Weaver and Poje to sit out Grand Prix

gsk8 · Jun 21, 2018

Press Release:

OTTAWA, ON: World bronze medallists Kaitlyn Weaver, 29, Toronto, Ont., and Andrew Poje, 31, Waterloo, Ont., will sit out the ISU Grand Prix circuit this season.

“Over the last 12 consecutive years, we have committed ourselves 100 percent to becoming champions in ice dance, representing our country on the international stage, and enjoying this incredible journey — challenges and accomplishments alike — together every step of the way. This past season provided us with the most incredible memories, including finishing on the podium at the world championships in Milan. Fulfilling this accomplishment gave us time and the opportunity to reflect on how we would like to continue our skating career. Through a very patient, analytical, and thoughtful process, we have decided to forego the 2018 Grand Prix season. We plan to return to competition at the Canadian Tire National Skating Championships in January. We thank you for your understanding and allowing us to tailor our career to our best interests,” said Weaver and Poje.

Weaver and Poje are three-time world medallists, winning their most recent world medal at the 2018 world championships in Italy earlier this year. The two-time Canadian champions are coached by Nikolai Morozov and train in Hackensack, NJ, USA.

Tanager · Jun 21, 2018

I'm surprised by this (as I was with Kaetlyn O.), but it does make sense to me. WeaPo have accomplished an incredible amount. A little breathing space to assess future goals (Montreal 2020? Beijing 2022?) sounds like a good plan of action. I wish much good discernment to Kaitlyn and Andrew and a healthy happy return to Nationals in January!

ancientpeas · Jun 21, 2018

Unless Gabby has a great GP season (and she's normally a slow starter) or one of our pair teams (let it be Charlie and Julianne) excel there might not be a Canadian in the GPF on Canadian soil. I think that will be a bit sad for the audience but it will mean without a horse in the race that they should support all the teams evenly.

My early prediction is that P/C, H/D and C/B will be on the GP podium in that order.

Tanager · Jun 21, 2018

ancientpeas said:
Unless Gabby has a great GP season (and she's normally a slow starter) or one of our pair teams (let it be Charlie and Julianne) excel there might not be a Canadian in the GPF on Canadian soil. I think that will be a bit sad for the audience but it will mean without a horse in the race that they should support all the teams evenly.

My early prediction is that P/C, H/D and C/B will be on the GP podium in that order.

I could see G/P qualifying for Canada.

Andrea82 · Jun 21, 2018

ancientpeas said:
Unless Gabby has a great GP season (and she's normally a slow starter) or one of our pair teams (let it be Charlie and Julianne) excel there might not be a Canadian in the GPF on Canadian soil..

Gilles/Poirier have a shot at GP Final now.

ancientpeas · Jun 21, 2018

Tanager said:
I could see G/P qualifying for Canada.

Oh crud. Now I'm totally embarrassed. I love G/P and I forgot about them. Sheesh. I suck. Well then I guess we might have a lady, pair and dance team. None will go in as a favourite to win or even medal though.

I do think that this clears up the problem of W/P and G/P at skate Canada because W/P would have the higher ranking but G/P are national silver medalists.

I wonder if W/P will be added to the Thank you Canada tour.

Andrea, thanks for the reminder. I had totally forgotten them for some reason.

cathlen · Jun 21, 2018

What is with the Canadians not competing during GP? I'm gonna miss them so much.....

Colonel Green · Jun 21, 2018

ancientpeas said:
Oh crud. Now I'm totally embarrassed. I love G/P and I forgot about them. Sheesh. I suck. Well then I guess we might have a lady, pair and dance team. None will go in as a favourite to win or even medal though.

I do think that this clears up the problem of W/P and G/P at skate Canada because W/P would have the higher ranking but G/P are national silver medalists.

What problem? They’d have had both of them there, and gotten both gold and silver for Canadian teams.

However, with this news I think Piper and Paul may actually be inching toward a position to collect the GPF bronze. They were sixth at Worlds. The third place finishers have just withdrawn; there’s still no word on Cappellini/Lanotte, but if they retire of otherwise don’t participate as many seem to expect, then Piper and Paul are fourth among the seeds, and they actually finished quite close to Chock/Bates at Worlds (only 1.18 points behind, and C/B didn’t make any notable errors). With a bit of home scoring, especially, it could happen.

I’m predicting that Papadakis and Cizeron do SCI this year now, since the lack of a Canadian team in the top seed (which only happened once this decade, I believe, and that was the year Virtue and Moir returned) presents a rare opportunity to add to their collection of medals, assuming they have a “collect ‘em all” attitude.

andromache · Jun 21, 2018

cathlen said:
What is with the Canadians not competing during GP? I'm gonna miss them so much.....

I feel like it's at least partially because of the Canada tour.

The post-Olympic GP series was SUPER promising for WeaPo in 2014. They pretty much dominated. And then lost Worlds to P/C. At least by skipping the GP series they don't need to worry about losing momentum heading into the spring.

BillNeal · Jun 21, 2018

Good for W/P to take a short break after representing Canada at two consecutive OGs, 8 Worlds and 11 GP seasons, including the previous GP season when they were skating through injury at TDF. It's good to hear that they plan on returning to Canadian Nationals, as it was unclear whether they would continue after this Olympic season. Also, it will give them extra time to see how the new rules play out for the teams competing and tailor their programs to the new rules.

ancientpeas · Jun 21, 2018

Colonel Green said:
What problem? They’d have had both of them there, and gotten both gold and silver for Canadian teams.

However, with this news I think Piper and Paul may actually be inching toward a position to collect the GPF bronze. They were sixth at Worlds. The third place finishers have just withdrawn; there’s still no word on Cappellini/Lanotte, but if they retire of otherwise don’t participate as many seem to expect, then Piper and Paul are fourth among the seeds, and they actually finished quite close to Chock/Bates at Worlds (only 1.18 points behind, and C/B didn’t make any notable errors). With a bit of home scoring, especially, it could happen.

I’m predicting that Papadakis and Cizeron do SCI this year now, since the lack of a Canadian team in the top seed (which only happened once this decade, I believe, and that was the year Virtue and Moir returned) presents a rare opportunity to add to their collection of medals, assuming they have a “collect ‘em all” attitude.

I didn't think both could be there for some reason.

I hope P/C go to SCI since it's basically on Montreal's doorstep but isn't the French GP the next week? I thought most skaters didn't like doing back to back GPs because of travel and other considerations.

Colonel Green · Jun 21, 2018

ancientpeas said:
I hope P/C go to SCI since it's basically on Montreal's doorstep but isn't the French GP the next week? I thought most skaters didn't like doing back to back GPs because of travel and other considerations.

No, the IdF is the sixth event. SCI is the second.

ancientpeas · Jun 21, 2018

Colonel Green said:
No, the IdF is the sixth event. SCI is the second.

I must be really fuzzyheaded this morning. I thought it was SA, SC, France, Russia, China, Japan.

synteis · Jun 21, 2018

I am really looking forward to seeing how G/P handle their turn in the hot seat. Seams likely that this season will be interesting for Canadian dance with both of the long term teams not skating.

Koatterce · Jun 21, 2018

Weapo are joining the Thank You Canada tour!
https://twitter.com/WeaverPoje/status/1009862395714420742

Colonel Green · Jun 21, 2018

Koatterce said:
Weapo are joining the Thank You Canada tour!
https://twitter.com/WeaverPoje/status/1009862395714420742

Mmm, lucrative. Though at this rate I wonder if Gabby is unhappy that nobody tried to lure her away for the tour, heh.

Here’s hoping Kaitlyn and Andrew nudge Kaetlyn into coming back for nationals too.

NanaPat · Jun 21, 2018

Koatterce said:
Weapo are joining the Thank You Canada tour!
https://twitter.com/WeaverPoje/status/1009862395714420742

Thank you. As someone who has tickets to the GPF, I was

. Now, as someone with tickets to the tour, I can be

again.

Tanager · Jun 21, 2018

Colonel Green said:
Mmm, lucrative. Though at this rate I wonder if Gabby is unhappy that nobody tried to lure her away for the tour, heh.

A good opportunity for Gabby to shine in her own right on the GP circuit!

Colonel Green said:
Here’s hoping Kaitlyn and Andrew nudge Kaetlyn into coming back for nationals too.

I'm hoping that too. :party2:

dobrevaria · Jun 21, 2018

Surprised but I understand their decision. They really worked hard these past few years and a break was maybe needed. Hope to see them in good shape for the Canadian Nationals and hopefully Worlds 2019.

chuckm · Jun 21, 2018

Colonel Green said:
However, with this news I think Piper and Paul may actually be inching toward a position to collect the GPF bronze. They were sixth at Worlds. The third place finishers have just withdrawn; there’s still no word on Cappellini/Lanotte, but if they retire of otherwise don’t participate as many seem to expect, then Piper and Paul are fourth among the seeds, and they actually finished quite close to Chock/Bates at Worlds (only 1.18 points behind, and C/B didn’t make any notable errors). With a bit of home scoring, especially, it could happen.

You're forgetting that at Worlds, Madison Chock was skating on a fragile injured ankle (which collapsed on her in the FD at the Olympics), so C/B couldn't perform at peak ability. Maddy had surgery right after Worlds and has recovered completely.

I would hope that the performances on the ice and not 'home scoring' would determine the outcome of the competitions at the GPF.

Weaver and Poje to sit out Grand Prix

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