauriault and Romain Le Gac who captured silver at the 2023 Budapest Trophy, and very recently competed at the Grand Prix de France. 

The competition begins on Friday, November 24 with every discipline performing their short program/rhythm dance. All medals will be awarded on Saturday, November 25 as all disciplines will perform their free program/free dance. The event wraps up on Sunday with the exhibition gala.  

For the full competition schedule, entries and results, please visit www.isu.org. To watch the event live, click here.   

Team Canada  

Name | Age | Hometown | Coach | Training Location     

Men
Wesley Chiu | 18 | Vancouver, B.C. | Keegan Murphy & Eileen Murphy | Richmond, B.C.  

Pair  
Kelly Ann Laurin | 18 | St-Jérôme, Que. & Loucas Éthier | 23 | St-Alphonse, Que. | Stéphanie Valois | Rosemère, Que.     

Ice Dance 
Marie-Jade Lauriault | 27 | Ste-Anne-des-Plaines, Que. & Romain Le Gac | 28 | Laval, Que. | Marie-France Dubreuil | Montreal, Que.  

Team Leader – Mike Slipchuk
Official – Limin Jao
Medical Team – Cole Beavis & Shirley Kushner  

Silver Medal Streak Continues for Ice Dancers Fournier Beaudry & Soerensen

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Espoo, Finland (November 18, 2023) – The Canadian ice dance team of Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Nikolaj Soerensen of Montreal, Que., captured their second consecutive ISU Grand Prix series silver medal on Saturday at the Grand Prix Espoo in Finland – a venue they also won a bronze medal at in early October at a Challenger Series event.

The reigning Canadian champions in ice dance, Fournier Beaudry and Soerensen set a new season’s best total score of 206.32 to secure the podium position with strong skates to both of their programs, setting them up well to qualify for the Grand Prix Final taking place in Beijing, China in early December.

“We’re just super happy. Finishing our second Grand Prix, and another great performance of this program that we love so very much,” said Soerensen following the event. “We love coming to Finland – the crowd is great, and the rink is really familiar to us, so this is an event we really enjoy.”

Nadiia Bashynska and Peter Beaumont of Ajax, Ont., made their senior Grand Prix debut at the event and finished eighth with a total score of 167.87.

“We came here with the goal of having clean and expressive performances. We did a lot of preparation for this event – the past three weeks have been really tough, so we’re really happy with how it went this weekend,” said Beaumont, who together with Bashynska captured a bronze medal at the 2023 ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships.

The reigning World Champions Madison Chock and Evan Bates of the USA won gold with a total score of 209.46 while Juulia Turkkila and Matthias Versluis of Finland captured bronze with a total score of 195.80.

In the pair competition, Brooke McIntosh of Toronto, Ont., and Benjamin Mimar of Terrebonne, Que., who claimed their first Grand Prix medal last year at the NHK Trophy, finished seventh overall with a total score of 147.27. They were sitting in fifth after their short program but had a tougher time with their free skate that dropped them further down the final rankings.

Minerva Fabienne Hase and Nikita Volodin of Germany won gold with a total score of 197.72. Sara Conti and Niccolo Macii of Italy took the silver (188.60), while Maria Pavlova and Alexei Sviatchenko of Hungary captured the bronze medal (186.19).

Next up for Canadian skaters is the final event of the 2023 ISU Grand Prix circuit – the NHK Trophy taking place in Osaka, Japan from November 24-26, 2023.

For full results please click here

Canadian Ice Dance and Pair Skaters to Compete at Grand Prix Espoo

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OTTAWA, ON (November 13, 2023) – After a great start to the season that has seen Canadian athletes win numerous medals on the ISU Grand Prix circuit, the competition continues this weekend in Espoo, Finland for the Grand Prix Espoo. From November 17-19, 2023, six skaters across the pair and ice dance disciplines will be competing for a spot on the podium and a chance to qualify for the Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final.  

Canadian Champions and Grand Prix de France silver medalists Laurence Fournier-Beaudry and Nikolaj Soerensen will be among the favorites in the ice dance event after a breakthrough 2022-2023 season that saw the duo win medals at both of their Grand Prix assignments.  

Joining them will be Nadiia Bashynska and Peter Beaumont, who will be making their senior Grand Prix debut after winning the Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final last year and finishing third at the 2023 ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships.  

National pair silver medalists Brooke McIntosh and Benjamin Mimar also have big goals for the season after claiming their first Grand Prix medal last year at the NHK Trophy. The pair most recently placed sixth at 2023 Skate Canada International.  

The competition will kick off on Friday, November 17 with both the pair and ice dance disciplines performing their short program/rhythm dance. All medals will be awarded following the free programs/free dance on Saturday, November 18. The event concludes on Sunday with the exhibition gala. 

For the full competition schedule, entries and results, please visit  www.isu.org. To watch the event live, click here.   

Team Canada 

Name | Age | Hometown | Coach | Training Location    

Pair 
Brooke McIntosh | 18 | Toronto, Ont. & Benjamin Mimar | 22 | Terrebonne, Que. | Andrew Evans | Brantford, Ont.  

Ice Dance
Nadiia Bashynska| 19 | Ajax, Ont. & Peter Beaumont | 22 | Ajax, Ont. | Carol Lane & Juris Razgulajevs | Scarborough, Ont. 
Laurence Fournier Beaudry | 31 | Montreal, Que. & Nikolaj Soerensen | 34 | Montreal, Que. | Marie-France Dubreuil & Patrice Lauzon | Montreal, Que.      

Team Leader – Shae Zukiwsky
Official – Sabrina Wong
Medical Team – Marianne Chabot & Paige Larson  

Canadian ISU Grand Prix Medalists to Headline Cup of China

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OTTAWA, ON (November 6, 2023) – Several recent Grand Prix medalists will be continuing their international competition season at the Cup of China, which is set to take place from November 10-12, 2023 in Chongqing, China. A total of seven athletes will be representing Canada across the women, pair and ice dance categories.  

Four-time Skate Canada International winners Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier will be looking to continue their winning streak this weekend, while 2023 Skate America silver medalists Marjorie Lajoie and Zachary Lagha will also be aiming for a top-three result following a breakout 2022-2023 season. 

The duo of Deanna Stellato-Dudek and Maxime Deschamps, who recently claimed gold at both the 2023 Autumn Classic International and 2023 Skate Canada International, are expected to be strong contenders in the pair competition.  

Madeline Schizas, the women’s back-to-back Canadian Champion and Ondrej Nepela Memorial bronze medalist, will be completing the team.  

The competition will kick off on Friday, November 10 with every discipline performing their short program/rhythm dance. All medals will be awarded following the free programs/free dance on Saturday, November 11, with the exhibition gala closing out the event on Sunday.  

For the full competition schedule, entries and results, please visit  www.isu.org. To watch the event live, click here.   

Team Canada 

Name | Age | Hometown | Coach | Training Location    

Women 
Madeline Schizas | 20 | Oakville, Ont. | Nancy Lemaire & Derek Schmidt | Milton, Ont.    

Pair 
Deanna Stellato-Dudek | 40 | Chicago, USA & Maxime Deschamps | 31 | Vaudreuil-Dorion, Que. | Josée Picard | Sainte-Julie, Que.   

Ice Dance
Piper Gilles | 31 | Toronto, Ont. & Paul Poirier | 32 | Unionville, Ont. | Carol Lane & Juris Razgulajevs | Scarborough, Ont. 
Marjorie Lajoie | 23 | Boucherville, Que. & Zachary Lagha | 23 | Saint-Hubert, Que. | Pascal Denis & Romain Haguenauer | Montreal, Que. 

Team Leader – Mike Slipchuk
Official – Ron Conacher
Medical Team – Olesia Markevich & Mike McMurray 

Seven Seasoned Skaters to Compete at Grand Prix de France

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OTTAWA, ON (October 30, 2023) – Following a great showing at 2023 Skate Canada International last weekend, seven experienced skaters are heading to Angers, France to compete at the Grand Prix de France from November 3-5, 2023. Two ice dance teams, one pair duo and one man will be competing over the weekend.  

Leading the team will be 2023 Canadian Ice Dance Champions Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Nikolaj Soerensen, who most recently claimed a bronze medal at the Finlandia Trophy. They will be joined by 2023 Budapest Trophy silver medalists Marie-Jade Lauriault and Romain Le Gac.  

In the pair competition, Lia Pereria and Trennt Michaud will have their sights set on the podium after placing second at Skate America a few weeks ago. 2023 Autumn Classic International bronze medalist Stephen Gogolev will be completing the team.  

Competition starts on Friday, November 3 with every discipline performing their short program/rhythm dance. All medals will be awarded on Saturday, November 4, as all disciplines will perform their free program/free dance. The event concludes on Sunday with the exhibition gala.  

For the full competition schedule, entries and results, please visit www.isu.org. To watch the event live, click here.  

Team Canada 

Name | Age | Hometown | Coach | Training Location    

Men 
Stephen Gogolev | 18 | Toronto, Ont. | Rafael Arutyunyan & Lee Barkell | Irvine, USA 

Pair 
Lia Pereira | 19 | Milton, Ont. & Trennt Michaud | 27 | Brantford, Ont. | Alison Purkiss | Brantford, Ont. 

 Ice Dance
Laurence Fournier Beaudry | 31 | Montreal, Que. & Nikolaj Soerensen | 34 | Montreal, Que. | Marie-France Dubreuil & Patrice Lauzon | Montreal, Que.    
Marie-Jade Lauriault | 26 | Ste-Anne-des-Plaines, Que. & Romain Le Gac | 28 | Laval, Que. | Marie-France Dubreuil | Montreal, Que.   

Team Leader – Andre Bourgeois
Official – Patty Klein
Medical Team – Marianne Chabot & Kirsten Lemmon 

Five Canadian Skaters to Kick Off Grand Prix Season at Skate America

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OTTAWA, ON (October 16, 2023) – Five talented Canadian athletes will be making their way to Allen, Texas for the first ISU Grand Prix of the season, which will take place from October 20-22, 2023. The team competing at Skate America will be comprised of one man, two pair skaters and two ice dancers. 

Highlighting the Canadian delegation will be 2023 ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships bronze medalists Marjorie Lajoie and Zachary Lagha. The ice dance team will have their sights set on the podium after winning medals at both of their Grand Prix assignments last season. 

They will be joined by 2023 Autumn Classic International bronze medalist Stephen Gogolev in the men’s event, as well as Lia Pereira and Trennt Michaud, who will be competing in pairs. The new team had a breakthrough first season together, claiming gold at the 2022-2023 Skate Canada Challenge, and bronze at the 2023 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships.  

Competition begins on Friday, October 20 with the men’s and pair short programs. The following day, athletes will compete in the rhythm dance, as well as the pair and men’s free programs. The event will conclude on Sunday, October 22 with the free dance. For the full competition schedule, entries and results, please visit www.isu.org.  

Team Canada 

Name | Age | Hometown | Coach | Training Location    

Men 
Stephen Gogolev | 18 | Toronto, Ont. | Vera Arutyunyan | Irvine, USA 

Pair 
Lia Pereira | 19 | Milton, Ont. & Trennt Michaud | 27 | Brantford, Ont. | Alison Purkiss | Brantford, Ont. 

Ice Dance
Marjorie Lajoie | 22 | Boucherville, Que. & Zachary Lagha | 23 | Saint-Hubert, Que. | Romain Haguenauer | Montreal, Que. 

Team Leader – Mike Slipchuk
Official – Nicole Leblanc-Richard
Medical Team – Pat Stanziano 

29 Canadian Skaters Heading to Grand Prix Events for the 2023-2024 Season

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OTTAWA, ON (June 28, 2023) – The International Skating Union (ISU) has officially announced the assignments for the 2023-2024 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating events, which include stops in six different countries. A total of 29 Canadian athletes across women, men, pair and ice dance will be competing at the various events, including 2023 Skate Canada International which will be held at the Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre in Vancouver, B.C., from October 27-29, 2023.  

Other events on the circuit include Skate America, Grand Prix de France, Cup of China, Grand Prix Espoo and NHK Trophy, all taking place between October and November 2023. 

Each skater or team can be assigned a maximum of two events, with skaters being awarded points based on their placements at competitions. The top six from each discipline qualify for the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final, which will take place from December 7-10, 2023 in Beijing, China. 

CANADIAN ASSIGNMENTS FOR THE 2023-2024 ISU GRAND PRIX OF FIGURE SKATING SERIES 

*Entries are subject to change 

SKATE AMERICA – Allen, USA – October 20-22, 2023 

Men: Stephen Gogolev
Pair: Lia Pereira & Trennt Michaud
Ice Dance: Marjorie Lajoie & Zachary Lagha  

SKATE CANADA INTERNATIONAL – Vancouver, B.C. – October 27-29, 2023  

Men: Wesley Chiu, Conrad Orzel, Roman Sadovsky
Women: Sara-Maude Dupuis, Kaiya Ruiter, Madeline Schizas
Pair: Kelly Ann Laurin & Loucas Éthier, Brooke McIntosh & Benjamin Mimar, Deanna Stellato-Dudek & Maxime Deschamps
Ice Dance: Alicia Fabbri & Paul Ayer, Piper Gilles & Paul Poirier, Molly Lanaghan & Dmitre Razgulajevs  

GRAND PRIX DE FRANCE – Angers, France – November 3-5, 2023 

Pair: Lia Pereira & Trennt Michaud
Ice Dance: Laurence Fournier-Beaudry & Nikolaj Soerensen, Marie-Jade Lauriault & Romain Le Gac 

CUP OF CHINA – Chongquing, China – November 10-12, 2023  

Women: Madeline Schizas
Pair: Deanna Stellato-Dudek & Maxime Deschamps
Ice Dance: Piper Gilles & Paul Poirier, Marjorie Lajoie & Zachary Lagha 

GRAND PRIX ESPOO – Espoo, Finland – November 17-19, 2023 

Pair: Brooke McIntosh & Benjamin Mimar
Ice Dance: Nadiia Bashynska & Peter Beaumont, Laurence Fournier-Beaudry & Nikolaj Soerensen 

NHK TROPHY – Osaka, Japan – November 24-26, 2023 

Pair: Kelly Ann Laurin & Loucas Éthier
Ice Dance: Marie-Jade Lauriault & Romain Le Gac 

For full entries and details, please visit isu.org.