Figure skatingBig skates to fill at Canadian championships

Beginning of Story Content

Amelie Lacoste is among the contenders for the women's title vacated by Joannie Rochette. (Gabriel Bouys/AFP/Getty Images)

The 2011 BMO Canadian Figure Skating Championships are happening this weekend in Victoria, B.C. What makes this year's nationals a little different are the notable absences of some high-profile competitors.

Earlier this week, Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir - the Canadian, world and Olympic ice dance champions - announced they won't be competing in Victoria. Virtue is still on the comeback trail after a second surgery in the fall to try and resolve pain issues in her shins, and the team has decided to set its sights on next month's ISU Four Continents event, as well as the March world championships.

Their absence puts the Canadian title up for grabs between two teams whose rivalry is one of the closest on record. Reigning silver medallists Vanessa Crone and Paul Poirier edged out reigning bronze medallists Kaitlyn Weaver and Andrew Poje by 0.3 of a point last year, earning them a trip to the Vancouver Olympics. Since then, both teams have been hard at work improving technique and speed, and both earned enough points during the Grand Prix season to qualify for the final in Beijing, where Crone and Poirier earned the bronze.

Also in the hunt for hardware are last year's fourth-place finishers, Kharis Ralph and Asher Hill, and relative newcomers Alexandra Paul and Mitchell Islam, who finished their first season together with a junior national title and a silver medal at the junior world championships.

Quad King looks to dethrone Chan

Three-time Canadian men's champion and two-time world silver medallist Patrick Chan is looking to add another title to his collection. His strategy is to capitalize on his newly-added quad toe jump, which brings his total up to two quads in his free program. Kevin Reynolds, the "Canadian Quad King," poses the biggest threat to Chan after becoming the first skater ever to perform two quads in a short program, which he did at Skate Canada this season.

Veteran competitors Shawn Sawyer, Joey Russell, Marc-Andre Craig and Ian Martinez will battle newcomers Andrei Rogozine and Elladj Balde for a podium spot. Missing Canadians for the first time since 2003 is the 2009 national bronze medallist, Jeremy Ten, who is recovering from foot surgery but aiming to be back for next season.

Cinderella pairs story

Defending Canadian pairs champions and 2008 world bronze medallists Jessica Dube and Bryce Davison are sitting out because of a knee injury Davison sustained earlier in the season that required surgery, so their national title is anybody's to claim.

The Cinderella pairs story of the season is Kirsten Moore-Towers and Dylan Moscovitch, who seized the last-minute opportunity to add a Grand Prix event to their calendar by replacing Dube and Davison at Skate Canada. Collecting a bronze medal at that event and another at Skate America earned them a surprise spot in the Grand Prix Final.

Looking for their first Canadian title, Moore-Towers and Moscovitch will have to get past a number of teams, including seasoned competitors Mylene Brodeur and John Mattatall, who have been ranked as high as third nationally. Paige Lawrence and Rudi Swiegers earned a bronze medal at Skate Canada and have shown huge promise, making them podium favourites. Also in the medal hunt is the brand-new team of Meagan Duhamel and Eric Radford, who could be the wild card in the event.

Phaneuf tames nerves

With defending and six-time Canadian champion and Olympic bronze medallist Joannie Rochette on a well-deserved break from amateur competition, the women's field has a new pair of front runners.

Amelie Lacoste won her first Grand Prix medal ever at Skate Canada, earning a bronze with the season's highest score among Canadian women, and seems ready to make the leap to the top spot. Cynthia Phaneuf has other ideas, and is hungry to regain the title she last held in 2004. Phaneuf has made huge strides in overcoming the nerves that have held her back, and she finish fifth at worlds last year. Also looking to make their presence felt are Myriane Samson, the reigning national bronze medallist, and Dube, who has picked up singles again while pairs partner Davison recuperates.

Pj's picks for gold:

Men's: Patrick Chan
Women's: Cynthia Phaneuf
Dance: Vanessa Crone and Paul Poirier
Pairs: Kirsten Moore-Towers and Dylan Moscovitch

In addition to her television appearances, Pj will be chatting with fans during all live broadcasts of this weekend's Canadian figure skating championships on CBC, Bold and CBCSports.ca. Click here to check out our live streaming and chat - all on one page!

Got a question or comment for Pj in the meantime? Send it to pjkwong@pjkwong.com, and she may address it during a chat.

End of Story Content

Back to accessibility links