2023-24 Canadian Figure Skating

[icewhite]

Perhaps Skate Canada could partner with Air Canada and fans can donate their frequent flyer points to assist at least with that part.

But I would love to know how CanSkate has survived COVID. In my small community of 7,000 population, we used to have well over one hundred Canskaters enrolled and close to 30 in the recreational figure skating programme. There was another CanSkate club just 7 km away, not quite as big but still had close to 20 recreational figure skaters. But even 15 years ago, there was a big decline with girls going to hockey. We offered a learn-to powerskate programme but so did the hockey organizations. So just curious what numbers look like today compared to 15 years ago - heck even just pre-COVID. This forum focuses on our elite figure skaters - but they rely on community-based learn-to-skate programmes. So I think worth discussing as it effects the future of this sport.

I don't know anything about the situation in Canada, but I am always interested in how countries are successful in certain sports, what influence funding, training structures, facilities etc. have. And I am really doubting whether the kind of lack of results of Canadian single skaters is due to them not going to enough events and not having enough international experience.

Canada has lovely skaters but the current single skaters all struggle with jump content and consistency, and maybe it is simply the training, selection and funding in younger categories that should be looked at more closely.

 

[4everchan]

Perhaps Skate Canada could partner with Air Canada and fans can donate their frequent flyer points to assist at least with that part.

But I would love to know how CanSkate has survived COVID. In my small community of 7,000 population, we used to have well over one hundred Canskaters enrolled and close to 30 in the recreational figure skating programme. There was another CanSkate club just 7 km away, not quite as big but still had close to 20 recreational figure skaters. But even 15 years ago, there was a big decline with girls going to hockey. We offered a learn-to powerskate programme but so did the hockey organizations. So just curious what numbers look like today compared to 15 years ago - heck even just pre-COVID. This forum focuses on our elite figure skaters - but they rely on community-based learn-to-skate programmes. So I think worth discussing as it effects the future of this sport.

If it is anything like in my field, the numbers pre-covid are far from being reached.

 

[saine]

I don't know anything about the situation in Canada, but I am always interested in how countries are successful in certain sports, what influence funding, training structures, facilities etc. have. And I am really doubting whether the kind of lack of results of Canadian single skaters is due to them not going to enough events and not having enough international experience.

Canada has lovely skaters but the current single skaters all struggle with jump content and consistency, and maybe it is simply the training, selection and funding in younger categories that should be looked at more closely.

The lack of events isn't helping them. They're not getting the chances to improve their international scores for ranking points, higher SBs and more chances to earn non-host GP spots. And it'll be hard to keep skaters interested if the best some of them can get is 2 international competitions a season. I wouldn't want that if I was a skater.

It is worth looking at their coaching situation. Stephen has had three assignments and three different coaches at each of them. If he's getting better results with Benoit Richaud acting as his coach than someone who is a member of his regular coaching team, he should be asking some questions.

 

[4everchan]

I don't know anything about the situation in Canada, but I am always interested in how countries are successful in certain sports, what influence funding, training structures, facilities etc. have. And I am really doubting whether the kind of lack of results of Canadian single skaters is due to them not going to enough events and not having enough international experience.

Canada has lovely skaters but the current single skaters all struggle with jump content and consistency, and maybe it is simply the training, selection and funding in younger categories that should be looked at more closely.

Often we hear the athletes, coaches and commentators saying that they make the jump content easily on practice but not on competitive ice. Of course, some of them are less competent jumpers than others, it's normal... but there should be at least a dozen of skaters with all their regular triples landing them steadily. For instance, how come two of the top four women in Quebec sectionals did so poorly at Challenge when it became more of a big deal with a qualification for Nationals on the line. What about Justine who sometimes nails her SP and disintegrate in the LP. How can Sara-Maude place higher than Maddie at 4CC with an almost clean program but then at Challenge barely holds on to top 5.

These yoyo results tell a lot of the story. Many of the Canadian athletes suffer nerves because they are not experienced enough with competition.

 

[labgoat]

Kaiya may be going to junior worlds... So who knows? Last year, jw assigned skaters didn't do 4cc...so it may be like that this year too...

I just heard Alissa Czisny on TSL last night talking about skating as a senior and not happy about getting assigned back to junior worlds. Maybe this would not be good for Kaiya. By the way, I love Kaiya and find her very talented and charming. EDIT: I see she is assigned to YOG. Congratulations to her!

 

[Jumping_Bean]

I just heard Alissa Czisny on TSL last night talking about skating as a senior and not happy about getting assigned back to junior worlds. Maybe this would not be good for Kaiya. I say let her go to 4CC - I have faith in her. I know if she believes in herself, that she has the skills to get the job done. By the way, I love Kaiya and find her very talented and charming.

Kaiya has been assigned to the YOG, she's not going to 4CC regardless of if she will be assigned to the JWCh.

Also, JWCh are about much more than the assigned skaters - Apart from determining how many entries a country will have for the following JWCh, the highest placement of each country in all disciplines also determines how many JGP entries a country will have, which is super important for all Jr skaters.

 

[labgoat]

Kaiya has been assigned to the YOG, she's not going to 4CC regardless of if she will be assigned to the JWCh.

Also, JWCh are about much more than the assigned skaters - Apart from determining how many entries a country will have for the following JWCh, the highest placement of each country in all disciplines also determines how many JGP entries a country will have, which is super important for all Jr skaters.

I just realized that, I had not read far enough into the thread - thus I edited my comment.

 

[4everchan]

I just realized that, I had not read far enough into the thread - thus I edited my comment.

The kicker here is that Canada has only one spot for senior worlds... So it's up to our junior eligible skaters to decide... Do they want an opportunity to compete or do they stay at home as
1) Maddie will most likely get the nod
2) they don't even have TES minimums.

So junior worlds it is.

 

[lariko]

I checked the Skate Canada website, but it still says that the entries for the Nationals will be available in Dec, after the Challenge. There is still a good way to go, I guess...

 

[4everchan]

I checked the Skate Canada website, but it still says that the entries for the Nationals will be available in Dec, after the Challenge. There is still a good way to go, I guess...

If I am not mistaken, skaters had until Friday to register, so it should come soon. You can check the appropriate thread about nationals in the competition forum where info will be updated.

In the challenge thread, you will see that in almost all disciplines but junior and senior women, all challenge participant (but one in some cases) would qualify for Nationals.

In women, if I am not mistaken, the limit is 18. Only Maddie was not competing and had a bye, so the other 17 skaters are in (Fiona and Kaiya had a bye too but competed. I think the last qualifying was Nour if I am not mistaken (memory).

I don't remember for juniors but @saine and/or @RatedPG probably remember.

 

[saine]

Numbers are the same for juniors for entries (18 singles, 12 pairs, 15 ice dance).

Nothing in the guidelines about junior start order, unlike seniors. Seniors goes by byed skaters by last year's Nationals placement, byed skaters with no Nationals placement (Piper/Paul), then by Challenge placement.

They had the Challenge start orders up the Tuesday after the Friday registration closed, so I'm thinking maybe this week they'll be up.

 

[Sackie]

Although not as much as it used to but we all know that Skating orders still play a part in getting higher scores - esp in PCS. With low or even no SBs our skaters are usually down in the start order and therefore are hard pressed to get good marks even when they skate well. As well usually some of the B events score higher and therefore skaters who go to these events get a good SB score and world points. A good case in point is USA's Ava Marie.

 

[RatedPG]

If I am not mistaken, skaters had until Friday to register, so it should come soon. You can check the appropriate thread about nationals in the competition forum where info will be updated.

In the challenge thread, you will see that in almost all disciplines but junior and senior women, all challenge participant (but one in some cases) would qualify for Nationals.

In women, if I am not mistaken, the limit is 18. Only Maddie was not competing and had a bye, so the other 17 skaters are in (Fiona and Kaiya had a bye too but competed. I think the last qualifying was Nour if I am not mistaken (memory).

I don't remember for juniors but @saine and/or @RatedPG probably remember.

Last skater making it in, was indeed Nour. She placed 17th with 140.

For Juniors, it was Ashley Dinh placing 18th with a score of 123.

 

[Heather T]

Although not as much as it used to but we all know that Skating orders still play a part in getting higher scores - esp in PCS. With low or even no SBs our skaters are usually down in the start order and therefore are hard pressed to get good marks even when they skate well. As well usually some of the B events score higher and therefore skaters who go to these events get a good SB score and world points. A good case in point is USA's Ava Marie.

 

[Heather T]

I also agree about the PCSI also think that lower GOEs are given to someone or team who skates first, especially, or in the first flight.

 

[PrincessBeany]

Perhaps Skate Canada could partner with Air Canada and fans can donate their frequent flyer points to assist at least with that part.

But I would love to know how CanSkate has survived COVID. In my small community of 7,000 population, we used to have well over one hundred Canskaters enrolled and close to 30 in the recreational figure skating programme. There was another CanSkate club just 7 km away, not quite as big but still had close to 20 recreational figure skaters. But even 15 years ago, there was a big decline with girls going to hockey. We offered a learn-to powerskate programme but so did the hockey organizations. So just curious what numbers look like today compared to 15 years ago - heck even just pre-COVID. This forum focuses on our elite figure skaters - but they rely on community-based learn-to-skate programmes. So I think worth discussing as it effects the future of this sport.

I run the CanSkate program at one of the smaller clubs in Edmonton. Our numbers have almost completed rebounded to pre-COVID numbers. We're expecting our January classes to be full or close to it. There is still interest in learning to skate, and we're seeing lots of young figure skaters emerging.

 

[4everchan]

I run the CanSkate program at one of the smaller clubs in Edmonton. Our numbers have almost completed rebounded to pre-COVID numbers. We're expecting our January classes to be full or close to it. There is still interest in learning to skate, and we're seeing lots of young figure skaters emerging.

So happy to read that. It's not quite the same in the cultural scene (attendance to events is still much lower than pre-covid). For musicians getting training, the numbers are back for the new generation. However, there is a big number of kids who are now late starter because they were hit by the pandemic restrictions. It does create a gap in the overall field.

 

[icewhite]

I think we can see that Canada produces great skaters. There are very good ice dancers, and there are single skaters with wonderful smooth skating. The problem is not the overall skating, but simply the jumps in my opinion. I really don't know about the reasons, but I am astonished possible reasons are rarely discussed here but "sending the skaters out". Maybe they have the jumps in training, but are they really automated in a way that they are stable in big competitions? I would also question whether it's worth it to ruin your body for that - or if I would let my child do it - and maybe that's necessary to be able to do achieve the technical level today... don't know.

 

[Diana Delafield]

I think we can see that Canada produces great skaters. There are very good ice dancers, and there are single skaters with wonderful smooth skating. The problem is not the overall skating, but simply the jumps in my opinion. I really don't know about the reasons, but I am astonished possible reasons are rarely discussed here but "sending the skaters out". Maybe they have the jumps in training, but are they really automated in a way that they are stable in big competitions? I would also question whether it's worth it to ruin your body for that - or if I would let my child do it - and maybe that's necessary to be able to do achieve the technical level today... don't know.

I wish I could say that maybe Canadian parents aren't as pushy and are more reluctant to let their child risk permanent injury, but when you consider that our one and only ladies Olympic champion had one of the most notorious skating mothers ever, the archetype of the breed, that won't wash........

 

[4everchan]

I wish I could say that maybe Canadian parents aren't as pushy and are more reluctant to let their child risk permanent injury, but when you consider that our one and only ladies Olympic champion had one of the most notorious skating mothers ever, the archetype of the breed, that won't wash........

Canadian parents are not as pushy in my field... but of course, there are always exceptions.
But let's not fool ourselves here. Canada produced pioneers also in the jumping department. Who landed the first triple lutz ? A Canadian.
Who landed the first triple axel ? A Canadian. Who landed the first quad toe. A Canadian... Who landed the first 4 toe combo? A Canadian.. who landed the first 2 quads in SP a Canadian, same one who landed 5 quads over two programs for the first time.

Lately, less prowess in the technical department. However, there is a tradition here, and also in pairs for technical excellence.

I don't know what's going on lately but I am sure it will not stay like this.