2022–23 Canadian Figure Skating

[NanaPat]

Bev Smith has written a new article about Keegan. It's a bit hokey, but informative. Lane is not going to Nationals (but Keegan and his parents are) because baby#2's due date is during the competition! Keegan will be returning home immediately after the FS and skipping the gala. Let's hope the weather is good for his flights!

Indiana Jones has Nothing on Keegan Messing - Bev Smith Writes

The story of Keegan Messing reads like a book. A best-selling book. He’s the Indiana Jones of the skating set, pushing his way through temples of doom in his quest for the holy Sankara Stones, except that Messing’s high adventures are hair-raising in other ways: skates that don’t arrive, flights...

bevsmithwrites.com

 

[ladyjane]

I hope with Keegan he's home on time!!!!!

 

[figureskatingandrainbows]

The Keegan chaos never stops

 

[4everchan]

The Keegan chaos never stops

i bet there is more to come

 

[elbkup]

I hope with Keegan he's home on time!!!!!

With Medal in tow!!! Though Keegan has already won

 

[NanaPat]

Another Bev Smith article, this one about Deanna's continued illness.

Virus hobbles pair team - Bev Smith Writes

Early in the season, Deanna Stellato-Dudek and Maxime Deschamps seemed to have the world in their grip. After finishing second at Skate America and winning their first Grand Prix gold, in France, and thus qualifying for the Grand Prix Final for the first time, they appeared a lock to win their...

bevsmithwrites.com

And another article about Keegan (no startling news in this one that I could see)

Great expectations for Keegan Messing at final national figure skating championships

Figure skater Keegan Messing could deliver a second national championship on the same day his wife gives birth.

ottawasun.com

 

[4everchan]

Damn it... Canadian skaters do not ever get a break...
Covid canceled nationals.. .then last year, James Radford, Nam, i thin maybe some others got it too right before nationals..
Now, Gabby, Piper, Deanna...

Seems like Keegan, though his situation is probably very distracting, is in luck compared to the others....

Thankfully, Canada has 3 spots for pairs, and one of them should be given to Stellato-Dudek and Deschamps, not matter what happens at Nationals.

(and on the RSV, the children hospitals in Montreal, as well as other emergency facilities have been plagued with it... as well as influenza and covid.. it's been a trio of mean respiratory infection this fall... and we will see what happens after the holiday reunions).

 

[NanaPat]

I was a bit confused by the article's statements about drugs for symptom relief. I would expect an asthma relief inhaler would help with Deanna's symptoms, and I believe they are allowed for skaters with an asthma diagnosis. Why not for those with a respiratory infection?

Given the way my asthma diagnosis was done, I expect Deanna could get an asthma diagnosis, even if her symptoms have other causes.

My asthma test had two parts:
- test breathing effectivness - should be impaired
- retest after inhaling asthma relief medication - should be improved from the first test

After diagnosis, asthma treatment has two parts:
- inhaled steroids taken daily or 2x a day
- inhaled medication for immediate short-term relief of symptoms; use as needed

 

[4everchan]

I was a bit confused by the article's statements about drugs for symptom relief. I would expect an asthma relief inhaler would help with Deanna's symptoms, and I believe they are allowed for skaters with an asthma diagnosis. Why not for those with a respiratory infection?

Given the way my asthma diagnosis was done, I expect Deanna could get an asthma diagnosis, even if her symptoms have other causes.

My asthma test had two parts:
- test breathing effectivness - should be impaired
- retest after inhaling asthma relief medication - should be improved from the first test

After diagnosis, asthma treatment has two parts:
- inhaled steroids taken daily or 2x a day
- inhaled medication for immediate short-term relief of symptoms; use as needed

I read it the other way around : they have explored treatment options, and for whatever reason, there are no better options for her other than the antiobiotics and drinking a lot of water.

I have had steroids prescribed for a throat infection before. It's indeed a common treatment, no need to have asthma to get it (I don't have it, I tested negative for it) but my respiratory system needed a boost and it got what it needed...
But I am not an athlete

I am wondering, and I say this very candidly because I am not an expert on medical exemption requirements, if to get such treatment, an athlete must fill some more boxes than just a throat infection. There are athletes on asthma treatment, but they have been diagnosed for asthma.... that's not Deanna's case here. Athletes may have a more thorough exam to prevent "cheating" the medical exemption system.

Just playing along with your question... I am pretty sure they have tried everything legal if the condition has been lingering for that long.

 

[NanaPat]

I read it the other way around : they have explored treatment options, and for whatever reason, there are no better options for her other than the antiobiotics and drinking a lot of water.

I have had steroids prescribed for a throat infection before. It's indeed a common treatment, no need to have asthma to get it (I don't have it, I tested negative for it) but my respiratory system needed a boost and it got what it needed...
But I am not an athlete

I am wondering, and I say this very candidly because I am not an expert on medical exemption requirements, if to get such treatment, an athlete must fill some more boxes than just a throat infection. There are athletes on asthma treatment, but they have been diagnosed for asthma.... that's not Deanna's case here. Athletes may have a more thorough exam to prevent "cheating" the medical exemption system.

Just playing along with your question... I am pretty sure they have tried everything legal if the condition has been lingering for that long.

There may be one more requirement for an asthma diagnosis that no one told me about: the condition/symptoms are chronic, and there is no other condition (such as an active infection) that can explain them.

My asthma was not diagnosed for many years (decades?) because my primary symptom is a cough rather than wheezing.

 

[4everchan]

There may be one more requirement for an asthma diagnosis that no one told me about: the condition/symptoms are chronic, and there is no other condition (such as an active infection) that can explain them.

My asthma was not diagnosed for many years (decades?) because my primary symptom is a cough rather than wheezing.

Glad you are treated for it and feel better ! Let's hope Deanna feels fine for Nationals this week.

 

[moonvine]

Bev Smith has written a new article about Keegan. It's a bit hokey, but informative. Lane is not going to Nationals (but Keegan and his parents are) because baby#2's due date is during the competition! Keegan will be returning home immediately after the FS and skipping the gala. Let's hope the weather is good for his flights!

Indiana Jones has Nothing on Keegan Messing - Bev Smith Writes

The story of Keegan Messing reads like a book. A best-selling book. He’s the Indiana Jones of the skating set, pushing his way through temples of doom in his quest for the holy Sankara Stones, except that Messing’s high adventures are hair-raising in other ways: skates that don’t arrive, flights...

bevsmithwrites.com

I love him so much it’s unreal.

 

[TontoK]

I read it the other way around : they have explored treatment options, and for whatever reason, there are no better options for her other than the antiobiotics and drinking a lot of water.

I have had steroids prescribed for a throat infection before. It's indeed a common treatment, no need to have asthma to get it (I don't have it, I tested negative for it) but my respiratory system needed a boost and it got what it needed...
But I am not an athlete

I am wondering, and I say this very candidly because I am not an expert on medical exemption requirements, if to get such treatment, an athlete must fill some more boxes than just a throat infection. There are athletes on asthma treatment, but they have been diagnosed for asthma.... that's not Deanna's case here. Athletes may have a more thorough exam to prevent "cheating" the medical exemption system.

Just playing along with your question... I am pretty sure they have tried everything legal if the condition has been lingering for that long.

I cannot in my wildest dreams imagine that they will not be named to the World team. The rules should be interpreted to allow it, or the board at Skate Canada should resign in disgrace. This is a proud skating nation that has had little to crow about this year, and it is inconceivable they will sideline these stars if they are physically able to compete.

 

[moonvine]

I cannot in my wildest dreams imagine that they will not be named to the World team. The rules should be interpreted to allow it, or the board at Skate Canada should resign in disgrace. This is a proud skating nation that has had little to crow about this year, and it is inconceivable they will sideline these stars if they are physically able to compete.

If they don’t have some sort of injury clause in their rules I will be flabbergasted.

 

[4everchan]

let's not worry folks

they sent james and radford to the olympics even if they w/d after the sp last year, because they were not ready after having had covid... i am sure that like Gilles and Poirier, D-S/D are pre-selected for worlds... This doesn't mean that I don't hope they get healthy enough for Nationals so they can skate to the best of their ability !

 

[NanaPat]

If they don’t have some sort of injury clause in their rules I will be flabbergasted.

I don't think Skate Canada has any (published) rules, so no need for an injury clause. I believe the rules are just "After nationals, we name the teams for 4CC, WC and JWC." Or maybe we wait until after 4CC to name some of the WC team.

If anyone knows anything different, please correct me.

As @4everchan pointed out, they definitely have a history of taking injury into account.

 

[Jumping_Bean]

I don't think Skate Canada has any (published) rules, so no need for an injury clause. I believe the rules are just "After nationals, we name the teams for 4CC, WC and JWC." Or maybe we wait until after 4CC to name some of the WC team.

If anyone knows anything different, please correct me.

As @4everchan pointed out, they definitely have a history of taking injury into account.

As I myself only found out a few weeks ago, Skate Canada actually does have selection criteria: https://skatecanada.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/2023-ISU-Championships-Selection-Criteria.pdf

In comparison to for example the Japanese selection criteria, this document seems to be deliberately more vague and unspecific in both the wording of the criteria, as well as in the relative weight of the criteria to each other. Basically, while there are guidelines for transparency's sake, a lot of discretion has been left up to the High Performance Development Committee.

As many criteria are based on the general performance, development and potential of the skaters/teams, with the results at Nationals seemingly only making up a small part of the selection, injuries are not as costly for the selection process as in other countries. I personally find the clause of selected skaters having to prove that they are in shape and have been cleared to skate after an injury/illness quite interesting, I don't think I've seen something similar stated in any other country's selection process, though I'm sure they employ similar strategies, just without publicly stating them.

 

[TontoK]

Now that I think about it, unless they've changed the rules, even the National Champion is not guaranteed a spot. Remember when they didn't name Roman?

Even as aggravated as I get with US selection committee, the champion does get a spot, provided eligible in all other respects.

 

[moonvine]

As many criteria are based on the general performance, development and potential of the skaters/teams, with the results at Nationals seemingly only making up a small part of the selection, injuries are not as costly for the selection process as in other countries. I personally find the clause of selected skaters having to prove that they are in shape and have been cleared to skate after an injury/illness quite interesting, I don't think I've seen something similar stated in any other country's selection process, though I'm sure they employ similar strategies, just without publicly stating them.

I have heard of USFS having skaters skate for these reasons.

 

[4everchan]

Now that I think about it, unless they've changed the rules, even the National Champion is not guaranteed a spot. Remember when they didn't name Roman?

Even as aggravated as I get with US selection committee, the champion does get a spot, provided eligible in all other respects.

Context is important.

Canada doesn't always have the luxury of multiple world championships berth. In some years, when Canada has only one spot for worlds, the national champion may or may not be selected, especially when the national champion is a younger, less experienced with international judges, skater. Cynthia Phaneuf won as a very young skater, she wasn't sent. One year, Amélie Lacoste and Cynthia Phaneuf were pretty much tied at Nationals, they had to earn it at 4CC.

When Canada has multiple berths, it's pretty much automatic that the National champion will end up being selected. I don't recall otherwise. This year, there are 3 spots in pairs. The National champions WILL go.. no matter if it's Deanna and Max in that top spot... and Deanna and Max will go too, because of their potential and "body of work" to use the US selection committee wording.