2018-19 Canadian figure skating

[Tanager]

*Sigh* Well now who am I supposed to cheer for to win Nationals - Kevin or Keegan?? So many reasons to root for both of them...(also, I'm out of the loop; who is Kevin's girlfriend??)

Can I just say WOW to the SCI Women's field?? Medvedeva, Higuchi, Gabby, Tukt. So many intriguing storylines there and I'm envious of all who have tickets to go! Colonel Green, I agree that Gabby's going to have a tougher go with making the GPF now. But Medvedeva, for example, is a bit of a question mark right now in this season of major transition for her. Who knows? A healthy, strong Gabby could still make waves.

 

[Tanager]

Having that host pick TBD for the men will add a bit of spice to the senior men's events in Skate Canada's national summer series.

Both Nam and Nic are registered for Minto Summer Skate. So, we'll get an early signal on how they're doing this season.

Ah, another intriguing storyline to follow!

 

[TGee]

Ah, another intriguing storyline to follow!

Hey Tanager,

We'll be happy to have you join us in watching the national summer series livestream this season. [emoji56]

These are huge multi-rink competitions. If you can hang in through them, you can see the season debuts of many junior and senior skaters, and scope out the promising novices.

Minto in Ottawa, which gets both Quebec and Ontario skaters, was the largest last year, with about 1000 skaters registered and 1500 skates (including short and long). This year's registrations look similar in numbers. Minto's posted schedule has 3 to 4 rinks running events concurrently over 4 days at all competitive levels and upper level recreational events.

Unfortunately, unless the requirements have been updated for this year, Skate Canada only requires livestreaming, but not the extra expense of Web archiving.

Last year, Skate Ontario didn't contract for archiving with it's video firms for its two events: Minto and Thornhill. One of the contractors was very protective of its rights so all the fan-posted videos had to come down for Minto.

 

[Colonel Green]

Can I just say WOW to the SCI Women's field?? Medvedeva, Higuchi, Gabby, Tukt. So many intriguing storylines there and I'm envious of all who have tickets to go!

I'm happy that Dabin Choi is going to be there. I was hoping the fed would invite her, and disappointed when it looked like the third Grand Prix would be in Korea because obviously she wouldn't be at SCI in that case.

 

[believed]

Kaetlyn just posted on IG about Lance Vipond choreographing a new short for her https://www.instagram.com/p/BklbKdYAUz7/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=13v4h2s02cma8

 

[Colonel Green]

Kaetlyn just posted on IG about Lance Vipond choreographing a new short for her https://www.instagram.com/p/BklbKdYAUz7/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=13v4h2s02cma8

I've noticed that she's talked multiple times since announcing her plans to skip the Grand Prix that she's getting a new short program choreographed, but she doesn't say anything about a free. In which case, either she'd theoretically whip that up after finishing the tour and before Nationals, which seems like a big rush, or she's planning to reuse one of her earlier free programs.

 

[Bluediamonds09]

I really want Larkyn to improve her skating, but will it happen?

And what happened to Roxanne Rhealt?

 

[Haleth]

I'm too far for Minto, but I do hope to be able to make the GTA Summer Skate for the juniors and seniors, and so far have tickets for Thurs. and Fri. for ACI (would happily pay for a Sat or all-event pass to see things on Sat as well!). So I hope I'll be able to see more Canadian juniors and seniors there as well. I'm very excited about who will be at SCI, and as a TO person feel all the skaters training in GTA rinks (G/P in Scarberia; Roman at YRSA; Gabby, Evgenia, Jason, and Jun of Team Cricket; not sure about Alaine?) are honorary 6ixers and I will be wanting them all to get gold which yes I know isn't possible. I am also thrilled to be able to see Keegan (and maybe his 4A?) there, as he is always fun to watch. And there are some non-Canadians I'll be excited to see at SCI as well, but their connection is a bit more tenuous to TO/Canada so I'll leave them for another thread.

I hope we'll hear about some of the JGP picks soon, and I assume the lists for ACI and the GTA Summer Skate will be finalized before I know it.

As for prospects of podiuming for the seniors, I've seen able discussion upthread, so I can't think of anything to add until I see some people in pre-GP events live or otherwise.

 

[4everchan]

My guess, ...he must be smitten If his girlfriend is at the rink 6 hours a day, why not join her. And she's a 'beaut', BTW! Good luck, Kevin!

what? gf?

 

[Osmond4gold]

what? gf?

Oh Grasshopper, you have so much left to learn. Kevin loves to compete and is not willing to pass up an opportunity, esp. with the GPF in his hometown.

 

[Becki]

I am curious too...Kevin Reynolds is continuing because of his "gf"?

 

[TGee]

I am curious too...Kevin Reynolds is continuing because of his "gf"?

Uhm, I'm pretty sure O4G isn't intentionally shipping.

It's just that a few of us were intrigued by some IG postings in the spring with a lovely lady who was out on the coast...others seemed to take it that they were a couple in the comments IG, and they didn't contradict.

But it's not clear what this other skater's situation will be come fall.

I'm thinking that Kevin has found a comfortable situation attending UBC part-time and training as well. He has national team funding, and some free ice time at Thunderbird at UBC so it may make sense to carry on.

 

[LucyH]

So, with the assignments out, my thoughts on Team Canada's prospects:

Keegan
This is a much more favourable setup than I was expecting, to be honest. Shoma is untouchable at Skate Canada, but silver is easily within reach with a good performance. Of the other contenders, only Kazuki Tomono (a genuine threat) and Jason Brown seem like particularly strong challengers, and if Keegan skates well I don't think Jason could beat him at present (even if he starts developing a quad, it's a tall order to have it all ready for SCI).

Rostelecom, more of a challenge, but I could see him on the podium there too with a strong effort.

Gabby
Sigh. Let's just say, I'm much less optimistic about her chances than I was yesterday.

Julianne & Charlie
Sui/Han will win Finland, and James/Cipres will obviously go into the Internationaux as the heavy favourites, but if Julianne and Charlie can work out whatever kinks were hindering them in Milan (and granted, that could just have been a fluke bad performance, since they were quite solid at the Olympics), silver is quite possible at both of their events. In Finland, Zabiyako/Enbert and Della Monica/Guarise are probably their main competition, and they're both beatable. In France, I'd say it's Yu/Zhang.

Kirsten & Michael
Perhaps even moreso than Julianne and Charlie, this is about as good a draw as they could realistically have hoped for. They get SCI without having to compete with Julianne and Charlie, and I'd say they're comfortably the default favourites for silver (and James/Cipres are not unbeatable for gold, either). At NHK, Sui/Han obviously in the driver's seat, but the biggest rival for silver is Zabiyako/Enbert, and they beat them in the free skate at Worlds while in less than ideal conditions. Honestly, I could easily see them making the Final.

Piper & Paul
The safest bet for the Final, by some way. I'd say they're the presumptive silver medalists at both SCI and IdF. Now they just need to hope that Hubbell and Donohue are worn out from doing back-to-back events and mess up at SCI, allowing them to win outright.

Miscellaneous
- It must be exciting for Carolane and Shane to get NHK as their second event.
- Lots of one-event people scattered around. Seems like there's going to be a battle amongst the men for that SCI host pick. I'd personally give it to Nick Nadeau, just because he's more of a prospective asset than a mostly-retired Reynolds or the sadly declining Nam (but if Nam can get it together, by all means).

Yeah the Men's field isn't very strong at SCI. Shoma is a lock for gold unless he falls like 4 times or something but for sure Silver and Bronze are up for grabs
Holy ladies field! I'm so excited to see Evgenia, Gabby, Liza, and Wakaba in person! What a lineup. SCI along with CoR and IdF has a a crazy strong lineup!

 

[Osmond4gold]

Uhm, I'm pretty sure O4G isn't intentionally shipping.

It's just that a few of us were intrigued by some IG postings in the spring with a lovely lady who was out on the coast...others seemed to take it that they were a couple in the comments IG, and they didn't contradict.

But it's not clear what this other skater's situation will be come fall.

I'm thinking that Kevin has found a comfortable situation attending UBC part-time and training as well. He has national team funding, and some free ice time at Thunderbird at UBC so it may make sense to carry on.

Thanks TGee. With the activity in the skating world that is taking place in Vancouver this year, why leave, may be a legitimate reason enough to stay.

 

[TGee]

I'm too far for Minto, but I do hope to be able to make the GTA Summer Skate for the juniors and seniors, and so far have tickets for Thurs. and Fri. for ACI (would happily pay for a Sat or all-event pass to see things on Sat as well!). So I hope I'll be able to see more Canadian juniors and seniors there as well. I'm very excited about who will be at SCI, and as a TO person feel all the skaters training in GTA rinks (G/P in Scarberia; Roman at YRSA; Gabby, Evgenia, Jason, and Jun of Team Cricket; not sure about Alaine?) are honorary 6ixers and I will be wanting them all to get gold which yes I know isn't possible. I am also thrilled to be able to see Keegan (and maybe his 4A?) there, as he is always fun to watch. And there are some non-Canadians I'll be excited to see at SCI as well, but their connection is a bit more tenuous to TO/Canada so I'll leave them for another thread.

I hope we'll hear about some of the JGP picks soon, and I assume the lists for ACI and the GTA Summer Skate will be finalized before I know it.

As for prospects of podiuming for the seniors, I've seen able discussion upthread, so I can't think of anything to add until I see some people in pre-GP events live or otherwise.

Many of the JPG picks will depend on performance in the national summer series one would think...

There's a large contingent of NexGen skaters. Some may only get one assignment, and Skate Canada often determines the later assignments after they see how the early ones turn out.

 

[Tanager]

Hey Tanager,

We'll be happy to have you join us in watching the national summer series livestream this season. [emoji56]

These are huge multi-rink competitions. If you can hang in through them, you can see the season debuts of many junior and senior skaters, and scope out the promising novices.

Minto in Ottawa, which gets both Quebec and Ontario skaters, was the largest last year, with about 1000 skaters registered and 1500 skates (including short and long). This year's registrations look similar in numbers. Minto's posted schedule has 3 to 4 rinks running events concurrently over 4 days at all competitive levels and upper level recreational events.

Unfortunately, unless the requirements have been updated for this year, Skate Canada only requires livestreaming, but not the extra expense of Web archiving.

Last year, Skate Ontario didn't contract for archiving with it's video firms for its two events: Minto and Thornhill. One of the contractors was very protective of its rights so all the fan-posted videos had to come down for Minto.

Haha well I can think of worse things to do than have a marathon of summer skating on! I see Minto is at the end of July. How does one access the livestream? Is it through the Skate Ontario website?

 

[Tanager]

I'm happy that Dabin Choi is going to be there. I was hoping the fed would invite her, and disappointed when it looked like the third Grand Prix would be in Korea because obviously she wouldn't be at SCI in that case.

Yes, I'm also excited about Dabin Choi and Tursynbayeva too. Oh, and Larkyn and Alaine going head-to-head. Really, just pretty stoked all around for this field. :dance:

I've noticed that she's talked multiple times since announcing her plans to skip the Grand Prix that she's getting a new short program choreographed, but she doesn't say anything about a free. In which case, either she'd theoretically whip that up after finishing the tour and before Nationals, which seems like a big rush, or she's planning to reuse one of her earlier free programs.

She mentioned in one article having her free choreographed soon after the short (I think it was one of the articles where she explained why she was sitting out of GP). Hopefully an Instagram post will confirm that at some point soon too.

 

[TGee]

Haha well I can think of worse things to do than have a marathon of summer skating on! I see Minto is at the end of July. How does one access the livestream? Is it through the Skate Ontario website?

There is a website for the event..

https://summerskate.mintoskatingclub.com

The livestream links will show up there closer to the event.

We'll set up a thread for it in the competition part of the forum with all the details down the line.

Minto Summer Skate has been accredited by both Skate Canada and the USFA for decades. More recently it's been part of the Ontario summer series and the national summer series and has morphed into what appears to be the largest single event in Canada. Last year it also had international status, and some Mexican skaters were up for it.

 

[Lester]

Piper & Paul
The safest bet for the Final, by some way. I'd say they're the presumptive silver medalists at both SCI and IdF. Now they just need to hope that Hubbell and Donohue are worn out from doing back-to-back events and mess up at SCI, allowing them to win outright.

I don't think the gap between these two teams is so great, and H/D usually have uninspired material. It would be great if G/P could beat them through hard work alone. They beat the Shibs in a B event one year, so theoretically possible if they are insanely prepared for the start of the season, which they usually are.

 

[Haleth]

Many of the JPG picks will depend on performance in the national summer series one would think...

There's a large contingent of NexGen skaters. Some may only get one assignment, and Skate Canada often determines the later assignments after they see how the early ones turn out.

Yup! Which was why I hoped I'd hear about just some of the picks soon. And by soon, I mean the picks for Bratislava should be out around a month beforehand (just before or as Minto starts), unless last year was an anomaly.