Tag Archive for: 53rd Golden Spin of Zagreb

Canada’s Keegan Messing Wins Gold at ISU Challenger Series event

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ZIBEL, Croatia – Canada’s Keegan Messing won the gold medal Saturday in the men’s competition to conclude the 53rd Golden Spin of Zagreb figure skating competition, a stop on the ISU Challenger Series circuit.

Messing earned 255.07 points placing first in Thursday’s short program and fifth in a clean free skate. Andrei Mozalev of Russia was second at 252.15 and Jimmy Ma of the U.S. third at 250.97.

‘’It was a fantastic week, I’m confident and more motivated than ever’’ said Messing, 29, sixth at the world championships this past spring. ‘’We’re going home happy. The season started slow, and it is still not perfect but no we’re on the up and up and hopefully towards the Olympic Games.’’

Conrad Orzel of Woodbridge, Ont., was 10th and Joseph Phan of Laval, Que., moved from 24th to 16th.

On Friday, Canadians Vanessa James and Eric Radford were fourth in pairs with Kirsten Moore-Towers of St.Catharines, Ont., and Michael Marinaro of Sarnia, Ont., eighth and Evelyn Walsh of London, Ont., and Trennt Michaud of Trenton, Ont., in ninth.

There were no Canadian entries in women or ice dancing.

Full results: http://granuli.hr/gs2021/html/

James and Radford Win Free Skate But Miss Medal at Golden Spin of Zagreb

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ZIBEL, Croatia – Canada’s Vanessa James and Eric Radford won Friday’s free skate in pairs but it wasn’t enough to lift them into the medals at the Golden Spin of Zagreb, an event on the ISU Challenger Series circuit.

The first-year partners took fourth spot overall on the strength of a personal best free skate score of 130.83 for 187.57 total. Unfortunately, the short program on Thursday didn’t go as well as they stood ninth.

‘’We skated with a little bit more to prove in the free skate,’’ said Radford from Balmertown, Ont. ‘’It wasn’t as free and relaxed as at the Grand Prix in France (last month), but this was our cleanest program with the highest score so that’s all we can ask for is taking those steps in the right direction.’’

Audrey Lu and Misha Misha Mitrofanov of the U.S. won the gold with 195.32 followed by Anastasiia Metelkina and Daniil Parkman of Georgia in second at 189.60 and Iuliia Artemeva and Mikhail Nazarychev of Russia third at 189.29.

Kirsten Moore-Towers of St.Catharines, Ont., and Michael Marinaro of Sarnia, Ont., were eighth despite ranking sixth in the short and seventh in the long just ahead of Evelyn Walsh of London, Ont., and Trennt Michaud of Trenton, Ont., in ninth.

It was the fifth competition for James and Radford this fall. Most recently they were also fourth at their two Grand Prix assignments.

‘’We are definitely proud of this performance after the disappointment of the short program,’’ said James from Scarborough, Ont. ‘’It’s going to give us a lot of confidence.’’

Canada’s Keegan Messing is first after Thursday’s short program in men’s competition with 90.26 with Deniss Vajiljevs of Latvia second 84.46 and Brendan Kerry of Australia third in 84.36.

Conrad Orzel of Woodbridge, Ont., is eighth and Joseph Phan of Laval, Que., 24th.

The men’s free skate is Saturday. There are no Canadian entries in women or ice dancing.

Full results: http://granuli.hr/gs2021/html/

Canadian Skaters Are Heading to Zagreb, Croatia for the 53rd Golden Spin of Zagreb

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OTTAWA, ON: Skate Canada will have six entries for a total of nine skaters competing at the 53rd Golden Spin of Zagreb in Zagreb, Croatia. Canada will have three entries in men and three entries in pairs. This is the ninth and final event of the 2021 ISU Challenger Series and takes place from December 8 to 11, 2021.  

Keegan Messing, 29, Girdwood, Alaska, USA, is the first Canadian entry in men. Messing finished fifth at the 2021 Skate Canada International and recently placed sixth at the at the 2021 Internationaux de France. He is coached by Ralph Burghart in Anchorage, Alaska, USA. 

Conrad Orzel, 21, Woodbridge, Ont., is the second entry in men. Orzel placed first at the 2021 Autumn Classic International and placed ninth at the 2021 Skate Canada International. Orzel is coached by Brian Orser and Tracy Wilson in Toronto, Ont.  

Joseph Phan, 20, Laval, Que., will be the third and final Canadian entry in men. Phan placed second at the 2020 Bavarian Open in Oberstdorf, Germany. He is coached by Brian Orser, and Ghislain Briand in Toronto, Ont. 

National pairs team, Vanessa James, 34, Scarborough, Ont., and Eric Radford, 36, Balmertown, Ont., are the first Canadian entry in pairs. They garnered a silver medal at the 2021 Autumn Classic International and placed fourth at the 2021 Internationaux de France. This is their first season competing together internationally. They are coached by Julie Marcotte in Montreal, Que. 

Kirsten Moore-Towers, 29, St. Catharines, Ont., and Michael Marinaro, 29, Sarnia, Ont., are Canada’s second entry in pairs. Their last competition was the 2021 Rostelecom Cup in Russia, where they finished in fifth place. They are coached by Bruno Marcotte, Alison Purkiss and Brian Shales in Oakville, Ont., and Brantford, Ont. 

Evelyn Walsh, 20, London, Ont., and Trennt Michaud, 25, Trenton, Ont., are the third entry  in pairs. Walsh and Michaud placed eighth at Skate America 2021 and sixth at the 2021 NHK Trophy, in Japan.  They are coached by Alison Purkiss, Andrew Evans and Paul Macintosh in Brantford, Ont. 

André Bourgeois, Skate Canada NextGen Director and Marie Bowness of Halifax, N.S., are the Canadian team leaders at this event. Physiotherapist, Paige Larson of North Vancouver, B.C., will be the Canadian medical staff on–site. Sabrina Wong of Toronto, Ont., will be the Canadian official attending the event. 

 

CANADIAN ENTRIES AT THE 53rd GOLDEN SPIN OF ZAGREB – ZAGREB, CROATIA 

MEN 

Keegan Messing (29) / Girdwood, Alaska, USA / Ice Palace FSC / Coached by Ralph Burghart 

Conrad Orzel (21) / Woodbridge, Ont. / Toronto Cricket Skating & Curling Club / Coached by Brian Orser and Tracy Wilson 

Joseph Phan (20) / Laval, Que. / CPA Laval / Coached by Brian Orser and Ghislain Briand 

PAIRS 

Vanessa James (34) and Eric Radford (36) / Scarborough, Ont., and Balmertown, Ont. / EPJM and C.P.A. Saint-Léonard / Coached by Julie Marcotte 

Kirsten Moore-Towers (29) and Michael Marinaro (29) / St. Catharines, Ont., and Sarnia, Ont. / Skate Oakville / Coached by Bruno Marcotte, Alison Purkiss and Brian Shales 

Evelyn Walsh (20) and Trennt Michaud (25) / London, Ont., and Trenton, Ont. / Brantford Skating Club and Trenton Skating Club / Coached by Alison Purkiss, Andrew Evans and Paul Macintosh