2026-27 Canadian Figure Skating

[saine]

Speaking of teams, does this include synchro as well, now that some teams have international skaters in their ranks?

Someone didn't see either the woods OR the trees.

Synchro 12-14 can have 3 non-citizens, 15-16 can have 4, 9 must be all members or affiliates of the ISU member.

 

[Diana Delafield]

Synchro 12-14 can have 3 non-citizens, 15-16 can have 4, 9 must be all members or affiliates of the ISU member.

I was thinking of those residence requirements. It sounds as if, for an example, an American skater joined a Canadian team, she'd have to have her US residence close to the border where she could drive back and forth every day for practice in Canada while living in the US. Otherwise the team would be reluctant to accept skaters from other countries if they had to miss significant amounts of time to work as part of the team.

 

[saine]

I was thinking of those residence requirements. It sounds as if, for an example, an American skater joined a Canadian team, she'd have to have her US residence close to the border where she could drive back and forth every day for practice in Canada while living in the US. Otherwise the team would be reluctant to accept skaters from other countries if they had to miss significant amounts of time to work as part of the team.

They cover it 8.2.4. It states that the citizenship/residency requirements for 8.2.1 and 8.2.2 don't apply for Synchro 12-16.

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

I'm not sure. It says "a skater", so it could easily apply to all skaters, including teams, with 8.2.2 an additional restriction on the teams. Or maybe not.

Actually, someone on another forum said they messaged an official who said the majority of the updated rule pertains to singles skaters. Of course, this third-party query and response does not clear up the confusion. As usual, the phrasing is unclear, and likely subject to more updates and adjustments, etc.

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

I recently saw on a figure skating podcast that a training video posted by Olivia Smart shows a blurry Hannah Lim with Zach Lagha together on the ice in the background, similar to the Fabbri/ Gaidajenko reveal.

The podcaster asks who won the new partner lottery, Marjo or Zach? While I think Lim/ Lagha can prove to be a good and entertaining team, skills-wise Marjo & Jean-Luc together are clearly a cut above. No matter which country Hannah and Zach will represent, they will have to sit out from international comps for a year. So we will only get to see them compete domestically. Meanwhile, I expect that Jean-Luc will get his U.S. release in time to debut with Marjo internationally in the fall for Canada. It would be criminal otherwise.

 

[NanaPat]

Actually, someone on another forum said they messaged an official who said the majority of the updated rule pertains to singles skaters. Of course, this third-party query and response does not clear up the confusion. As usual, the phrasing is unclear, and likely subject to more updates and adjustments, etc.

"A skater" is the worst wording they could come up with. Make it "a singles skater" or "all skaters (except synchro)" or "all singles, pair or ice dance skaters". And "the majority of the updated rule????? Why not say 8.2.1???? Or would that be too easy???

 

[Diana Delafield]

"A skater" is the worst wording they could come up with. Make it "a singles skater" or "all skaters (except synchro)" or "all singles, pair or ice dance skaters". And "the majority of the updated rule????? Why not say 8.2.1???? Or would that be too easy???

 

[ramurphy2005]

Just saw a Facebook post that Piper has joined the coaching staff at Ice Dance Elite. Is this true? And if so does that mean Piper and Paul have called it quits. Did I miss an announcement?

I saw a comment about that, and it was in an Instagram post from Carol Lane.

As for continuing competing, nothing has been said yet.

 

[NanaPat]

I was thinking of those residence requirements. It sounds as if, for an example, an American skater joined a Canadian team, she'd have to have her US residence close to the border where she could drive back and forth every day for practice in Canada while living in the US. Otherwise the team would be reluctant to accept skaters from other countries if they had to miss significant amounts of time to work as part of the team.

If 8.2.1 applies to synchro teams, then everyone skating for Canada would have to live in Canada or be a citizen of Canada.

Does "continuous stay in the country of residence for a minimum of 180 days within the past calendar year" mean never setting foot outside the country for 180 consecutive days?? If so, that's harsh.

 

[Diana Delafield]

If 8.2.1 applies to synchro teams, then everyone skating for Canada would have to live in Canada or be a citizen of Canada.

Does "continuous stay in the country of residence for a minimum of 180 days within the past calendar year" mean never setting foot outside the country for 180 consecutive days?? If so, that's harsh.

I assumed it meant like the old rule for census-taking that upsets beginner genealogists, that you were counted wherever you happened to sleep the night before the census day. (So someone's grandmother appears to be missing from her family one year because she was actually on a sleepover with a friend that night and gets listed with the friend's family.) For this rule purpose, I would read "continuous stay" as meaning you came home to a particular address in your home country virtually every night, paid rent there, had your online shopping and takeout meals delivered there -- whatever. But where you spent hours during the day could be anywhere as long as you came Official Home that night. I can see some bureaucrat getting tied up in knots over it, though.

I wonder how that rule will be interpreted for Liam Kapeikis, who lives in Blaine, WA right on the border, trains every day in Richmond BC (less than an hour's drive north in good traffic), skates for the USA, but according to Wikipedia has triple citizenship -- Canadian, British, and American. Next time I see one of his coaches, I'll ask, out of curiosity.

Edit: Then it occurred to me what if someone managed to comply with the residency-half-the-year rule by, say, persuading the foreign coach to pay visits and give some lessons by video, and then travelled for several weeks to fit in a couple of competitions in other countries while representing their home country. But were living in hotels or staying with friends in those other countries?

I think I have an overactive imagination. Or I should have gone into law as a career.

 

[soccerjc77]

I saw on Facebook that Edward Nicholas Vasii was accepted into medical school.
I'm happy for him.
But I hope this isn't the end of skating for him; I thought he had great potential. I hope he doesn't retire right away.

 

[saine]

I saw on Facebook that Edward Nicholas Vasii was accepted into medical school.
I'm happy for him.
But I hope this isn't the end of skating for him; I thought he had great potential. I hope he doesn't retire right away.

https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=1828701661768204&set=a.525571248747925

He said in his Instagram stories that his post for his med school acceptance wasn't a retirement post, so no worries about that yet

 

[Diana Delafield]

He said in his Instagram stories that his post for his med school acceptance wasn't a retirement post, so no worries about that yet

I wasn't able to read this without switching browsers. (FB wants me to turn off my adblocker on Chrome and I refuse, so they pouted "OK, you won't let us show you ads, we won't show you anything at all, then. So there!".) Does he say which medical school? If he wants to come out to UBC, my partner is on the med school faculty there. He'd be happy to give him a break for competitions .)

 

[saine]

I wasn't able to read this without switching browsers. (FB wants me to turn off my adblocker on Chrome and I refuse, so they pouted "OK, you won't let us show you ads, we won't show you anything at all, then. So there!".) Does he say which medical school? If he wants to come out to UBC, my partner is on the med school faculty there. He'd be happy to give him a break for competitions .)

Université de Montreal from the Facebook post

 

[NanaPat]

I wonder how that rule will be interpreted for Liam Kapeikis, who lives in Blaine, WA right on the border, trains every day in Richmond BC (less than an hour's drive north in good traffic), skates for the USA, but according to Wikipedia has triple citizenship -- Canadian, British, and American. Next time I see one of his coaches, I'll ask, out of curiosity.

It's citizenship OR residency. So Kapeikis can represent Canada, Britain, or USA while living/sleeping/doing his laundry anywhere he wants. But if he wanted to represent, say, India, he would have to spend 180 days a year in India (however days are counted) OR be granted Indian citizenship from the get-go.

I'm afraid the rule will backfire, as countries that waant to buy skaters will just grant them citizenship. I seem to recall that Allison Reed represented Georgia in the 2010 Olympics without ever having set foot in Georgia. In defense of her, she was very young at the time, and at least her partner was Georgian.

Or perhaps that's what the ISU wants; to appear to tighten up the rules against "skating mercenaries", knowing full well that it won't really change anything. But they will be able to say virtuously "we can't control citizenship laws in any country. It isn't up to us."

 

[4everchan]

I saw on Facebook that Edward Nicholas Vasii was accepted into medical school.
I'm happy for him.
But I hope this isn't the end of skating for him; I thought he had great potential. I hope he doesn't retire right away.

https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=1828701661768204&set=a.525571248747925

I have had 3 sons on GS... for those not aware of the lingo, started their fan fest or begged @SnowWhite to start one on my behalf because I couldn't even handle the one I had (which I had transferred to someone else).. Yes, I am a bad father

Conrad : stayed in school during his skating and as soon as he graduated, retired young
Joseph : education was important, injuries kept him from away from the sport and then, he retired way too young
Eddy : injuries + education ... will he retire too young too ? I hope not.

I have never heard of students being able to do med school "part-time". Maybe there are some special exceptions granted. Maybe Eddy has all of it figured out already.

However, I promise that if Eddy retires early, I will never be a skating parent again. . I value education and I think athletes should prepare their life after the sport. I am quite highly educated myself so I don't see it as a bad thing..quite the contrary. At the same time, in this sport, where "prime time "is rather early, it's hard to think that skaters can do both and reach the top, especially a program like med school.

At the same time, Eddy was practicing quad axels on harness so sure, he was having fun but you don't try these big jumps if you are not hoping to improve and remain competitive.

The next couple years will be telling. He could end up taking a bit of time off when needed if ever he does evolve at the top of the Canadian men food chain, which I feel is possible considering his talent.

I am a good dad after all I saw talent, personality and flair in all these guys and I gave them my skating love. I hope Conrad and Jo are doing well in their life after skating. I hope Eddy will do just fine too and be a fabulous doctor . but in the meantime, I really want to see him on the podium at Nationals one day

 

[Diana Delafield]

It's citizenship OR residency. So Kapeikis can represent Canada, Britain, or USA while living/sleeping/doing his laundry anywhere he wants. But if he wanted to represent, say, India, he would have to spend 180 days a year in India (however days are counted) OR be granted Indian citizenship from the get-go.

I'm afraid the rule will backfire, as countries that waant to buy skaters will just grant them citizenship. I seem to recall that Allison Reed represented Georgia in the 2010 Olympics without ever having set foot in Georgia. In defense of her, she was very young at the time, and at least her partner was Georgian.

Or perhaps that's what the ISU wants; to appear to tighten up the rules against "skating mercenaries", knowing full well that it won't really change anything. But they will be able to say virtuously "we can't control citizenship laws in any country. It isn't up to us."

Like a short story I read in Canadian Skater magazine a long time ago, a humour piece describing pairs competitors at Worlds getting ready to start their event. One description I loved but can only remember the ending was: "[Sophie and her brother Anthony, who were from England, represented Norway] because their father had been born there prematurely while their British grandparents were on a last vacation on the continent before settling down with children. They had heard Norway had lovely scenery and hoped to visit the country some day."

 

[Diana Delafield]

I have had 3 sons on GS... for those not aware of the lingo, started their fan fest or begged @SnowWhite to start one on my behalf because I couldn't even handle the one I had (which I had transferred to someone else).. Yes, I am a bad father

Conrad : stayed in school during his skating and as soon as he graduated, retired young
Joseph : education was important, injuries kept him from away from the sport and then, he retired way too young
Eddy : injuries + education ... will he retire too young too ? I hope not.

I have never heard of students being able to do med school "part-time". Maybe there are some special exceptions granted. Maybe Eddy has all of it figured out already.

However, I promise that if Eddy retires early, I will never be a skating parent again. . I value education and I think athletes should prepare their life after the sport. I am quite highly educated myself so I don't see it as a bad thing..quite the contrary. At the same time, in this sport, where "prime time "is rather early, it's hard to think that skaters can do both and reach the top, especially a program like med school.

At the same time, Eddy was practicing quad axels on harness so sure, he was having fun but you don't try these big jumps if you are not hoping to improve and remain competitive.

The next couple years will be telling. He could end up taking a bit of time off when needed if ever he does evolve at the top of the Canadian men food chain, which I feel is possible considering his talent.

I am a good dad after all I saw talent, personality and flair in all these guys and I gave them my skating love. I hope Conrad and Jo are doing well in their life after skating. I hope Eddy will do just fine too and be a fabulous doctor . but in the meantime, I really want to see him on the podium at Nationals one day

Maybe he can follow in the tracings of Charles Snelling, 5-time Canadian men's champion from 1954 to 1958 (winning world bronze in1957), who then retired to go to med school, and returned six years later in 1964 to win the Canadian title again after he graduated.

 

[saine]

David Shteyngart has a partner!

 

[4everchan]

Emily Who?