Figure skating's new world order has officially arrived.
With the 2007 Tokyo worlds now in the books, what has been predicted for a few years now has become very apparent — the power base in the sport has shifted to the Far East.
Consider that only two countries won multiple medals at these worlds: Japan and China. Asian skaters swept the podium in the women's event, and took two of three pairs medals. Japan's Daisuke Takahashi nearly snared the men's gold with a stunning free skate.
On the flip side, look what's happened to some of figure skating's 'traditional' powers. For the first time in 47 years, no skater from Russia or the former Soviet Union won a medal. It wasn't that long ago that the Russians were sweeping all the golds.
The U.S. was limited to one medal, and in the discipline that probably gets the least attention in that country. And half of that ice dance bronze was earned by a skater who was born in Canada (Tanith Belbin of Kingston, Ont.). In the event that matters most to Americans — the women — U.S. skaters were shut out of the medals at worlds. The last time that happened? Try 1994.
Canada, meanwhile, brought home one medal from worlds for the second straight year. It was the same colour (silver) in the same event (ice dance) earned by the same skaters (Marie-France Dubreuil and Patrice Lauzon) as in 2006 in Calgary.
An interesting point was raised in a Canadian Press story over the weekend. Only one Canadian in singles or pairs — Joannie Rochette — improved her position from the short program to the free skate. That has to be a little disconcerting to officials from Skate Canada, because it's the free skate which determines who lands on the podium and who doesn't.
In Rochette's case, she was simply too far behind after the short to join the medal hunt, but the moxie she showed in battling back is a positive sign for the future.
Going forward, Canada kept three ice dance and three pair spots for next year's worlds in Sweden. Thanks to Rochette, we'll send two women to Goteborg in 2008 (and she's owed a bunch of thank-you cards for that from senior women across the country).
Our men's complement is down to two, meaning the dogfight for the world team will be even fiercer at Canadians in Vancouver next January.
When the fight moves across the pond to Sweden, the battle figures to be on a higher plane there, too. With Asian skaters clearly raising the bar once more, and daring everyone else to keep up.
Showing posts with label Canadians. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Canadians. Show all posts
Sunday, March 25, 2007
Saturday, March 24, 2007
Canada's Saving Grace
Sometimes, the result isn't the whole story. Even if the final number was so critical to the immediate future of Canadian women's skating.
When Joannie Rochette stepped on the ice at the world championships in Tokyo earlier today, the weight on her shoulders was immense. With compatriot Mira Leung having skidded to a 24th-place finish, the petite three-time Canadian champ from Ile-Dupas, Que., knew it was on her to save the day. To assure a nation of aspiring young skaters back home that there would be a second women's world berth to chase in 2008.
After a disastrous short program that left her in 16th place, it meant a climb of at least four places was necessary in the free skate, against perhaps the toughest field she'd ever faced in competition. But the will was clearly there, and that's where it had to start.
“I wanted to come back and fight for it,” Rochette, 21, told reporters afterward. “I knew I needed a top-12 finish.”
Turns out she went two steps better. With a free skate judged to be fifth-best on the night, Rochette battled back to finish 10th and got the job done. That part, she had to be happy about. But Rochette also saw what she's up against now — the new technical heights reached by the three medallists, Japan's Miki Ando (gold) and Mao Asada (silver), and Yu-Na Kim of Korea (bronze) — and knows her arsenal isn't anywhere near good enough yet. She needs triple-triple combinations and, perhaps down the road, even a triple Axel.
Good part is, Rochette knows she's got that kind of talent in her. But she also is very aware she can't make a habit of digging herself the kind of hole she had to climb out of in Tokyo.
“I never want to feel like that again,” she said, the strain of the day clearly evident.
It reminds me of the emotion another Canadian female skater once displayed after two straight disappointments at the national championships. But Jennifer Robinson wanted no pity or condolences on that 1998 night in Hamilton, and vowed to return with a vengeance.
Five straight Canadian titles later, she'd clearly backed up her words. Robinson was also the one to get that vital second worlds spot back for Canada, and inspired a generation of young girls across the country.
Rochette did her part for the country today. Now she needs to do what's necessary for herself to compete in what is now “a different game.”
It's a battle that isn't about to get easier anytime soon.
When Joannie Rochette stepped on the ice at the world championships in Tokyo earlier today, the weight on her shoulders was immense. With compatriot Mira Leung having skidded to a 24th-place finish, the petite three-time Canadian champ from Ile-Dupas, Que., knew it was on her to save the day. To assure a nation of aspiring young skaters back home that there would be a second women's world berth to chase in 2008.
After a disastrous short program that left her in 16th place, it meant a climb of at least four places was necessary in the free skate, against perhaps the toughest field she'd ever faced in competition. But the will was clearly there, and that's where it had to start.
“I wanted to come back and fight for it,” Rochette, 21, told reporters afterward. “I knew I needed a top-12 finish.”
Turns out she went two steps better. With a free skate judged to be fifth-best on the night, Rochette battled back to finish 10th and got the job done. That part, she had to be happy about. But Rochette also saw what she's up against now — the new technical heights reached by the three medallists, Japan's Miki Ando (gold) and Mao Asada (silver), and Yu-Na Kim of Korea (bronze) — and knows her arsenal isn't anywhere near good enough yet. She needs triple-triple combinations and, perhaps down the road, even a triple Axel.
Good part is, Rochette knows she's got that kind of talent in her. But she also is very aware she can't make a habit of digging herself the kind of hole she had to climb out of in Tokyo.
“I never want to feel like that again,” she said, the strain of the day clearly evident.
It reminds me of the emotion another Canadian female skater once displayed after two straight disappointments at the national championships. But Jennifer Robinson wanted no pity or condolences on that 1998 night in Hamilton, and vowed to return with a vengeance.
Five straight Canadian titles later, she'd clearly backed up her words. Robinson was also the one to get that vital second worlds spot back for Canada, and inspired a generation of young girls across the country.
Rochette did her part for the country today. Now she needs to do what's necessary for herself to compete in what is now “a different game.”
It's a battle that isn't about to get easier anytime soon.
Friday, March 23, 2007
Here We Go Again
Just when you thought this was a subject dead and buried long ago ...
Questions are no doubt being raised again today about the quality of women's skating in Canada. Or rather, to be precise, their ability to deliver when it matters the most.
Take a look at the latest evidence we have to consider. The women's short program is in the books at the Tokyo worlds, and here's what we've got to show for it: Three-time Canadian champ Joannie Rochette, 16th, and Mira Leung, 20th.
In other words, not a hope in hell of reaching the podium, assuring that our women's medal drought at worlds will be extended to 19 years.
And counting.
Here's the bigger worry at the moment, though. If either of those placements doesn't improve greatly in Saturday's free skate — like, by about 5-6 spots — we're looking at one solitary women's berth for the 2008 worlds in Sweden. And a flashback to the dark days of the 1990s, when the poor girls at the top had to field constant questions about what was wrong with women's skating in Canada.
Quite frankly, I thought we were beyond all this. Now I wonder.
I've been a Rochette fan for quite a few years now, I'll admit. She's a very bright, engaging young woman with more talent than even she probably knows. So when some of my media colleagues questioned her chances in Tokyo after she'd barely retained her national title in Halifax, I kept thinking back to 2006.
When Rochette was good enough to be fifth at the Olympics, the highest finish by a Canadian woman at the Winter Games since Ottawa's Liz Manley in 1988. And, a few weeks after that, held the lead after women's qualifying — the first Canadian woman ever to do that — before her nerves got the better of her in the short program. But hey, that position was new territory for Rochette, and everyone was willing to cut her some slack even after she slipped to seventh by the end.
Something, however, is very wrong this week. I see the 16th placing beside her name — Rochette's been top-10 material in two of the last three worlds — and it just doesn't look right. It's only one spot better than the 17th she recorded in 2003 as a 17-year-old worlds newbie although, to be fair, this competition isn't over yet.
Leung's currrent standing in 20th also suggests a step back.
But in today's skating world, you only get points for what you do on the ice, and obviously, neither Rochette nor Leung did enough today.
They'd be much better placed if they had.
Meanwhile, a teen like South Korea's Yu-Na Kim — now under the tutelage of Canadian skating legend Brian Orser — is posting a world record short program score (71.95) in her first try at worlds. Hell, American Kimmie Meissner won the whole damn thing last year at 16.
And yet, our women are still looking for answers.
To a question that should have stopped being asked years ago.
Questions are no doubt being raised again today about the quality of women's skating in Canada. Or rather, to be precise, their ability to deliver when it matters the most.
Take a look at the latest evidence we have to consider. The women's short program is in the books at the Tokyo worlds, and here's what we've got to show for it: Three-time Canadian champ Joannie Rochette, 16th, and Mira Leung, 20th.
In other words, not a hope in hell of reaching the podium, assuring that our women's medal drought at worlds will be extended to 19 years.
And counting.
Here's the bigger worry at the moment, though. If either of those placements doesn't improve greatly in Saturday's free skate — like, by about 5-6 spots — we're looking at one solitary women's berth for the 2008 worlds in Sweden. And a flashback to the dark days of the 1990s, when the poor girls at the top had to field constant questions about what was wrong with women's skating in Canada.
Quite frankly, I thought we were beyond all this. Now I wonder.
I've been a Rochette fan for quite a few years now, I'll admit. She's a very bright, engaging young woman with more talent than even she probably knows. So when some of my media colleagues questioned her chances in Tokyo after she'd barely retained her national title in Halifax, I kept thinking back to 2006.
When Rochette was good enough to be fifth at the Olympics, the highest finish by a Canadian woman at the Winter Games since Ottawa's Liz Manley in 1988. And, a few weeks after that, held the lead after women's qualifying — the first Canadian woman ever to do that — before her nerves got the better of her in the short program. But hey, that position was new territory for Rochette, and everyone was willing to cut her some slack even after she slipped to seventh by the end.
Something, however, is very wrong this week. I see the 16th placing beside her name — Rochette's been top-10 material in two of the last three worlds — and it just doesn't look right. It's only one spot better than the 17th she recorded in 2003 as a 17-year-old worlds newbie although, to be fair, this competition isn't over yet.
Leung's currrent standing in 20th also suggests a step back.
But in today's skating world, you only get points for what you do on the ice, and obviously, neither Rochette nor Leung did enough today.
They'd be much better placed if they had.
Meanwhile, a teen like South Korea's Yu-Na Kim — now under the tutelage of Canadian skating legend Brian Orser — is posting a world record short program score (71.95) in her first try at worlds. Hell, American Kimmie Meissner won the whole damn thing last year at 16.
And yet, our women are still looking for answers.
To a question that should have stopped being asked years ago.
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Woe Canada, What A Tumble
My, what a difference 24 hours can make.
Just yesterday, Canadians were cheering the performances of the country's three men's entries at the Tokyo worlds. Jeff Buttle seemed like a sure medal bet. His training mate, worlds newbie Christopher Mabee, was on the fringe of podium contention. Even Emanuel Sandhu, just five points back, had to rank as an outside threat.
Then came today.
Splat. Splat. And splat.
Just like that, no medals for Canada. And one less men's berth for the red and white at next year's worlds in Sweden.
Ouch, indeed.
Let's start with some happier stuff. France's Brian Joubert, twice a world silver medallist, finally claimed the world crown, even though he placed third in today's free skate.
The story of the night was Daisuke Takahashi, who enthralled his home country fans with a marvelous free skate that included eight triple jumps and a quad. It was almost enough to push Takahashi to the top of the podium, but he fell a few points shy.
The final scoring: Joubert, 240.85 points; Takahashi, 237.95.
Two-time defending champ Stephane Lambiel of Switzerland, who looked rather ordinary during the short program (he placed sixth), rebounded in a big way in the free skate. The Little Zebra totalled 233.35 points to claim the bronze medal.
The top three all landed quads in their free skates.
Now, about those Canadians ...
Buttle appeared to be an absolute medal lock with the impressive form he showed in the short program. But it all unravelled in the free and, two falls later (on a quad and triple Axel), the three-time Canadian champion had tumbled to sixth, matching his finish at the 2006 Calgary worlds.
Mabee, who looked so relaxed during his career-best short program, crumbled under the spotlight today. He wound up 13th.
Sandhu's slide was even more disastrous. He also tumbled to the ice twice and generally struggled through a free skate. He skidded all the way to 16th place — his worst finish at a worlds since 1999, when he placed 18th in Helsinki.
While Sandhu bravely spoke yesterday of still making a run at the 2010 Olympics in his adopted home town of Vancouver, it appears his career is about to hit a crossroads. If he can't land a spot on the world team next year — and there are only two of them now — it'll truly be decision time.
Maybe he can summon some of that old magic in Vancouver, where the Canadian championships will be held next year. And the same city where, a decade ago, Sandhu first really flashed some of his immense promise by winning the national junior title.
Seems like such a long time ago now, though, doesn't it?
Just yesterday, Canadians were cheering the performances of the country's three men's entries at the Tokyo worlds. Jeff Buttle seemed like a sure medal bet. His training mate, worlds newbie Christopher Mabee, was on the fringe of podium contention. Even Emanuel Sandhu, just five points back, had to rank as an outside threat.
Then came today.
Splat. Splat. And splat.
Just like that, no medals for Canada. And one less men's berth for the red and white at next year's worlds in Sweden.
Ouch, indeed.
Let's start with some happier stuff. France's Brian Joubert, twice a world silver medallist, finally claimed the world crown, even though he placed third in today's free skate.
The story of the night was Daisuke Takahashi, who enthralled his home country fans with a marvelous free skate that included eight triple jumps and a quad. It was almost enough to push Takahashi to the top of the podium, but he fell a few points shy.
The final scoring: Joubert, 240.85 points; Takahashi, 237.95.
Two-time defending champ Stephane Lambiel of Switzerland, who looked rather ordinary during the short program (he placed sixth), rebounded in a big way in the free skate. The Little Zebra totalled 233.35 points to claim the bronze medal.
The top three all landed quads in their free skates.
Now, about those Canadians ...
Buttle appeared to be an absolute medal lock with the impressive form he showed in the short program. But it all unravelled in the free and, two falls later (on a quad and triple Axel), the three-time Canadian champion had tumbled to sixth, matching his finish at the 2006 Calgary worlds.
Mabee, who looked so relaxed during his career-best short program, crumbled under the spotlight today. He wound up 13th.
Sandhu's slide was even more disastrous. He also tumbled to the ice twice and generally struggled through a free skate. He skidded all the way to 16th place — his worst finish at a worlds since 1999, when he placed 18th in Helsinki.
While Sandhu bravely spoke yesterday of still making a run at the 2010 Olympics in his adopted home town of Vancouver, it appears his career is about to hit a crossroads. If he can't land a spot on the world team next year — and there are only two of them now — it'll truly be decision time.
Maybe he can summon some of that old magic in Vancouver, where the Canadian championships will be held next year. And the same city where, a decade ago, Sandhu first really flashed some of his immense promise by winning the national junior title.
Seems like such a long time ago now, though, doesn't it?
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
No Mabees About This
Today's men's short program at the world figure skating championships produced a lot of storylines we might have expected to see.
France's Brian Joubert, a world champion in waiting for a few years now, lit up the ice in Tokyo like no other and seized control of the event with a powerful display. He seems ready to finally snare that elusive crown.
Joubert, by the way, was Kurt Browning's pick to win the thing. Granted, the four-time world champ has a bit of a vested interest in this — he became one of Joubert's choreographer's this year. But he's also in Japan as a TV analyst, and his prediction, it should be noted, was made with that hat on. He's also a guy whose opinion we generally tend to trust.
With 83.64 points in his pocket, Joubert holds nearly a four-point edge of Canada's Jeff Buttle, who's no stranger to the world podium. Ironically, when Buttle won his world silver two years ago in Moscow, it happened in part because Joubert imploded during his free skate.
Both, however, appear to be in sharp form this week. Buttle's 79.90-point score was also a personal best, but his French rival owns one key trump card — the quad-triple combination, which he landed with ease today.
That being said, Buttle seemed completely comfortable on the ice in Japan, a country in which he is a fan favourite and has a track record of performing well. It would be an utter shock if Buttle isn't wearing some sort of world hardware again by this time tomorrow.
Emanuel Sandhu delivered about what we've come to expect from him. The guy's got oodles of talent, and put it on display for most of his short program. But a fall on a triple Axel doomed him to an 11th-place standing. He skates clean, and we're putting him in the pot of podium contenders.
Here's the good news, though. With 69.42 points, Sandhu is only about five points away from being in the medal mix. And, as he showed a year ago at the Calgary worlds — when he rose from near-oblivion at the beginning of the week to a fifth-place finish — anything is possible with Sandhu.
And what to make of Christopher Mabee, the young lad from Tillsonburg, Ont., making his worlds debut? We suggested back in Halifax that, in winning the silver medal there and performing so well, he'd taken a big leap toward the big time.
But that might now be viewed as a mere baby step compared to what happened earlier today in Tokyo. As good as Mabee was in his short program at Canadians, he was even better on the world stage, all but floating his way through a fabulous performance. With 71.33 points, Mabee stands seventh, and well within reach of the podium.
Imagine the celebration back at the Mariposa School of Skating in Barrie, Ont., if Mabee joins his good buddy and training partner Buttle in bringing home medals from the other side of the world.
Some party that would be. No Mabees, er, maybes about it.
France's Brian Joubert, a world champion in waiting for a few years now, lit up the ice in Tokyo like no other and seized control of the event with a powerful display. He seems ready to finally snare that elusive crown.
Joubert, by the way, was Kurt Browning's pick to win the thing. Granted, the four-time world champ has a bit of a vested interest in this — he became one of Joubert's choreographer's this year. But he's also in Japan as a TV analyst, and his prediction, it should be noted, was made with that hat on. He's also a guy whose opinion we generally tend to trust.
With 83.64 points in his pocket, Joubert holds nearly a four-point edge of Canada's Jeff Buttle, who's no stranger to the world podium. Ironically, when Buttle won his world silver two years ago in Moscow, it happened in part because Joubert imploded during his free skate.
Both, however, appear to be in sharp form this week. Buttle's 79.90-point score was also a personal best, but his French rival owns one key trump card — the quad-triple combination, which he landed with ease today.
That being said, Buttle seemed completely comfortable on the ice in Japan, a country in which he is a fan favourite and has a track record of performing well. It would be an utter shock if Buttle isn't wearing some sort of world hardware again by this time tomorrow.
Emanuel Sandhu delivered about what we've come to expect from him. The guy's got oodles of talent, and put it on display for most of his short program. But a fall on a triple Axel doomed him to an 11th-place standing. He skates clean, and we're putting him in the pot of podium contenders.
Here's the good news, though. With 69.42 points, Sandhu is only about five points away from being in the medal mix. And, as he showed a year ago at the Calgary worlds — when he rose from near-oblivion at the beginning of the week to a fifth-place finish — anything is possible with Sandhu.
And what to make of Christopher Mabee, the young lad from Tillsonburg, Ont., making his worlds debut? We suggested back in Halifax that, in winning the silver medal there and performing so well, he'd taken a big leap toward the big time.
But that might now be viewed as a mere baby step compared to what happened earlier today in Tokyo. As good as Mabee was in his short program at Canadians, he was even better on the world stage, all but floating his way through a fabulous performance. With 71.33 points, Mabee stands seventh, and well within reach of the podium.
Imagine the celebration back at the Mariposa School of Skating in Barrie, Ont., if Mabee joins his good buddy and training partner Buttle in bringing home medals from the other side of the world.
Some party that would be. No Mabees, er, maybes about it.
Monday, March 05, 2007
Happy Dance In The Klondike
It was barely a month ago that Lisa Casselman and Ryan Behnia were crowned pre-novice dance national champs at the Skate Canada Junior Nationals in Brampton, Ont.
Now they're on the verge of a second 'national' title, so to speak.
Today in Whitehorse, the young Nepean Skating Club couple seized command of the pre-novice dance event at the Canada Winter Games. Casselman, 14, and Behnia, 16, posted a score of 48.70 points in today's compulsories, and own a solid 3.26-point lead over Quebecers Raphaelle Viau and Benjamin Arcieri, who wound up fourth in Brampton.
The free dance final is on Wednesday. And for the record, Casselman and Behnia's were the class of the field in that phase at junior nationals.
Might be time for them to do the happy dance again in the Yukon.
***
Stop me if you've heard this one before.
Ice dancers Kaitlyn Weaver and Andrew Poje of Canada finished sixth in the compulsories at the world junior championships last week in Oberstdorf, Germany. Then they moved up to fourth in the original dance.
When the medals were handed out Friday night, there were Weaver and Poje, perched on the bronze-medal step of the podium.
Quite a feat for the Houston-born Weaver and Poje, of Kitchener, Ont., who've been a team for less than eight months.
But shouldn't we have seen this coming?
At the Canadian championships back in January in Halifax, Weaver and Poje quietly made their way through the compulsories, finishing in seventh place. They slipped up to fifth after the original dance, but still rather out of sight and mind. But there they were on the final Sunday of the competition, wearing bronze-medal smiles and holding a ticket to the world championships in Tokyo.
It was deja vu all over again in Oberstdorf.
Consider it a lesson well learned. Meaning if Weaver and Poje seem to be lagging behind the pack early on in Japan, don't lose sight of them. These two have proven — as the old saying goes — that it ain't over until it's really over.
***
A quick update (and my bad for not doing it much sooner) ...
Casselman and Behnia did win the pre-novice dance gold in Whitehorse.
They move up to novice next season.
Now they're on the verge of a second 'national' title, so to speak.
Today in Whitehorse, the young Nepean Skating Club couple seized command of the pre-novice dance event at the Canada Winter Games. Casselman, 14, and Behnia, 16, posted a score of 48.70 points in today's compulsories, and own a solid 3.26-point lead over Quebecers Raphaelle Viau and Benjamin Arcieri, who wound up fourth in Brampton.
The free dance final is on Wednesday. And for the record, Casselman and Behnia's were the class of the field in that phase at junior nationals.
Might be time for them to do the happy dance again in the Yukon.
***
Stop me if you've heard this one before.
Ice dancers Kaitlyn Weaver and Andrew Poje of Canada finished sixth in the compulsories at the world junior championships last week in Oberstdorf, Germany. Then they moved up to fourth in the original dance.
When the medals were handed out Friday night, there were Weaver and Poje, perched on the bronze-medal step of the podium.
Quite a feat for the Houston-born Weaver and Poje, of Kitchener, Ont., who've been a team for less than eight months.
But shouldn't we have seen this coming?
At the Canadian championships back in January in Halifax, Weaver and Poje quietly made their way through the compulsories, finishing in seventh place. They slipped up to fifth after the original dance, but still rather out of sight and mind. But there they were on the final Sunday of the competition, wearing bronze-medal smiles and holding a ticket to the world championships in Tokyo.
It was deja vu all over again in Oberstdorf.
Consider it a lesson well learned. Meaning if Weaver and Poje seem to be lagging behind the pack early on in Japan, don't lose sight of them. These two have proven — as the old saying goes — that it ain't over until it's really over.
***
A quick update (and my bad for not doing it much sooner) ...
Casselman and Behnia did win the pre-novice dance gold in Whitehorse.
They move up to novice next season.
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
Vancouver Calling ...
If you've been waiting to line up tickets for the 2008 BMO Financial Group Canadian championships in Vancouver ... well, your wait is about to end.
All-event packages for the event go on sale Feb. 27 at 1 p.m. ET.
Prices are $175 and $150 for the week, and can be purchased over the phone (604-280-4444) or online from TicketMaster (www.ticketmaster.ca).
The 2008 nationals run Jan. 16-20 at Pacific National Exhibition, which will also be the figure skating venue for the Vancouver 2010 Olympics.
Call this your opportunity for a sneak peek.
For Vancouver, it's the fifth opportunity to host Canadians. The last was in 1997. The city also held the world championships in 2001.
Also worth noting: It's gone back to being a five-day nationals with the elimination of the senior qualifying rounds (which will now be a part of the East/West Challenge. We're hearing that event is likely headed back to the Hershey Centre in Mississauga, Ont., in December).
All-event packages for the event go on sale Feb. 27 at 1 p.m. ET.
Prices are $175 and $150 for the week, and can be purchased over the phone (604-280-4444) or online from TicketMaster (www.ticketmaster.ca).
The 2008 nationals run Jan. 16-20 at Pacific National Exhibition, which will also be the figure skating venue for the Vancouver 2010 Olympics.
Call this your opportunity for a sneak peek.
For Vancouver, it's the fifth opportunity to host Canadians. The last was in 1997. The city also held the world championships in 2001.
Also worth noting: It's gone back to being a five-day nationals with the elimination of the senior qualifying rounds (which will now be a part of the East/West Challenge. We're hearing that event is likely headed back to the Hershey Centre in Mississauga, Ont., in December).
Friday, February 09, 2007
A Pair With Heart
Sometime very soon, we’re thinking, the fates of figure skating just have to leave Jessica Dube alone.
Seems like the poor girl’s run of bad luck is never ending.
The latest — and perhaps scariest — evidence of that came Thursday night at the Four Continents Championship in Colorado Springs. The petite (she’s 4-foot-11) and sweet 19-year-old from St. Cyrille de Wendover, Que., was cut badly when the skate blade of her partner, Bryce Davison, smacked her in the face (just below the eye) during side-by-side camel spins.
If you’ve seen the photos of Dube lying on the ice with a trail of blood beside her, you also no doubt noted the look of horror in Davison’s face.
Yes, it was that bad.
Dube was kept in local hospital overnight after undergoing surgery for the gash across her left cheek and nose. International Skating Union medical advisor Jane Moran called it a “significant laceration.”
Now the question becomes whether Dube and Davison, the newly crowned Canadian pairs champions, can recover physically and — perhaps more important — mentally in time to skate at the world championships in Tokyo next month.
Given their recent past, don’t bet against it.
Last season, Dube was involved in a serious car accident about six weeks before the Canadian championships in Ottawa. She suffered a sprained wrist that had the couple wondering whether they’d be able to be ready to skate at the Civic Centre (Dube’s knee injury had wrecked their chances at Canadians the season before. They withdrew after the short program).
But not only did they show up in the nation’s capital, they skated well enough to land Canada’s second pairs berth for the Turin Olympics. Then went out and posted the country’s top pairs finish (10th) in Italy.
Fast forward to the current season. Dube needed knee surgery back in September, which kept the couple off the ice for about a month and forced them to play catchup (again) for most of the fall.
Somehow, Dube and Davison got it together in time to go out and win their first Canadian senior title in Halifax.
The lesson in all of this: If you wager against these two, you’ll lose.
Big time.
Nothing, it would appear, can keep them down for long.
Seems like the poor girl’s run of bad luck is never ending.
The latest — and perhaps scariest — evidence of that came Thursday night at the Four Continents Championship in Colorado Springs. The petite (she’s 4-foot-11) and sweet 19-year-old from St. Cyrille de Wendover, Que., was cut badly when the skate blade of her partner, Bryce Davison, smacked her in the face (just below the eye) during side-by-side camel spins.
If you’ve seen the photos of Dube lying on the ice with a trail of blood beside her, you also no doubt noted the look of horror in Davison’s face.
Yes, it was that bad.
Dube was kept in local hospital overnight after undergoing surgery for the gash across her left cheek and nose. International Skating Union medical advisor Jane Moran called it a “significant laceration.”
Now the question becomes whether Dube and Davison, the newly crowned Canadian pairs champions, can recover physically and — perhaps more important — mentally in time to skate at the world championships in Tokyo next month.
Given their recent past, don’t bet against it.
Last season, Dube was involved in a serious car accident about six weeks before the Canadian championships in Ottawa. She suffered a sprained wrist that had the couple wondering whether they’d be able to be ready to skate at the Civic Centre (Dube’s knee injury had wrecked their chances at Canadians the season before. They withdrew after the short program).
But not only did they show up in the nation’s capital, they skated well enough to land Canada’s second pairs berth for the Turin Olympics. Then went out and posted the country’s top pairs finish (10th) in Italy.
Fast forward to the current season. Dube needed knee surgery back in September, which kept the couple off the ice for about a month and forced them to play catchup (again) for most of the fall.
Somehow, Dube and Davison got it together in time to go out and win their first Canadian senior title in Halifax.
The lesson in all of this: If you wager against these two, you’ll lose.
Big time.
Nothing, it would appear, can keep them down for long.
Wednesday, February 07, 2007
At The Four Front
Looks like the Four Continents Figure Skating Championship might finally have come of age.
Scan the entry list for the annual event — which begins later today in Colorado Springs — and you’ll see a world champion or medallist in every single discipline. That’s a far cry from the days (not so long ago) when Four Continents was filled with what you’d call a lot of ‘B’-list entries.
No more.
With a nearly two-month gap between Canadian and U.S. nationals and the world championships, Four Continents is the perfect place for skaters to keep sharp for the ultimate test at the end of March in Tokyo.
So it is that, with just two exceptions, Canada’s team in Colorado Springs will mirror exactly the one headed to Japan next month. Vancouver’s Mira Leung has chosen to take a pass on the event (former Canadian champ Cynthia Phaneuf of Contrecoeur, Que., takes her place), while surprise Canadian ice dance bronze medallists Kaitlyn Weaver of Houston, Tex., and Andrew Poje of Kitchener, Ont., will instead head to the world junior championships Feb. 26-March 4 in Oberstdorf, Germany (Vancouver’s Lauren Senft and Leif Gislason of Winnipeg become Canada’s third dance entry at Four Continents).
The quality of the overall field means Canada will be in tough to bring home the raft of medals it’s earned in the past. Expect Montreal’s Marie-France Dubreuil and Patrice Lauzon, last year’s world silver medallists, to claim the ice dance gold. Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir of London, Ont., are good bets to join them on the podium.
Olympic bronze medallist Jeffrey Buttle, who showed at last month’s Canadian championships in Halifax that he’s back in form, rates as the men's favourite this week (Worth noting: Christopher Mabee of Tillsonburg, Ont., won the silver medal in this event a year ago, when he posted all his current ISU-best scores).
Three-time Canadian women’s champ Joannie Rochette of Ile-Dupas, Que., has some serious work to do to reach the podium against a field chock full of top U.S. (world champ Kimmie Meissner, Emily Hughes, Alissa Czisny) and Japanese (Miki Ando, Fumie Suguri) foes.
In pairs, new Canadian champs Jessica Dube of St. Cyrille de Wendover, Que., and Bryce Davison of Cambridge, Ont., face two Chinese teams with world championship pedigree (Qing Pang/Jian Tong and Xue Shen/Hongbo Zhao), along with new U.S. champs Brooke Castile and Benjamin Okolski and former American champions Rene Inoue and John Baldwin.
The more interesting question: How will Valerie Marcoux of Gatineau, Que., and Craig Buntin of Kelowna, Que., rebound from being dethroned as Canadian champs in Halifax? No place like here to start making amends.
The ice dance compulsories get the competition started this afternoon, followed by the pairs and men’s short programs. The women get rolling on Thursday.
Scan the entry list for the annual event — which begins later today in Colorado Springs — and you’ll see a world champion or medallist in every single discipline. That’s a far cry from the days (not so long ago) when Four Continents was filled with what you’d call a lot of ‘B’-list entries.
No more.
With a nearly two-month gap between Canadian and U.S. nationals and the world championships, Four Continents is the perfect place for skaters to keep sharp for the ultimate test at the end of March in Tokyo.
So it is that, with just two exceptions, Canada’s team in Colorado Springs will mirror exactly the one headed to Japan next month. Vancouver’s Mira Leung has chosen to take a pass on the event (former Canadian champ Cynthia Phaneuf of Contrecoeur, Que., takes her place), while surprise Canadian ice dance bronze medallists Kaitlyn Weaver of Houston, Tex., and Andrew Poje of Kitchener, Ont., will instead head to the world junior championships Feb. 26-March 4 in Oberstdorf, Germany (Vancouver’s Lauren Senft and Leif Gislason of Winnipeg become Canada’s third dance entry at Four Continents).
The quality of the overall field means Canada will be in tough to bring home the raft of medals it’s earned in the past. Expect Montreal’s Marie-France Dubreuil and Patrice Lauzon, last year’s world silver medallists, to claim the ice dance gold. Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir of London, Ont., are good bets to join them on the podium.
Olympic bronze medallist Jeffrey Buttle, who showed at last month’s Canadian championships in Halifax that he’s back in form, rates as the men's favourite this week (Worth noting: Christopher Mabee of Tillsonburg, Ont., won the silver medal in this event a year ago, when he posted all his current ISU-best scores).
Three-time Canadian women’s champ Joannie Rochette of Ile-Dupas, Que., has some serious work to do to reach the podium against a field chock full of top U.S. (world champ Kimmie Meissner, Emily Hughes, Alissa Czisny) and Japanese (Miki Ando, Fumie Suguri) foes.
In pairs, new Canadian champs Jessica Dube of St. Cyrille de Wendover, Que., and Bryce Davison of Cambridge, Ont., face two Chinese teams with world championship pedigree (Qing Pang/Jian Tong and Xue Shen/Hongbo Zhao), along with new U.S. champs Brooke Castile and Benjamin Okolski and former American champions Rene Inoue and John Baldwin.
The more interesting question: How will Valerie Marcoux of Gatineau, Que., and Craig Buntin of Kelowna, Que., rebound from being dethroned as Canadian champs in Halifax? No place like here to start making amends.
The ice dance compulsories get the competition started this afternoon, followed by the pairs and men’s short programs. The women get rolling on Thursday.
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Junior Achievement
One of my favourite events that I've ever covered was the 2004 Skate Canada Junior Nationals, which were held at the Nepean Sportsplex right here in Ottawa.
It was truly a treat to see the real future of skating in our country, from the juvenile through novice levels. A couple of the medallists from that year — Diane Szmiett of Watford, Ont., and Vancouver's Jeremy Ten — have since gone on to bigger and better things, each having progressed to a Canadian junior title (Szmiett a year ago in Ottawa; Ten this year in Halifax).
The 2007 version of Junior Nationals gets under way today at the Powerade Centre in Brampton, Ont. There's only one event today — juvenile compulsory dance — but they'll keep two ice pads hopping from Thursday through Saturday.
If you're in the Brampton area, it's worth your time to give it a look.
*** Taking care of my own backyard ... here are the Ottawa-area entries at this week's junior nationals:
Juvenile — Elizabeth Comeau, Gloucester Skating Club, women; Sarah and Steven Clarke, Nepean Skating Club, ice dance; Hillary Desroches, Pembroke, and Spencer Yakaback, Renfrew, pairs.
Pre-Novice — Lisa Casselman and Ryan Behnia, Nepean, ice dance; Chelsi Fahrngruber and David Leenen, Nepean, pairs.
Novice — Paul Parkinson, Nepean, men.
It was truly a treat to see the real future of skating in our country, from the juvenile through novice levels. A couple of the medallists from that year — Diane Szmiett of Watford, Ont., and Vancouver's Jeremy Ten — have since gone on to bigger and better things, each having progressed to a Canadian junior title (Szmiett a year ago in Ottawa; Ten this year in Halifax).
The 2007 version of Junior Nationals gets under way today at the Powerade Centre in Brampton, Ont. There's only one event today — juvenile compulsory dance — but they'll keep two ice pads hopping from Thursday through Saturday.
If you're in the Brampton area, it's worth your time to give it a look.
*** Taking care of my own backyard ... here are the Ottawa-area entries at this week's junior nationals:
Juvenile — Elizabeth Comeau, Gloucester Skating Club, women; Sarah and Steven Clarke, Nepean Skating Club, ice dance; Hillary Desroches, Pembroke, and Spencer Yakaback, Renfrew, pairs.
Pre-Novice — Lisa Casselman and Ryan Behnia, Nepean, ice dance; Chelsi Fahrngruber and David Leenen, Nepean, pairs.
Novice — Paul Parkinson, Nepean, men.
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
She's Still A Champion
The folks at IMG got the ball rolling this week for Stars On Ice Canada with the news that Canadian champions Joannie Rochette, Jeffrey Buttle, and Marie-France Dubreuil and Patrice Lauzon will all participate in the 13-city tour, which begins March 29 in Halifax.
For Dubreuil and Lauzon, the five-time Canadian ice dance champs, it's their SOI debut.
The 2007 extravaganza almost marks the national tour farewell for Brian Orser, who's immersed himself into coaching big-time at the Toronto Cricket Curling and Skating Club.
Long-time Canadian favourite Kurt Browning (skating's Mr. Entertainment) and Olympic pairs champs Jamie Sale and David Pelletier are also on board again.
The theme this year is Double Exposure: The Many Lives of Figure Skaters. My pal (and aspiring journalist) Jennifer Robinson, who's currently with the tour south of the border, tells me it's definitely worth a look.
(Jen's again penning a journal about the 'behind the scenes' stuff that goes on with SOI. It's on the U.S. tour website, which you'll find under our 'skating links.').
Conspicuous by her absence this year is former world champion ice dancer Shae-Lynn Bourne, who has lent her talents to SOI Canada the past few years as a solo dancer.
Shed no tears for Shae, though. She'll be plenty busy soon enough: She tells me she's signed a two-year contract with Tom Collins' Tour of Champions.
“I wasn't asked (to join SOI),” Bourne said recently in Halifax after she and partner Victor Kraatz were inducted into the Skate Canada Hall of Fame. “So I thought, okay, Champions (tour) ... I'm going to be doing that through the summer.”
Hey, once a champion, always a champion, right?
For Dubreuil and Lauzon, the five-time Canadian ice dance champs, it's their SOI debut.
The 2007 extravaganza almost marks the national tour farewell for Brian Orser, who's immersed himself into coaching big-time at the Toronto Cricket Curling and Skating Club.
Long-time Canadian favourite Kurt Browning (skating's Mr. Entertainment) and Olympic pairs champs Jamie Sale and David Pelletier are also on board again.
The theme this year is Double Exposure: The Many Lives of Figure Skaters. My pal (and aspiring journalist) Jennifer Robinson, who's currently with the tour south of the border, tells me it's definitely worth a look.
(Jen's again penning a journal about the 'behind the scenes' stuff that goes on with SOI. It's on the U.S. tour website, which you'll find under our 'skating links.').
Conspicuous by her absence this year is former world champion ice dancer Shae-Lynn Bourne, who has lent her talents to SOI Canada the past few years as a solo dancer.
Shed no tears for Shae, though. She'll be plenty busy soon enough: She tells me she's signed a two-year contract with Tom Collins' Tour of Champions.
“I wasn't asked (to join SOI),” Bourne said recently in Halifax after she and partner Victor Kraatz were inducted into the Skate Canada Hall of Fame. “So I thought, okay, Champions (tour) ... I'm going to be doing that through the summer.”
Hey, once a champion, always a champion, right?
Beyond The Chronicles ...
What's a skating blogger to do when the event he just had so much fun blogging at doesn't happen again for another year.
Start up a brother (or sister) blog, of course.
And so, welcome to Breaking The Ice.
(catchy title, huh?)
What will you find here? Well, if you're looking for the definitive be-all and end-all blog filled with every shred of figure skating news and gossip that's out there ... sorry, but that's for somebody else to write. The parameters of my day job (they expect me to earn my pay) just don't allow me to spend that kind of time digging up that volume of ice-breaking stuff (see, there is a reason for that title).
Rather, what you'll find here are a mix of interesting tidbits I run across and some occasional commentary and views on the sport, with a dash of whimsy mixed in now and then.
Kinda like the recipe that made The Halifax Chronicles such a hit at the just-completed Canadian figure skating championships (hey, that's not just me talking. Ask the people who flattered the heck out of me with their compliments during my stay in Nova Scotia — the link is off to the right if you haven't seen that blog for yourself).
Being that I'm from Ottawa (see bio), naturally there will be more of an Eastern Ontario slant to things every once in awhile — it is, after all, my backyard rink, so to speak.
But I'll keep it fun and keep my blogging itch going. After all, 12 months (give or take a week or so) is just way too long to be away from skating posts, don't you agree?
Enjoy!
Start up a brother (or sister) blog, of course.
And so, welcome to Breaking The Ice.
(catchy title, huh?)
What will you find here? Well, if you're looking for the definitive be-all and end-all blog filled with every shred of figure skating news and gossip that's out there ... sorry, but that's for somebody else to write. The parameters of my day job (they expect me to earn my pay) just don't allow me to spend that kind of time digging up that volume of ice-breaking stuff (see, there is a reason for that title).
Rather, what you'll find here are a mix of interesting tidbits I run across and some occasional commentary and views on the sport, with a dash of whimsy mixed in now and then.
Kinda like the recipe that made The Halifax Chronicles such a hit at the just-completed Canadian figure skating championships (hey, that's not just me talking. Ask the people who flattered the heck out of me with their compliments during my stay in Nova Scotia — the link is off to the right if you haven't seen that blog for yourself).
Being that I'm from Ottawa (see bio), naturally there will be more of an Eastern Ontario slant to things every once in awhile — it is, after all, my backyard rink, so to speak.
But I'll keep it fun and keep my blogging itch going. After all, 12 months (give or take a week or so) is just way too long to be away from skating posts, don't you agree?
Enjoy!
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