2024 Canadian Nationals Senior Free Dance | Page 9 | Golden Skate

2024 Canadian Nationals Senior Free Dance

ladyjane

Medalist
Joined
Jun 26, 2012
Country
Netherlands
This part of the competition really often moved me to tears, and not just in the last group. I thought Alyssa and Jacob were great, Lily and Nathan were just wonderful (one of those teary programmes for me), Amy and Jacob also really were worth the watch, I love Nadiia and Peter but they had a rather big mishap, Alica and Paul did it again, I was so impressed and teary again, Marie-Jade and Raimon are always spectacular and Piper and Paul were just fantastic (I really love that programme). And commentary by Kirsten en Kaitlyn was good again.
 
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Trillium

Rinkside
Joined
Dec 31, 2014
Why are there such few people? Are people just not interested in figure skating in Canada anymore?
It's a really small crowd if I imagine that most skaters have some friends or family with them.
At the last minute I made the trip to Calgary. It was not a wise choice. There are no hotels within walking distance, the weather has not gone above minus 30 and windchills are below minus 40. Last night there was a province-wide alert regarding the risk of power blackouts. Yes this is Canada, but there are simply not enough people from the East willing to travel here in the winter.
 

Trillium

Rinkside
Joined
Dec 31, 2014
The distinct lack of any kind of crowd makes me so sad. There are other places that could host that would fill the arena, I think, at least for the long programs. When I went to nationals in Victoria it was packed to the doors. It's got to suck for the skaters.
My thoughts exactly. This crowd was the smallest I have ever seen at Nationals. There was so little energy in the arena.
 

rain

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 29, 2003
At the last minute I made the trip to Calgary. It was not a wise choice. There are no hotels within walking distance,
I think they need to start thinking about hosts with a less North American mindset (i.e. everyone has a car and drives). I know I don't enjoy driving in a strange city and feel far more comfortable walking to the venue as long as there's a decent hotel in the area, and I think there are a lot of people like me. Plus parking is generally a nightmare.
 

Trillium

Rinkside
Joined
Dec 31, 2014
Try leaving your car unplugged for 12 hours straight in -31 degrees weather, lol. Mom and I went for the whole day because my husband gave us a ride. It is seriously dangerous if you left the facility in the dark, with windchill in -40s, and the car didn't start. Plus, the roads are as icy as the skating rink itself. Honestly, I was surprised so many people turned up rather than the opposite.
I totally agree. It was tense getting an Uber or taxi each night. The front desk lady at the hotel where I was staying said the wait time for a battery boost was 72 hours.
 

lariko

Medalist
Joined
Jan 31, 2019
Country
Canada
At the last minute I made the trip to Calgary. It was not a wise choice. There are no hotels within walking distance, the weather has not gone above minus 30 and windchills are below minus 40. Last night there was a province-wide alert regarding the risk of power blackouts. Yes this is Canada, but there are simply not enough people from the East willing to travel here in the winter.
Yeah, but if everything is being held in the East, why do we always have to pay for the plane tickets? Montreal is hard to fly to vs Toronto, for example and far more expensive. In Missasuaga, the hotel was a walking distance in the balmy fall weather, but surely not in -30, it was like 20 minutes. And Vancouver arena is even harder to get to than CoP and run-down. The facility itself is great. We love it, anyway.

Plus, we finally have contract for new Arena to replace Saddledome, so that will be near hotels etc, but I dunno if they would ever give it up for a figure skating event.
 

Seven Sisters

Medalist
Joined
Jul 17, 2018
I think they need to start thinking about hosts with a less North American mindset (i.e. everyone has a car and drives). I know I don't enjoy driving in a strange city and feel far more comfortable walking to the venue as long as there's a decent hotel in the area, and I think there are a lot of people like me. Plus parking is generally a nightmare.
I completely agree. Being able to stay in a hotel within walking distance of the rink, with at least some dining options nearby, is the first factor I consider when deciding to go to a competition.

Isn’t there a rink somewhere in the Maritime provinces—I forget exactly what city, but Nationals was there once—where there is an enclosed walkway with shops and food that connects the rink to the hotel? This would be more my speed :)
 

4everchan

Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 7, 2015
Country
Martinique
I completely agree. Being able to stay in a hotel within walking distance of the rink, with at least some dining options nearby, is the first factor I consider when deciding to go to a competition.

Isn’t there a rink somewhere in the Maritime provinces—I forget exactly what city, but Nationals was there once—where there is an enclosed walkway with shops and food that connects the rink to the hotel? This would be more my speed :)
of course there are rinks in the Maritimes... hockey rinks for sure .. .all over the country.

Worlds were held in Halifax in 1990...
 

Trillium

Rinkside
Joined
Dec 31, 2014
Yeah, but if everything is being held in the East, why do we always have to pay for the plane tickets? Montreal is hard to fly to vs Toronto, for example and far more expensive. In Missasuaga, the hotel was a walking distance in the balmy fall weather, but surely not in -30, it was like 20 minutes. And Vancouver arena is even harder to get to than CoP and run-down. The facility itself is great. We love it, anyway.

Plus, we finally have contract for new Arena to replace Saddledome, so that will be near hotels etc, but I dunno if they would ever give it up for a figure skating event.
I agree that all competitions cannot be held in the East. I just think there needs to be better planning regarding the location of the competition facility. Although the Thunderbird arena is outside downtown Vancouver, there is a hotel on-site, public transit options are available and it is an easy drive from downtown. I had considered coming to Junior Worlds last year and changed my mind when I looked at the logistics. Renting a car in the winter in Calgary was not an attractive option for me.
 

lariko

Medalist
Joined
Jan 31, 2019
Country
Canada
I agree that all competitions cannot be held in the East. I just think there needs to be better planning regarding the location of the competition facility. Although the Thunderbird arena is outside downtown Vancouver, there is a hotel on-site, public transit options are available and it is an easy drive from downtown. I had considered coming to Junior Worlds last year and changed my mind when I looked at the logistics. Renting a car in the winter in Calgary was not an attractive option for me.
Well, we love it 😀 my mom lives in Victoria and she had one heck of a time getting to the arena in Vancouver from the ferry. There is a bus that goes to the facility in Calgary, number 8. COP is easily accessible from downtown Calgary and there are a few hotels along the transcanada right there
 

4everchan

Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 7, 2015
Country
Martinique
Well, we love it 😀 my mom lives in Victoria and she had one heck of a time getting to the arena in Vancouver from the ferry. There is a bus that goes to the facility in Calgary, #8. COP is easily accessible from downtown Calgary and there are a few hotels along the transcanada right there
Victoria is difficult access... the few times I went there it was not easy.... so I can imagine the other way around is NO fun either.

I haven't visited Calgary (except its airport) but yeah... I think the Prairies in the winter may be a bit less appealing for the Easterners.

I agree 100% though that Nationals shouldn't always be held in the East. However, the last time they were held in Québec, it was in 1989.

Wiki says that Nationals were held in Québec for a whopping 6 times since the 1900s.... So you know, the perception that they are always in the East... maybe we should look carefully at the data ;)

PS Calgary has hosted Nationals 6 times... just as many times as the entire province of Québec :)
 

lariko

Medalist
Joined
Jan 31, 2019
Country
Canada
Victoria is difficult access... the few times I went there it was not easy.... so I can imagine the other way around is NO fun either.

I haven't visited Calgary (except its airport) but yeah... I think the Prairies in the winter may be a bit less appealing for the Easterners.

I agree 100% though that Nationals shouldn't always be held in the East. However, the last time they were held in Québec, it was in 1989.

Wiki says that Nationals were held in Québec for a whopping 6 times since the 1900s.... So you know, the perception that they are always in the East... maybe we should look carefully at the data ;)

PS Calgary has hosted Nationals 6 times... just as many times as the entire province of Québec :)
That's because we don't have as many cities in the West. I mean, going to Quebec is like going abroad for the rest of the country with a different language, so it's understandable. Not that crazy about going to Montreal tbh. Hopefully it won't be canceled this time.
 

4everchan

Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 7, 2015
Country
Martinique
That's because we don't have as many cities in the West. I mean, going to Quebec is like going abroad for the rest of the country with a different language, so it's understandable. Not that crazy about going to Montreal tbh. Hopefully it won't be canceled this time.
Montreal is wonderful ;) you will have a good time. I am sure.

About the cities that have hosted Nationals in Quebec, Noranda, Lachine (a Montreal Burrough now, back then a town) and in 1989, the last time held in Quebec , Chicoutimi.... I doubt many people traveled to Chicoutimi nor Noranda in the winter ;) HA ! Just look where they are on the map...

At the same time, Laval has perfect facilities to hold Nationals (went to Skate Canada there a few years back) and there are plenty of rinks all over the place. It doesn't have to always be Ottawa/Toronto/Vancouver.
 

lariko

Medalist
Joined
Jan 31, 2019
Country
Canada
Montreal is wonderful ;) you will have a good time. I am sure.

About the cities that have hosted Nationals in Quebec, Noranda, Lachine (a Montreal Burrough now, back then a town) and in 1989, the last time held in Quebec , Chicoutimi.... I doubt many people traveled to Chicoutimi nor Noranda in the winter ;) HA ! Just look where they are on the map...

At the same time, Laval has perfect facilities to hold Nationals (went to Skate Canada there a few years back) and there are plenty of rinks all over the place. It doesn't have to always be Ottawa/Toronto/Vancouver.
Yeah, Vancouver wasn't our choice. Kelowna was okay, but too small for the major competition in terms of facilities. Like, on Sunday we had to grab a cab because the bus wasn't running yet, lol.... I loved Missasauga, very simple.
 

IceDancingQueen

Final Flight
Joined
Dec 7, 2017
haha... I hate it so much... but they did so well with it.. that I have to give them a pass plus their RD has the best music ever.
Agreed! This piece is so overused but I thought they skated that beautifully. Jacob seems to have really improved. I just love Emmy - I just want her to win everything!
 
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