Found it now. I hadn't realised the seniors were on a different site. Thanks.
2025-2026 Canadian Figure Skating
- Thread starter 4everchan
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- Nov 29, 2020
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- Jan 31, 2019
Looking at the protocol, it's a sad comment tbh. If she is indeed the best we have for Olympics...This comment age badGabby is now a favorite for the Olympic spot.
She's in the conversation, I wouldn't call her a favourite for it yet. She did well at a Senior B, but there's still more competitions to come. Having short program scores in the 60s helps her, but situations can change and skaters peak at different times. That's why they look at the body of work.This comment age bad
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- Jan 17, 2022
Minsol probably won't do the JGP, as she'll be Senior-eligible, but there are certainly enough skaters who could fill those spots.
She would also have a chance of earning herself a GP spot by putting up a solid score at Jr Worlds, especially with a number of skaters in the top 24 (and top 75) on the SB scores list retiring at the end of the season.
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- Jan 6, 2021
Our development of single skaters the last decade has been sad
- Joined
- Mar 7, 2015
I think Covid had a huge impact on
other than that, some talented women moved to pairs : Fiona and Lia
and others retired early because of injury or whatever... Remember Aurora Cotop ? She was going to be a great skater for us.. then retired.
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- Jan 6, 2021
The cupboard wasn't exactly stocked pre-covid, and I'm not convinced Fiona and Lia were destined for world medals as single skaters... moving to pairs was probably good moves in the long run
- Joined
- Mar 7, 2015
I agree. But it didn't help. Not having any depth was a real problem after Osmond, Daleman and Chartrand.
However, at Nationals last year, It was a much deeper field and from watching sectionals right now, this year's nationals will be even deeper than last year.
We will have to wait and see but of course, until Canada picks up more spots on JWC, JGP, GPs (more skaters earning high enough scores to be invited) and Worlds, it will not provide enough opportunities for out skaters to develop.
Mégane Vallières just won Québec Sectionals (juniors) with a 165 score. Only mistake over two programs, she popped the last jump. it will be interesting if she is ever sent out to any competition...
I’m happy with the development.
I personally see the progress
It is hard when JPN, KOR, and USA have such talented singles skaters. In the Ladies field, these three countries took 8 of the top 10 spots at Senior Worlds. It is hard to get skaters into the top ten when there is so much depth in those three countries.
However, I’m confident Canada will pose more of a challenge internationally, in the next Olympic cycle. We have the best camp for Ice Dance with Scott Moir recently coaching. We have a great pairs camp with Bruno/Meghan at Oakville. For singles skaters, we have TCC with Brian and Tracy.
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- Mar 3, 2018
The TCC has not exactly covered itself in glory as a source of Canadian skating talent. If anything, most Canadians who move there get lost in the shuffle.
I still have hope.
Yuna Kim developed so well there
Javier Fernandez, Yuzuru Hanyu and Jason Brown
I’m happy with Kaiya’s development there. They just need to find a hidden gem or two and I believe it will happen. We just don’t know who those gems are yet
But Yuna, Hanyu and Jason all had their wonderful skating skills and jumps developed by other coaches before they went to Brian. Yuna and Hanyu were already on their way to greatness with Yuna winning Junior Worlds and Hanyu already winning a Bronze medal at Senior Worlds at 17 before they went to Brian. More then anything he gave them polish to their skating. Javier he did take to a whole new level with his skating and made him a World champion which nobody saw coming even though obviously Javier had the talent.I still have hope.
Yuna Kim developed so well there
Javier Fernandez, Yuzuru Hanyu and Jason Brown
I’m happy with Kaiya’s development there. They just need to find a hidden gem or two and I believe it will happen. We just don’t know who those gems are yet
- Joined
- Jan 6, 2021
Well sure, if we just ignore the top three countries at any given time, I'm sure it would be much easier to produce a "top ten" skater
I concur pairs and ice dance have been good... but I specifically was talking about singles.
As per TCC, I'm not entirely sure what to make of them. They certainly seem to be an excellent finishing school for elite skaters. I'm not sure our problem is the coaching to be honest, we have several good ones.
I kinda think a lot of our issue may be more grassroots. There just doesn't seem to be a lot of competitions for kids these days (unless you are one with significant means). I wonder if we're not losing a lot of good athletes before they even really get in the competitive system because of a lack of opportunity. And there are several factors, internal and external to SC, that contribute to that.
Of course, even the ones in the system it seems like SC has done a disservice to many, with very limited opportunities for international competitions, playing favourites with some, and just kinda seeming like our entire high performance program is more than a bit haphazard
A lot of younger athletes that looked up to our golden era of skaters are still in their novice years. Those single skaters will get their turn to shine in the next Olympic cycle. We just need time…Well sure, if we just ignore the top three countries at any given time, I'm sure it would be much easier to produce a "top ten" skater
I concur pairs and ice dance have been good... but I specifically was talking about singles.
As per TCC, I'm not entirely sure what to make of them. They certainly seem to be an excellent finishing school for elite skaters. I'm not sure our problem is the coaching to be honest, we have several good ones.
I kinda think a lot of our issue may be more grassroots. There just doesn't seem to be a lot of competitions for kids these days (unless you are one with significant means). I wonder if we're not losing a lot of good athletes before they even really get in the competitive system because of a lack of opportunity. And there are several factors, internal and external to SC, that contribute to that.
Of course, even the ones in the system it seems like SC has done a disservice to many, with very limited opportunities for international competitions, playing favourites with some, and just kinda seeming like our entire high performance program is more than a bit haphazard
I’m also happy with SC’s criteria. They do send out skaters to international events, once they hit domestic benchmarks. They have the opportunity to shine and have to seize those moments.
- Joined
- Mar 7, 2015
OK. I was actually feeling differently about what I saw this year on JGP circuit as 3-4 teams reached the podium or were very close to it (top 5)Actually dance seems to loose the steam as well, because atm I don't see any clear succession in the junior dance teamsDo you? La/La and... nothing jumped out in the JGP as medal contenders.
Dance is a bit weird : when the games will be over, many teams will retire and suddenly some teams will get the rewards they should have received before.
Canada is lucky : Lala are indeed already at the top and they are relatively young. They could be there for more than one cycle if they wanted to, considering the retirement age of some of their competitors right now.
It's always hard to see what JGP elite will do in seniors in ice dance because there are always splits.
Lauriault-Le Gac may stay on the ice. They are not the best skilled skaters but they always train hard, are ready to compete (maybe except last year) have incredible innovative tricks and great programs. To me, to a certain extent, they are not getting the greatest marks because two other teams, who may be retiring are on that same playing field and these two teams, are faster, better skaters.
I know you don't like Fabbri-Ayer, but they are still young. Hensen-Lickers are great prospects too. Fournier-Zhu are improving. I don't necessarily see worlds medals for them... but they are not weak by any means.
Then you have the newly out of juniors Nguyen and Giang as well as Gauthier and Therrien. These two teams are very very promising.
And finally, how many teams medal on the JGP circuit this year ? I think we can expect Veillon Brandys, Anderson, Dawson and Homick Buelow to have good transition into senior ranks.
If you compare Canada and the USA, the USA will always have more depth, but I feel that in terms of generations, right now, Canada has at least one team that is medal worthy or medal promising for each quad cycle to come.
Younger, Brière-Lévesque are vey very promising.
Iff there is one discipline not to worry about it's ice dance.
- Joined
- Mar 7, 2015
From Ice Challenge
Brière-Lévesque won junior dance
Jamie Fournier and Everest Zhu won silver, their first international medal (and before they get a medal from Nationals it may be a long long time, so another team added to the list of international medals winners without the homeland medals). (gold was won by Pate and Bye from the USA, a very experienced team)
Nguyen and Giang finished 4th.
Brière-Lévesque won junior dance
Jamie Fournier and Everest Zhu won silver, their first international medal (and before they get a medal from Nationals it may be a long long time, so another team added to the list of international medals winners without the homeland medals). (gold was won by Pate and Bye from the USA, a very experienced team)
Nguyen and Giang finished 4th.
I think the issue is partly cultural, and I'm inclined to say "be careful what you wish for". The countries at the top or in ascendancy with singles skaters are, by and large, those who hothouse young skaters - often to the exclusion of everything else. Young skaters train in high pressure environments and are not allowed any sort of life beyond skating and education. Moreover, the training environments are ones which many outsiders would probably view as abusive (I don't think we have seen more than the tiniest tip of the abuse iceberg in figure skating yet - and when it comes out, I think it will be a lot worse than the abuse scandals in gymnastics). Is that what you want for Canadian skaters? Or do you want them to be allowed to be people as well, and to have a supportive environment which will be more considerate of their wellbeing? I know which I would prefer.
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