Tag Archive for: Michael Marinaro

Moore-Towers and Marinaro take gold at Skate Canada Challenge

PIERREFONDS, Que. – Kirsten Moore-Towers of St. Catharines, Ont., and Michael Marinaro of Sarnia, Ont., won the gold medal in pairs at the Skate Challenge figure skating competition.

Moore-Towers and Marinaro earned 193.50 points for their victory on Friday with Brittany Jones and Joshua Reagan of Oakville, Ont., second at 165.38 and Camille Ruest of Boucherville, Que., and Andrew Wolfe of Montreal third at 142.78.

‘’We need mileage at this point,’’ said Moore-Towers. ‘’The long was really only are fourth run-through this season so we’re picking that up and getting back into things as quickly as possible.’’

In men’s competition, Joseph Phan of Laval, Que., took top spot with 197.94, Bennet Toman of Brampton, Ont., was second at 192.81 and Mitchell Gordon of Vancouver third at 188.83.

‘’I didn’t skate to my expectations,’’ said Phan. ‘’I made some mistakes that I shouldn’t have.’’

In junior ice dancing, Marjore Lajoie and Zachary Lagha of Quebec were the victors with 153.86. Valerie Taillefer and Jason Chan of Quebec were second at 134.22 and Ashlynne Stairs and Lee Royer of B.C./Yukon third at 133.84.

“We felt comfortable and ready to compete,” said Lajoie. “We need to continue to work hard. Our transition parts and expression were better.”

In junior pairs, Evelyn Walsh and Trennt Michaud of Eastern Ontario won the gold medal with 151.90 points. Lori-Ann Matte and Thierry Ferland of Quebec were second at 147.16 and Olivia Boys-Eddy and Mackenzie Boys-Eddie of Central Ontario third at 125.16.

“It feels good, we skated well,’’ said Michaud. ‘’One of our main challenges this week was to do our triple twist in the short program for the first time in competition and we were glad to get that done. It’s big step towards hopefully competing at the junior worlds.’’

In junior women, it was a medal sweep by the B.C./Yukon division with Olivia Gran placing first, Emily Bausback second and Mckenna Colthorp third.

The competition has attracted over 500 skaters from across Canada with competition also being held in the novice and pre-novice categories. Skate Canada Challenge is the sole qualifying event for novice, junior, and senior skaters to earn entries to the 2017 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships January 16-22 in Ottawa.

Full results: 2017 Skate Canada Challenge

Liam Firus, Julianne Séguin and Charlie Bilodeau withdraw from 2016 ISU World Figure Skating Championships

OTTAWA, ON: Canadian skaters Liam Firus, Julianne Séguin and Charlie Bilodeau have withdrawn from the 2016 ISU World Figure Skating Championships. The event is scheduled to take place form March 28 – April 3, 2016 in Boston, MA, USA.

In the men’s category Liam Firus, 23, North Vancouver, B.C., has withdrawn. “Making this decision was extremely difficult. However, I feel that withdrawing from the World Championships is vital for our team,” said Firus.

Nam Nguyen, 17, Toronto, Ont., will replace Firus on the Canadian Team. “My teammates Patrick Chan and Nam Nguyen are among the top men in the world. I have full faith in their abilities. This decision is about performance and giving our country the best opportunity to obtain three spots for the World Championships next year,” explained Firus. “I am extremely proud of the strides I’ve made this year; skating truly is a passion of mine. I look forward to coming back even stronger next season to help Canada obtain the three spots needed for the 2018 Olympic Winter Games.”

Skate Canada’s High Performance Director Mike Slipchuk added, “I have a lot of respect for Liam and his decision on Worlds.  We have confidence in Liam being a strong part of our team leading to 2018.”

In pairs Julianne Séguin, 19, Longueuil, Que., sustained a minor injury in training earlier this year causing the withdrawl of her and partner Charlie Bilodeau, 22, Trois-Pistoles, Que. “Due to injury last month, which is not fully healed, Charlie and I had to make a heartbreaking decision to not participate at Worlds. We missed a lot of practices and during competition we want to give our best for our satisfaction and for the people around us. We are unfortunately not ready for this event. We will take the time to heal and work to come back stronger for the future. We want to thank everyone for their support,” explained Séguin.

Séguin and Bilodeau will be replaced by Kirsten Moore-Towers, 23, St. Catharines, Ont., and Michael Marinaro, 24, Sarnia, Ont.

“Julianne and Charlie have had a great season this year and it is unfortunate they won’t be able to compete at Worlds. Full recovery for Julianne is the priority and they will return stronger for next season,” said Slipchuk.

Canada’s newest pair team – Kirsten Moore-Towers and Michael Marinaro

OTTAWA, ON:  Two national team members, who had success with previous partners, are Canada’s newest pair team.  Kirsten Moore-Towers, 21, St. Catharines, Ont., and Michael Marinaro, 22, Sarnia, Ont., have teamed up, and will begin competing together for the 2014-2015 season.

The two came together in late May, and have begun training at the Kitchener Waterloo Skating Club with coaches Kris Wirtz and Kristy Sargeant-Wirtz.

“It’s been really fun to work with Mike these past few days,” said Moore-Towers. “Although we’ve known one another for many years, now we are going through the process of transforming from friends to partners. We’ve been working on our pair elements, the lifts, the throws, the twists and side-by-side jumps. As we’re getting to know how one another skates, we’re also looking at interesting and innovative entrances and exits, and just exploring what we can do together.”

According to Marinaro, “We’re just getting to know each other and trying to find our strengths. Everything right now is extremely new, but we’re having tons of fun on the ice and I’m looking forward to the next season.”

World Junior Medallists Purdy and Marinaro end skating partnership

OTTAWA, ON: The 2013 world junior silver medalists in pair, Margaret Purdy and Michael Marinaro, have ended their skating partnership and will be moving on to new challenges.  Purdy, 19, Strathroy, Ont., will attend university this fall, while Marinaro, 22, Sarnia, Ont., plans to continue skating and will be looking for a new pair partner.

Purdy and Marinaro have competed together nationally since 2008, and were Canadian Junior Champions in 2010. They won medals on the ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating Circuit, including two golds in 2012, which qualified them for the 2012 ISU Junior Grand Prix Final.  The pinnacle of their career was the silver world medal, won at the 2013 ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships, in Milan, Italy.  They were members of Canada’s national team for the 2013-2014 season.

With Marinaro’s decision to pursue skating with a new partner, Purdy made the difficult decision to retire from competitive skating and begin her university studies. She will enter the social science program at Western University in September, and plans to pursue a career in business and law.

“I’m so proud of what we accomplished. I have so many amazing memories that I will cherish for the rest of my life, and I’m so glad that I was able experience them with Mike. It was a really hard decision to retire, but I knew it wouldn’t be the same for me to skate with another partner,” said Purdy. “We have a very strong friendship with one another, and I wish Mike the very best in the future and I hope all goes well for him.”

As she reflected on what skating has meant in her life, she said, “skating has taught me how to deal with success and failure, to be organized, how to balance your life and how to constantly push yourself to be better and better. These are all valuable life lessons that will help me with what I plan to do in the future.”

Marinaro paid tribute to the friendship that was the hallmark of their partnership. “The last eight years have been a wonderful and exciting partnership. I’m blessed to have had Margaret as a partner. She is an extremely dedicated skating partner and an extremely close friend. We are just as close off the ice as we were on the ice, and we tried to bring that friendship into our skating. I’m so glad we got to share that podium moment at junior worlds together. I know she will be very successful and wish her the best for the next chapter of her life.”

Marinaro came straight out of CanSkate right into figure skating, while Purdy began as a hockey player who switched to figure skating. The pair trained for their entire career with coaches Scott Rachuk and Alison Purkiss at the London Competitive Skating Centre. They both wanted to thank their coaches and the team at the Centre.

“Thank you to Scott and Alison for everything they have done for me. They have been my coaches from the very beginning, and they are just two amazing people who not only helped make me the skater I am today but also made me the person I am today,” said Purdy. She also paid tribute to her family. “They have been along my side the whole time through the good and the bad and they have always been my biggest fans and have always supported me no matter what I chose to do, so I want to thank them so much. I hope the next chapter of my life is as wonderful as the last.”

“Our career wouldn’t have been possible without the help of many people,” said Marinaro. “I want to thank Scott and Alison and the whole London Competitive Skating Centre for everything.  They have done nothing but support us over the last eight years. And of course, Skate Canada has given us terrific support, and our families have always been there for us as well.”

Purdy plans to stay involved with the skating community because it has been such a big part of her life. She has enjoyed helping the younger skaters at the rink on the presentation and movement apects of skating, as a nice transition from the competitive side of skating. And come September, she plans to try out for the varsity skating program at Western.

Marinaro plans to continue competing in the pair discipline with a new skating partner.