2024-25 Canadian Figure Skating

[Skater Boy]

I really was hoping to see a revival of Canada's skating programs but other than ice dance where there are some up and coming strong senior teams and junior it doesn't look great. They don't really have a top ten contender in men's or ladies. The two men I thought had the potential to really do something,nothing against fairly consisten but rather boring Wesley Chiu, are injured and really have been given many chances. I appreciate Roman was injured when he pulled out but i is getting late in the game for him Stephen is younger but it feels like he has been around for ages. And the ladies are so weak. Maddie did skate well at Skate Caada but couldn't get the job done ie just not enough oomph to get the two extra points she needed to podium. Kaiya and Dupuis just don't have the strength and speed. Even the world champs in pairs look like time has passed them. Trennt and Lia also look like "has beens" or they just are gelling or improving SO much hope but the last two years not good for them. I am really hopefully Deanna and Max, Piper and Paul, LaLa can really do it. I think LaLa lost some ground in part because my hope of them beating Fear and Gibson probably after the ended winning Skate America. This is horrible to say but maybe it is time to give the Slip to the Slipper (Michael slipchuk? Something has to change. I would love to see a revived Gabby Daleman or an avant gard Lala.

 

[Dr. Jenn]

I really was hoping to see a revival of Canada's skating programs but other than ice dance where there are some up and coming strong senior teams and junior it doesn't look great. They don't really have a top ten contender in men's or ladies. The two men I thought had the potential to really do something,nothing against fairly consisten but rather boring Wesley Chiu, are injured and really have been given many chances. I appreciate Roman was injured when he pulled out but i is getting late in the game for him Stephen is younger but it feels like he has been around for ages. And the ladies are so weak. Maddie did skate well at Skate Caada but couldn't get the job done ie just not enough oomph to get the two extra points she needed to podium. Kaiya and Dupuis just don't have the strength and speed. Even the world champs in pairs look like time has passed them. Trennt and Lia also look like "has beens" or they just are gelling or improving SO much hope but the last two years not good for them. I am really hopefully Deanna and Max, Piper and Paul, LaLa can really do it. I think LaLa lost some ground in part because my hope of them beating Fear and Gibson probably after the ended winning Skate America. This is horrible to say but maybe it is time to give the Slip to the Slipper (Michael slipchuk? Something has to change. I would love to see a revived Gabby Daleman or an avant gard Lala.

Did a Canadian run over your dog or something?? You are always so incredibly negative about Canadian skaters and the Canadian skating program. There are lots of areas of strength (senior dance and pairs, junior pairs, etc.) that should be celebrated, while still being able to constructively (key word!!) criticize areas of weakness and brainstorm solutions.

 

[Sackie]

I think Maddie did have enough to win a medal here. She just has not shown herself consistent enough over the last 2 years to be rewarded even when she skates 2 strong programs. Also the judges still find ways to hold up certain skaters. Sarah Maude and Kaiya still suffer from the age old problem with CAN skaters - not getting out to big comps enough.

 

[4everchan]

Do not forget that 4 provinces have sectionals this weekend (starting Thursday).
There are threads for each one of these events in the "nationals competition forum" area.
These competitions are for qualification towards Challenge later this fall, which serves as qualifier for Nationals.
You don't want to miss this... Some dreams start and end at Sectionals.

 

[4everchan]

Again, if you want to watch Canadian skating, it's not happening at NHK... Injuries and other circumstances mean that NO Canadians are competing on the GP circuit this week... I don't remember the last time this happened.

But we have sectionals. Maddie already skated a good short (minus the two feet double axel) Kara went clean... things are brewing over there and picking up as we enter the weekend.

A lot of action will be seen at
Quebec
Ontario
BC
Sask Sectionals.

All live streamed.

 

[Sackie]

I too was wondering when the last time was that CAN had not entries in a GP event!
Checked the results for Ontario and it looks like Maddie is still doing OK. A slight stumble on her 2a but otherwise not bad. And as we know even though it is a domestic event her score is prob close to what she would get internationally. The home judges are still keeping her GOE and PCS low.

 

[saine]

I'll add that it's a good way to see the skaters try out new jump layouts. William Chan is attempting a 3A in the short, David Bondar is attempting a 4S in the free and John Kim added a 4S-3T to his short with his move to Seniors.

 

[Sackie]

Wow if John Kim can go clean he could be in the medals in SR men this year. He scored 73+ with a missed Axel! Would be nice if there was someone new to come along and shake things up.

 

[Skater Boy]

Did a Canadian run over your dog or something?? You are always so incredibly negative about Canadian skaters and the Canadian skating program. There are lots of areas of strength (senior dance and pairs, junior pairs, etc.) that should be celebrated, while still being able to constructively (key word!!) criticize areas of weakness and brainstorm solutions.

It is just how could such a great skating nation which used to be like women's hocke an automatic medal now struggle just to qualify. Yes, Canada has some juniors especially in dance and maybe pairs. but in pairs right now it is Deanna and Max. Trennt and Lia continue to drop. In Dance they still are relatively strong even without the Danadians but that isn't enough to save them . This has been an ongoing struggle with the men and ladies. I really do hope Canada will do something because it is sad to see a former great skating nation flounder.

 

[Skating Bobr]

It is just how could such a great skating nation which used to be like women's hocke an automatic medal now struggle just to qualify. Yes, Canada has some juniors especially in dance and maybe pairs. but in pairs right now it is Deanna and Max. Trennt and Lia continue to drop. In Dance they still are relatively strong even without the Danadians but that isn't enough to save them . This has been an ongoing struggle with the men and ladies. I really do hope Canada will do something because it is sad to see a former great skating nation flounder.

I think Canada has a few promising skaters rising up the ranks in Novice and Juniors. The men look almost as strong as the Americans (look at Cranberry Cup). Their rankings were pretty solid on the JGP circuit this year. The Junior girls, there's many that have potential. Also the top three Novice girls from last year are holding their own very well amongst the juniors this year, so the moment they are age eligible (next year and the year after) I am 100% Skate Canada will start sending them out to JGPs.

Skate Canada has made improvements since last year, but it will take a bit of time for results to show and skating fans need to be patient. Rome wasn't built in a day, Rome wasn't built in two days...you get my point

 

[saine]

Robert Brodie interviews Alicia Fabbri/Paul Ayer:

Added Fabbri: “We definitely want to get more known internationally. What the coaches have also noticed with us competing more is we actually get more comfortable with our programs and we project more, which is actually helping our scores. So we’re really improving from competing that much. We’re looking forward to a little break, though … it’ll be fun. We’re just so excited. We don’t even have time to think about how tired we are.”

Also he has this note about Gogolev:

This was supposed to be Stephen Gogolev’s second Series start of the campaign, but he was forced to withdraw because of an undisclosed injury (as an aside, his coach Lee Barkell did mention during Skate Canada International that has back had been “an issue” over the summer months. It’s why they scaled down the technical content in his program in Halifax). ... As to whether Gogolev picks up another international assignment this fall … the word is, his health will determine if and when that will be considered

 

[ladyjane]

I like Robert's interviews @saine. Thanks for posting them. I used to read them in International Figure Skating but, alas, that magazine is no more (and I won't go into the reasons, it's too sad).

 

[Sackie]

With the Pairs results and marks so far this season I am starting to wonder if Deanna and Max will even medal this year. Really seems like some of the European teams are coming on very strong and the USA teams are moving up. Is it also possible that CAN will go back to only 2 teams at the Olympics.

 

[Colonel Green]

The short program video has a disappointingly jerky feed, but anyway, these are Fiona & Ben's programs from the domestic comp this weekend. Clean short program; free skate messier on the jumps and throws, but this really looks like it could be something.

 

[4everchan]

With the Pairs results and marks so far this season I am starting to wonder if Deanna and Max will even medal this year. Really seems like some of the European teams are coming on very strong and the USA teams are moving up. Is it also possible that CAN will go back to only 2 teams at the Olympics.

Ice is slippery... look at the Japanese who lost against the Georgians at NHK. It does happen.

Spots : except that one time when Canada lost its third spot and LaLa had to stay home, I tend to believe that we get the spot we deserve... do we want 3 spots all over the 4 disciplines ? Yes... do we need them ? Unfortunately, no.

I hope we retain 3 spots in dance and pairs but if our teams cannot place high enough to keep them, it means that 2 spots is what we actually need.... but of course, Italians would disagree with me as they have 3 strong pairs and only 2 spots

 

[RatedPG]

Ice is slippery... look at the Japanese who lost against the Georgians at NHK. It does happen.

Spots : except that one time when Canada lost its third spot and LaLa had to stay home, I tend to believe that we get the spot we deserve... do we want 3 spots all over the 4 disciplines ? Yes... do we need them ? Unfortunately, no.

I hope we retain 3 spots in dance and pairs but if our teams cannot place high enough to keep them, it means that 2 spots is what we actually need.... but of course, Italians would disagree with me as they have 3 strong pairs and only 2 spots

Dance
We should be able to keep the three spots as long as LaLa is injury free.
I’m actually worried about LaLa making it to GP Finals.

Pairs
I do think Deanna and Max will have to fight for a podium spot at Worlds. Also, Trentt and Lia don’t seem as reliable this season. I see us dropping down to two spots

Men

They are all injured. I might send Anthony to both Junior and Senior Worlds. Romsky/Stephen injured, Wesley is a mess, Aleksa keeps improving. We will definitely stay with one spot

Women
Maddie can do it if she skates like how she did at Skate Canada. However, that happens 20% of the time. So, chances are we will have one spot

 

[saine]

The feed was having glitches for Bombardier/Mimar's short during recording, which is a shame. Hopefully they can get their jumps sorted out in the free for Warsaw Cup.

I also got Desrochers/Thrasher for their senior debut at Ontario sectionals.

Short program (also has the same feed issues as Bombardier/Mimar):

- YouTube

Auf YouTube findest du die angesagtesten Videos und Tracks. Außerdem kannst du eigene Inhalte hochladen und mit Freunden oder gleich der ganzen Welt teilen.

youtu.be

Free skate (which they won):

- YouTube

Auf YouTube findest du die angesagtesten Videos und Tracks. Außerdem kannst du eigene Inhalte hochladen und mit Freunden oder gleich der ganzen Welt teilen.

youtu.be

 

[Colonel Green]

I’m actually worried about LaLa making it to GP Finals.

Even with the RD fall, they have better scores than anybody other than the Italians at Cup of China. Obviously it was their home event, which helped, and they need to skate well in China, but I'm not particularly worried there -- not moreso than you'd need to be for a team that isn't already a World podium heavyweight.

 

[saine]

Men

They are all injured. I might send Anthony to both Junior and Senior Worlds. Romsky/Stephen injured, Wesley is a mess, Aleksa keeps improving. We will definitely stay with one spot

Roman seems to be fine now, Skate Canada has him in the news release for Tallinn Trophy.

Anthony probably wouldn't get the Senior minimums for Worlds right now, his Junior CTES is 90.84. He has made a good case for himself for Junior Worlds, I think it'll be him and David Bondar right now.

 

[RatedPG]

Roman seems to be fine now, Skate Canada has him in the news release for Tallinn Trophy.

Anthony probably wouldn't get the Senior minimums for Worlds right now, his Junior CTES is 90.84. He has made a good case for himself for Junior Worlds, I think it'll be him and David Bondar right now.

Yeah!! You are right. Anthony and David are my two faves for Junior Boys.

For Junior Girls, it looks like Lulu Lin and ???