Figure Skating
Canada has good history at junior worlds
Canada has historically done very well at the junior world championships with a total of 32 medals, including three men's titles, a women's crown, three pairs gold medals, and one ice dance championship since the inaugural event in 1976.
Figure Skating
Canadians Wing, Lowe the wizards of ice dance
If we want to talk about home grown ice dance in this country one of the places we need to look at is Vancouver, B.C. Megan Wing and Aaron Lowe are well-known Canadians in the ice dance world, and aren't having any problems keeping busy.
Figure Skating
Italy showing off figure skating prowess
The only thing left in the skating season for the senior ranks is the upcoming World Figure Skating Championships in London, Ont. in March, and it appears like it might be Italy's turn to revel in some depth in their skating pool.
Figure Skating
Contenders emerge at Four Continents
The Four Continents Championships should have been a chance to get a final look at some the big names heading to worlds. But as Pj Kwong writes, it seems the Osaka event has only increased the number of skaters vying for the big prize in March.
Olympics
Fresh faces will shine at Sochi Olympics
The 2014 Sochi Winter Games are one year away, and it's fun for
me to think about the podium possibilities in figure skating that
haven't really been discussed yet. One thing's for sure: there are a number of skaters that weren't on the radar last time around, in 2010 in Vancouver.
Figure Skating
Four Continents last chance to impress before worlds
The upcoming Four Continents Championships in Osaka, Japan, are a final chance to see many of the skaters who will be competing at the world championships next month in London, Ont.
Figure Skating
Standout performances at Europeans
There were definitely some standout performances at the 2013 European
Figure Skating Championships held over the weekend in Croatia.
Figure Skating
Canadian championships: A changing of the guard
The Canadian figure skating championships did not disappoint, and in many ways this competition indicated a changing of the guard.
Figure Skating
Virtue & Moir, Chan are locks to win Canadian titles
I think the gold medallists are pretty much foregone conclusions in the dance
and men's events at this week's Canadian Figure Skating Championships, but who else will end up on the podium across the
board has me wondering.
Figure Skating
Pj's Top 10: Canadian champions, 1980-present
With the national championships set for next week, CBCSports.ca's Pj Kwong takes a look at more of her favourite Canadian figure skaters champions from 1980 to present.
Figure Skating
Pj's Top 10: Canadian champions, 1930-80
With the 99th Canadian Figure Skating Championships unfolding next week
in Mississauga, Ont., it's time to take a look at Canadian skaters whose national titles spurred them on to Olympic
and world greatness.
Figure Skating
Pj's Top 10: Noteworthy national champions
In the coming weeks both Canada and the United States will host their
national figure skating championships, while Russia and Japan, to name a couple, have
already decided theirs.So it's a good time to list my top 10
noteworthy non-Canadian national champions.
Figure Skating
Top 10 figure skating game changers
Skating has had its fair share of scandals. Some personal, some funny and some reveal the origins of lesser known rules. On another level, Pj Kwong counts down 10 figure skating moments that have prompted rule changes.
Figure Skating
Even great skaters make puzzling costume decisions
How many times have we all heard the expression, 'the clothes make the man?' The same can be said for figure skating costumes.
Figure Skating
Carolina Kostner leaving her mark on figure skating
Reigning women's world figure skating champion Carolina Kostner has been busy. She had a great season last year, so I had to find out from Carolina why she was choosing to bow out of the Grand Prix competitions this season.
Figure Skating
Grand Prix Final teaches skaters to be prepared
The conclusion of the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final has made one thing very clear and that's if you aren't prepared to win, then you won't. Patrick Chan is a great example. He left points on the table with a bobbled jump combination in the short program leaving him to fight his way out of second after the short program.
Figure Skating
Patrick Chan in tough at Grand Prix Final
Reigning two-time world champion Patrick Chan of Toronto remains the men's skater to beat in the Grand Prix Final at Sochi, Russia, even with all the big guns expected to compete.
Figure Skating
Weaver & Poje go back to drawing board
Rejection is never easy, but popular Canadian ice dancers Kaitlyn Weaver and Andrew Poje are determined to overcome early season disappointment by revamping their free program.
Figure Skating
Grand Prix figure skating season a head-scratcher
I have to be honest, the Grand Prix season left me scratching my head on more than a couple of occasions. My biggest issue is the fact that the fields are so small now that if there is a withdrawal during the event, it can compromise the quality of the competition for the viewers.
Figure Skating
Impressive men's field to battle at Japan's NHK Trophy
The NHK Trophy at Sendai, Japan is the final of the six-event Grand Prix series and in many ways, at least where the men's event is concerned, it feels like it's saving the best for last, with a field that includes Spaniard Javier Fernandez as well as native sons Daisuke Takahashi and Yuzuru Hanyu.
Figure Skating
Men's competition at Trophee Eric Bompard was fascinating
There were plenty of surprises as well as impressive performances at the second last Grand Prix stop in Paris, writes CBCSports.ca figure skating commentator PJ Kwong.
Figure Skating
Trophee Eric Bompard offers mixed bag at best
With French hopeful Florent Amodio favoured to win, the men's competition at this week's Trophee Eric Bompard figure skating event in Paris promises to be a mixed bag at best.
Figure Skating
Canada's Tessa Virtue, Scott Moir thrilling in Moscow
The Cup of Russia proved that the skating this season still has as many questions as it does answers. One thing is for sure, though. Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir's interpretation of Carmen for their free dance was as thrilling in Moscow as the one I have been replaying in my mind since seeing it at Skate Canada.
Figure Skating
Patrick Chan looks to rebound in Russia
The Rostelecom Cup (formerly known as the Cup of Russia) takes place this weekend and I am secretly wondering
what surprises will be revealed in a Grand Prix season that has had more
than its fair share so far.The men's competition is going to be the most interesting, with the matchup between Canada's Patrick Chan and Skate America winner Takahiko Kozuka front and centre.
Figure Skating
Favourites given run for money at Cup of China
Mao Asada captured the women's title at the Cup of China this past weekend, but Russian teenager Julia Lipnitskaia, the reigning world junior champion, gave her a run for her money.
Figure Skating
Mao Asada tries to pick herself up at Cup of China
After struggling at times with issues both on and off the ice last season, Japan's Mao Asada seems to have turned the corner heading into her Grand Prix season debut this week at the Cup of China.
Figure Skating
Virtue & Moir debut dazzling 'Carmen' at Skate Canada
There was plenty of good news for skating fans coming out of the Skate Canada International Grand Prix event this weekend in Windsor, Ont., especially for the Canadian team.I'm still replaying ice dance champions Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir's Carmen free dance in my mind. Since learning that they would be using this perennial skating favourite, I was intrigued to see how they would make it memorable. They exceeded my expectations on all fronts.
Figure Skating
Virtue & Moir go Carmen vs. Carmen at Skate Canada
Skate Canada International is being held in Windsor, Ont., this weekend, and figure skating fans will have the chance to see three of the four
current world champions unveil their new programs.Ice dance champs Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir are set to skate their highly anticipated Carmen free routine for the first time. In an interesting twist, so are Italy's Anna Cappellini and Luca Lanotte.
Figure Skating
Skate America an intriguing start to Grand Prix season
Skate America, the first of the six event Grand Prix series, wrapped up
in Kent, Wash., with more than its fair share of intriguing stories.The
good news is that a new world record score of 95.07 was set in the
men's short program by Japan's Yuzuru Hanyu. The bad news is that he
wasn't able to follow it up in the free, falling on both quad attempts.
Figure Skating
Teen Hanyu looks to show new skills at Skate America
Several big-name skaters have opted to skip this year's Grand Prix season, but that doesn't mean there won't be great competition.Looking
at the men's field for this weekend's season-opening Skate America event, one name in particular jumps off
the page: Yuzuru Hanyu of Japan.
Figure Skating
Figure skating season features some old faces
It struck me that there are a couple of things that will define this season: returning skaters and a significant rule change.
Figure Skating
Good news, bad news for Virtue and Moir
The fact that Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir withdrew from the Finlandia event and not a Grand Prix
competition was the good news. The not-so-good news was that their
withdrawal was due to a light muscle strain Moir had sustained in his
neck.
Figure Skating
Memories of Barbara Ann Scott
For many people, Barbara Ann Scott was just a name, albeit a famous one. For me, she embodied many of the qualities I admire -- tenacity, intelligence, excellence, charm, humility, eloquence and a killer sense of humour.
Figure Skating
Canadian skaters ready after lengthy off-season
Sometimes I'm like a big kid. This goes double when the start of a new
skating season is concerned. I'm as excited as any 8-year-old looking
forward to seeing their friends again on the first day of school after
what seems like an interminable summer.Welcome to my sense of
delicious anticipation just prior to Skate Canada's High Performance
Camp in Mississauga, Ontario over the weekend.
Figure Skating
Canada's top figure skaters ready to raise the bar
CBCSports.ca figure skating analyst Pj Kwong catches up with Canadians Patrick Chan, Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir at the Skate Canada High Performance training camp in Mississauga, Ont.
Figure Skating
World Team Trophy 2012 wrap-up
I will start off on a positive note: hats off to the ISU for trying to find a way to expand the sport by creating a team event in the World Team Trophy. This event was held for the second time over the weekend in Tokyo, Japan.
Figure Skating
Canada's Nexxice takes silver at synchro figure skating worlds
What could be more exciting than watching a pair of skaters in close
proximity dazzling us with dramatic, creative and high-risk programs
like we see in ice dance and pairs events?
Try 16 skaters doing the same thing. That's what we saw from each of the
21 teams competing at this year's ISU World Synchronized Skating
Championships in Gothenberg, Sweden, where the goal for Canada was to
return to the top of the podium for the first time since 2009.At the end of the day, Team Surprise from Sweden took their sixth world title, and Canada's Nexxice earned a silver medal.
Figure Skating
Canada on top of the figure skating world
Canada enjoyed an especially sweet week at the 2012 ISU World Figure Skating Championships in Nice, France. The ice dance team of Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir and men's skater Patrick Chan each claimed their second world title, marking the first time since 1993 that Canada won two gold medals at the world championships.
Figure Skating
Who can challenge Patrick Chan at the world championships?
At this week's World Figure Skating Championships, the only discipline with a clear favourite is the men's event, with
world record holder Patrick Chan of Canada looking to defend his title in Nice, France.Chan's biggest opposition figures to come from
former world champion Daisuke Takahashi of Japan. Takahashi's strength
is in displaying the same joie de vivre and technical prowess
that Chan shows in his skating, but he will have to be flawless in both
the short and the free to really challenge the champion.
Figure Skating
Lacoste can bolster Canadian Olympic hopes at worlds
For Canadian skaters, there's a lot riding on the results at the World Figure Skating Championships in Nice, France. Patrick Chan is defending his men's title, while dancers Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir are trying to re-claim
theirs after finishing second in 2011 to Americans Meryl Davis and
Charlie White.But I think in some ways the most challenging
competition will be for Canadian champion Amelie Lacoste, who's the
country's lone representative in the ladies' event. In order for Canada
to be able to send two women next year, Lacoste has to finish in the top
10.
Figure Skating
Judge For Yourself
When a fan sent me a note recently asking for clarification on the scoring system in figure skating, I figured: What better way to learn about it than to do it yourself in a fun and interactive game I'm calling "Judge for Yourself."Here's your chance to be the judging and technical panel from the comfort of your own home!
Figure Skating
Pj's Top 10: Shock & awe moments at worlds
The ISU World Figure Skating Championships are unique in that no points
are carried into the event. What happens on the day of competition
determines the result. It's an all or nothing scenario.In no particular order, here are my top 10 "shock and/or awe" moments at worlds.
Figure Skating
Chinese junior pair could be skating's next big thing
Last week's World Junior Figure Skating Championships showcased some glorious skaters who will undoubtedly make the grade when they hit the senior ranks to stay.The Chinese team of Wenjing Sui and Cong Han were head and shoulders above the rest of the pairs competition on their way to their third consecutive junior world title, and if they continue to evolve they may be one of those teams that come along to redefine the sport.
Figure Skating
Junior Worlds showcase Canada's next figure skating stars
The upcoming ISU Junior World Figure Skating Championships are going to
be interesting to watch. Why, you may ask? Now more than ever, the
Junior Worlds could hold the clue for Canadians fans about who to watch
out for in the future.
Figure Skating
Catching up with Sale, Pelletier 10 years after defining Olympics
It was 10 years ago Friday that Canadian pair skaters Jamie Sale and David Pelletier stepped on to the podium to receive their Olympic Gold medals. In the back hallways of a rink in Peterborough, Ont., earlier this week in preparation for the Rock The Ice show, Sale and Pelletier shared some thoughts with me on their special time.
Figure Skating
Four Continents ice dance sets up battle royale at worlds
If the fierceness of the competition in the ice dance at this past weekend's Four Continents Figure Skating Championships in Colorado Spring, Colo., is any indication, look for that event to be the battle of the year come worlds in Nice, France, in March.
Figure Skating
Canadians could dominate Four Continents event
Since 1999 skaters from non-European nations have been vying for titles at the ISU Four Continents figure skating Championships. This year is no exception with the championship heading to Colorado Springs, Colo., for the third time.
Figure Skating
Depth lacking in European figure skating
It's not that there aren't skating stars in Europe. There are. It is more a case of there not being a lot of depth in any one area.
Figure Skating
Patrick Chan sizes up the competition
Patrick Chan knows that he is considered the man to beat at this year's world championships. He also knows that
there are other men out there who are making their own headlines.
Figure Skating
Fernandez's star rising for European Championships
The skating world is clearly eager for stars and Pj Kwong thinks you needn't look any further than Toronto, the training location of two-time Spanish men's champion Javier Fernandez.
Figure Skating
Magical Chan makes history at Canadians
The city of Moncton, N.B., was hopping over the weekend as the host city for the Canadian figure skating championships.
Figure Skating
13-year-old figure skater could turn heads at nationals
The 98th Canadian Figure Skating Championships take place in Moncton
this week, and it promises to be one of the more interesting
competitions in a non-Olympic season.There is no doubt in my mind that Patrick Chan will claim his fifth consecutive men's title, but Nam Nguyen is a name you're going to want to remember. The 13-year-old
phenom from British Columbia is the youngest to have won the national
junior title, doing so at the age of 12 in 2011.
Figure Skating
Q & A: Cynthia Phaneuf
Defending Canadian ladies figure skating champion Cynthia Phaneuf sat down for a Q & A session with Pj Kwong to preview this year's national championships and talk about her new training environment, coach Brian Orser, and her goals for the rest of the season and beyond.
Figure Skating
Ice dancers Poirier, Gilles bring fresh look to nationals
If you haven't figured it out, I love ice dance. There is nothing I like
better than an event where the skating is top notch and the dancers
roll out interesting , creative and distinctive programs one after the
other.The 2012 Canadian Figure Skating Championships, taking place in Moncton next week, promise to deliver just that, with fresh teams testing themselves against old favourites.Skating
in their first national championships together are ice dancers Paul
Poirier, who won last year's national title with former partner Vanessa
Crone, and new partner Piper Gilles.
Figure Skating
Virtue, Moir victims of scoring error
To err is human. To own up to it, divine.The International Skating
Union has acknowledged that, if not for a computer glitch, Canada's Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir
actually won the free program segment of the ice dance competition at last month's Grand Prix Final by 0.45 points, as one of their lifts was
accidentally undervalued by .50 points.The Canadians still would've finished second behind Americans Meryl Davis and Charlie White, but this was still a significant admission by the ISU. I talked to vice president David Dore about the mistake and its implications.
Figure Skating
Pj's Top 10 Performances: Pairs
Figure skating pairs mirror the challenges and successes that we all share. There are lots of worthy pairs from generations before mine, but I wanted to focus on skaters that I've actually seen.This final instalment of my top 10 lists of favourite performances may have been the toughest one of all.
Figure Skating
Pj's Top 10 Performances: Ice Dance
I am a sucker for a good story. Ice dance captures the idea of possibilities for me. Whether it's a relationship between a man and a woman, the pursuit of a common goal, or the expression of a theme from the past, present or future - ice dance lays it all out for me. I believe that there could be as many top-10 lists in ice dance as there are ice dance fans!
Figure Skating
Pj's Top 10 Performances: Men
How do you narrow down legendary figure skating performances to just 10? It isn't easy. When posed with this challenge, I decided I would have to give myself some guidelines. I was going to use only performances that I have seen live. There is something about a performance in the building where both the skater and the spectator are 'in the moment,' that can be magical.
Figure Skating
Pj's Top 10 Performances: Ladies
Often, the first image that springs to mind when someone says figure
skating is a white skate boot on top of a shiny silver blade. Many of
the iconic images in the sport come from the women who wear them.Choosing
my top 10 favourite performances of all time meant I had to come up
with some guidelines, so the ladies' programs that made my list are all
ones that I saw either live in the building or on TV.
Figure Skating
Wild weekend at Grand Prix Final
As figure skating championships go, the ISU Grand Prix Final was a wild
one. From the moment my eyes opened on Thursday morning until the end
of competition on Sunday, there was something going on worth mentioning.
Figure Skating
Exclusive: Patrick Chan explains Canada comments
Patrick Chan made headlines Thursday with his controversial interview with Reuters, in which the world champion said he sometimes feels unappreciated in Canada, where he feels figure skaters aren't adequately supported.
The story makes for an interesting read, but there's one flaw: the views presented don't match up with the Patrick Chan I know.That's why I called Chan on Thursday for an exclusive interview by phone
from Quebec City. Here are my questions and his answers.
Figure Skating
Ice dance battle too close to call at Grand Prix Final
I can't wait for the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final to begin this week in Quebec City, where all four events will feature a significant pair of competitors going head to head.Take ice dance for example: defending world champions Meryl Davis and
Charlie White of the United States will go up against 2010 Olympic and
world champions Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir of Canada for the first time
this season.
Figure Skating
Japan earthquake still resonates with junior skater
Marika Steward is the 14-year-old Junior Ladies Northern Ontario
Sectional Champion and is one of 500 skaters descending on Regina this
week for the Skate Canada Challenge event, where she's hoping to qualify
for the Canadian nationals in January.
Every skater can tell you stories of sacrifice and training challenges. But Marika's story is unique.
Figure Skating
Davis, White serve notice at Moscow Grand Prix
The most interesting thing that came out of the ice dance event at the Rostelecom Cup Grand Prix event in Moscow is that
it's clear that reigning world champions Meryl Davis and Charlie White
of the United States are not going to give up their title to anyone
without a fight.Their Die Fledermaus free dance continues to dazzle.
They look prepared and polished and ready to go head to head with their
biggest rivals, Canadians Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir, at the upcoming Grand Prix
Final.
Figure Skating
Fernandez hungry for Moscow Grand Prix win
The last of the six Grand Prix events, the Rostelecom Cup (former the
Cup of Russia), takes place this weekend in Moscow. This is the last
chance for skaters to qualify for the Grand Prix Final in Quebec City in
December.
The competition across the board will be intense, particularly in the men's field, where Spain's Javier Fernandez is polished, prepared and hungry now that he knows he can go toe-to-toe with the big boys.
Figure Skating
Pj's all-time top 10: Ice dance
Ice dance was the final figure skating discipline to get in the
Olympics. Some might say "best for last." Even though it's only been a
part of the Games since 1976, ice dance's contribution to the popularity
of the sport is undeniable. That being said, here are my top 10 ice
dance teams of all-time. At the outset, it was impossible to imagine
narrowing the field down to just 10 teams would be as tough as it was.
Figure Skating
Skaters not quite up to snuff at Trophee Eric Bompard
The Trophee Eric Bompard in Paris, France, provided some food for thought. The level of competition, in many cases, still seems to be a little weak. It could be just this time of the season. It could also be the skaters are trying to accomplish more than they are ready to at this point.
Figure Skating
A chance meeting with Dick Button
As a seven-time US champion, five-time world champion and two-time Olympic champion, Dick Button has the skating goods. In a recent run-in, CBCSports.ca's figure skating analyst convinced the on-ice legend to discuss Canada's top men's skater.
Figure Skating
Toronto's Chan wants better showing in Paris
Canadian and reigning world champion Patrick Chan is one of the men taking the ice this weekend at the Trophee Eric Bompard event.
Figure Skating
Pj's all-time top 10: Pairs
Trying to come up with my top 10 pairs of all-time and then ranking them has given me a headache! There are so many more teams that could be included on this list than my buddies in CBC webland have given me slots. In any event, here are is my list, and as usual I'm interested to hear your thoughts.
Figure Skating
NHK Trophy event filled with hits and misses
Let me put my impression of the NHK Trophy this way: you had to pay attention through the whole event. Like a spectacular murder mystery, if you didn't pay attention you missed a key part of the story. What I mean by that is that the competition and the competitors were playing for keeps with no holds barred.
Figure Skating
Redemption the theme for NHK Trophy
Figure skating's elite are in Sapporo, Japan this week for the fourth stop on the Grand Prix circuit, the NHK Trophy.
Some of the best skates are the ones for pride, and there should be plenty of those to go around this weekend.
Figure Skating
Sandhu making comeback
The upcoming British Columbia/Yukon sectional qualifying event just got a
lot more interesting, as three-time Canadian men's champion Emanuel
Sandhu, who's been retired since 2007, will be competing.
If my Twitter account (@skatingpj) is any indication, you're all as surprised as I am!
Figure Skating
Pj's all-time top 10: Men
After last week's list
of the best ladies' figure skaters of all time, my colleagues at
CBCSports.ca have challenged me to come up with another top 10.This time I'm ranking the greatest men's skaters ever, in order of how I
think they'd finish in a fantasy competition where I'm the only judge.
Figure Skating
Cup of China proves many skaters still finding form
With the conclusion of the Cup of China, one thing's for sure: more than
a couple of skaters are still trying to find their footing.
Take the men's event, where the eventual winner from the United States,
Jeremy Abbott won on the total points from two 3rd place performances.
Figure Skating
Pj's all-time top 10: Ladies
Let's face it, I've seen more than my fair share of skating in my life,
which may be why CBCSports.ca challenged me to come up with a list of
who I'd choose to skate in a fantasy competition between the 10 best of
all time in each of the four disciplines.
To make it even tougher, I've ranked the skaters in order of how they'd finish in this magical event if I were the sole judge.I'll start the series this week with the ladies.
Figure Skating
Plenty to prove at Cup of China
As the skaters hit the ice for the Cup of China - the third leg in the
ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating series starts Friday in Shanghai - I'll
be looking to have a few ideas either confirmed or denied.The first is whether or not Maia and Alex Shibutani of the United States
have done enough work during the off-season to seriously threaten for
the ice dance podium when the world championships roll around this spring.
Figure Skating
Skate Canada proved quite an event
The Skate Canada International in Mississauga, Ont., proved to be quite an event. Clearly, not only do I know this is the year to make your mark while starting the climb towards the 2014 Sochi Olympics, but the skaters know it too.
Figure Skating
Russian teen could steal Skate Canada spotlight
While most Canadian fans are looking forward to the season debuts of Patrick Chan and Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir, Russian junior champion Elizaveta Tuktamisheva, 14, has the potential to set the world on fire in her first senior Grand Prix appearance this week at Skate Canada International.
Figure Skating
Patrick Chan's new program: A sneak peek
At a packed session Tuesday on a rink in suburban Toronto, reigning men's figure skating world champion Patrick Chan was getting in some last-minute practice ahead of this week's Skate Canada International Grand Prix event.This year Chan's free program is the inspired work of the legendary Lori Nichol, Chan's longtime choreographer, who was also working with a student during this session. The music is Adagio from Concierto de Aranjuez by Joachin Rodriguez, and to say it is rich in texture would be an understatement.
Figure Skating
At Skate America expect the unexpected
At the conclusion of the 2011 Skate America event on Sunday, it's safe to say that the only thing we can count on is things not necessarily going according to plan.
Figure Skating
Pairs battle highlights Skate America slate
For me, the start of the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating series every
fall brings the sport into sharp focus. The speculation about what
people are skating to or including in their programs stops, and the
results from each event begin to reveal parts of what I call the
season's "who are the real contenders?" puzzle.The first stop in the six-event series is this weekend's Hilton HHonors Skate America in Ontario, Calif., where the competition I would pay money to see is the
head-to-head battle in pairs between world champions Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy and four-time world medallists Dan Zhang and Hao Zhang.
Figure Skating
Grand Prix Season Preview: Ice dance stacked
I have said it before, and I will say it again: the climb to the Sochi 2014 Olympic podium starts this season, and the jockeying for position in ice dance is going to be fierce. Of all of the disciplines, ice dance is maybe the most difficult to quantify and yet the most accessible to the casual viewer. From the outside, ice dance seems to represent best the ideal of human connection and relationships where nothing is forced.
Figure Skating
Grand Prix Season Preview: Chan's big challenges
There is just over a week before the figure skating season starts with the first of six ISU Grand Prix events taking place in Ontario, Calif. From a Canadian perspective there will be four men participating at different times in four of the six competitions, including 2011 world champion Patrick Chan.
Figure skating
Grand Prix Preview: Who's the next great pair?
With a new season of the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating series opening later this month, the skaters are hard at work tweaking the programs they'll use for this season.In the pairs event we can make the assumption that all of the top teams have great "tricks." But what do the skaters have to do to become memorable?
Figure skating
Grand Prix Season Preview: Canadian women rebuilding
For figure skating fans, the time between the end of worlds and the
start of the next season's ISU Grand Prix series can seem like a long
time with no action. (In case you forgot, Miki Ando won the 2011 women's
world championship after the event was moved from her native Japan to
Moscow in the wake of a devastating earthquake and tsunami.)
But the truth is, the work never stops for the skaters. And that holds true for Canada's top women, who are in what some would call a "rebuilding" phase as the 2011-12 season approaches.
Figure skating
With lessons learned, Chan ready to defend his title
Four-time and defending Canadian Champion Patrick Chan's appearance at a
press conference on Monday in Markham, Ont. was like a breath of fresh
air on an otherwise sweltering and humid day.
In Toronto for several reasons, his press conference covered a number of
things from what he has been doing since winning his first World title
in Moscow in late April, to what he is planning for the upcoming season,
to the media announcement of a fundraising dinner being held in his
honour on Sept. 9 in Richmond Hill.
By his own admission, Chan's disappointing experience at the 2010
Olympics was exactly what he needed in order to push himself and improve
in order to capture the world's top spot.
Figure skating
Virtue and Moir's sizzle not enough
In what I would consider to be a surprising decision at the 2011 world figure skating championships, Americans Meryl Davis and Charlie White took the ice dance title from Canada's Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir with strong, polished and error-free skating while
failing to deliver the same kind of sizzle offered by the defending champions.
Figure skating
Competition before the competition
The world figure skating championships are set to officially open on Wednesday in Moscow, approximately five weeks later than originally scheduled.
Figure skating
Chan the man to beat at skating worlds: preview
The men's event at the upcoming world figure skating championships in Moscow could go a number of different ways, but given the fact there have been significant distractions in front-runner and defending world champion Daisuke Takahashi's home country, the edge goes to Canada's two-time and reigning world silver medallist, Patrick Chan, according to CBCSports.ca analyst Pj Kwong.
Figure skating
2 quads not an option for Reynolds at worlds
Kevin Reynolds, a last-minute replacement on the Canadian team for next week's world figure skating championships in Moscow, talked with CBC's Pj Kwong about the unusual circumstances surrounding his addition to the event, and why he won't be able to duplicate his history-making short program.
Figure skating
Canada is trailblazer in synchro skating
Canada has been a trailblazer in the sport of synchronized skating, leading the way in the use of skating skills and inventive choreography. Without the financial support provided by some of the other countries to their elite teams, it is a real show of strength and determination that Canada is able to compete consistently as well as it does.
Figure skating
Focus main priority for Canadian alternates
The rescheduled world figure skating championships are slated to begin within the next two weeks in Moscow. Canada has secured two berths in each of the pairs and ladies competition, while also holding three entries in ice dance and men's fields.
Figure skating
Synchronized skating teams up the ante
The ISU World Synchronized Skating Championship goes this weekend in
Helsinki, Finland, where 21 teams from 16 countries will vie for this
discipline's top honour.
Canada has qualified two teams: Nexxice, the five-time Canadian and
2009 world champions, and Les Supremes, whose best finish at worlds was
a bronze in 2003.
In a year marked by technical changes in the other disciplines of figure skating, synchro skaters also raised the stakes.
Figure skating
Coaches step up in skaters' times of need
In an extraordinary season that has seen the ISU World Figure Skating
Championships pushed back five weeks and moved to another continent, skaters have had to try to figure out if they were
going to continue to compete, and how they would stay on the ice
training.In tumultuous times like these, skating coaches often need to take on a bigger role in making sure their athletes are prepared both physically and mentally.
Figure skating
Sawyer walks away from amateur career
Myriane Samson and Shawn Sawyer, Canada's national figure skating silver
medallists in the ladies' and men's divisions, have decided they won't
compete at the upcoming world championships in Moscow.
For Samson, that's due to an injury that should still allow her to skate
again in the future. Sawyer, on the other hand, has decided to forego
worlds in favour of a contract to perform with the Canadian Stars on Ice
tour.
Sawyer said the consequences of his decision made it a difficult one, but he feels he's done the right thing for himself.
Figure skating
Figure skating site shows power of the internet
Like it or not, technology is the backbone of life in the 21st century, and figure skating is not exempt.It's
amazing to me to think that, within a few hours of the first
earthquake and subsequent tsunami in Japan on March 11, figure skating
fans had already sprung into action, starting discussion threads on
various fan sites across the internet.Who are these fans? To find out, I turned to Sharon Paginton, the creator of the Figure Skating Universe website, for some answers.
Figure skating
Coach Zoueva has recipe for ice dance success
On any given Saturday, master figure skating coach Marina Zoueva can be
found at her kitchen table in Michigan, poring over the schedule she
creates every week for her skaters.
Zoueva and her coaching partner, Igor Shpilband, are the Russian-born
masterminds behind the most prolific ice dance program in today's
skating world, guiding stars such as Olympic and world champions Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir.
Figure skating
Coaches play the skate and wait routine
It's been almost a week and a half since the unthinkable happened in Japan where an 9.0 magnitude earthquake and subsequent tsunami wreaked havoc on the island nation. For figure skaters in the final stages of preparation for the ISU World Figure Skating Championships, the Japanese tragedy pretty much ground them to a halt.
The ISU explored every possible solution to keep the championships in Japan, but on Monday morning it issued a statement indicating that they were actively looking for a new country to host the event and, presumably on a new date in the spring.
Canada is one of six countries to have submitted bids to host. The ISU council will vote Wednesday or Thursday on the site and determine the dates in late April or early May.
Figure skating
Switching skating venue not a likely option
With the International Skating Union postponing the Tokyo-bound world championships on Monday as a result of the last week's devastating earthquake, it was time to check out the viability of switching the event to another venue - an idea that had been suggested to me by so many fans over the weekend.
Figure skating
Verner puzzled by North Korea controversy
Returning to his training base in Canada after a tour in Asia that included three shows in North Korea, Tomas Verner found himself vilified by the press in his native Czech Republic and the target of hatred from many Czech fans.It was a devastating blow for the talented skater, especially with the world championships so close.
Figure skating
Clothes key for synchro skaters
One of the big challenges in synchronized skating is trying to figure
out how to maximize the uniformity of the 16 skaters on the ice. That's
the hallmark of this fast-growing sport.
Whatever the discipline, the best programs are always built around what I
like to call the "3 Cs": concept, choreography and costuming.
Figure skating
Olympic medallist memories, in their own words
The memories from the 2010 Vancouver Olympics are in our collective
consciousness as Canadians. It struck me that it would be interesting to
have a sampling of Canadian figure skating Olympic medallists answer
the following three questions:1. What is the one word that would describe the feeling you had as your medal was being placed around your neck?2. What did you do the night you won your medal?3. How has your Olympic success impacted your life?
Figure skating
Virtue, Moir set to battle Davis, White at 4 Continents
The 2011 ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships are taking
place this week in Taipei City. This event boasts the star power of any
international competition this season by hosting the four defending
world champions.
Perhaps the most eagerly anticipated event in these championships will
be the ice dance event pitting the defending world and Olympic champions
from Canada, Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir, against their rivals from the
United States, Meryl Davis and Charlie White.
Figure skating
U.S. figure skating tragedy still resonates, 50 years later
It has been 50 years since the tragic aircraft crash that took the lives of the entire U.S. figure skating team in Europe.
Five decades later, the memories are still strong for those who counted the American athletes and officials as their friends and colleagues.
Figure skating
Competitions involve balancing act
There was a time in figure skating when international competitors at the senior level basically had to prepare for their national competition, and maybe one other event aside from the world championships.
Figure skating
Overwhelmed by Rochette's courage
It really does feel like yesterday that the phone rang as I was getting ready in my Vancouver condo. The voice on the other end, a colleague from CBC Radio, said "We've just heard that Joannie Rochette's mother died. Can you confirm this?"It seemed improbable as I dialed the VANOC media contact for figure skating, Barb MacDonald, who ended up confirming the awful news that Therese Rochette had indeed passed away in the early hours of that morning.I was in Vancouver working as the public address announcer for the figure skating competitions, so I would have a rinkside seat for some of the most dramatic moments of the 2010 Winter Games.
Figure skating
Meier sheds bridesmaid label at Europeans
The last stop for European figure skaters before the worlds
championships in March took place last weekend in Bern, Switzerland,
site of the 2011 European championships.Overall, the competition held very few surprises, with a couple of notable exceptions.Swiss national champion Sarah Meier won the women's event for the first, and probably last, time, finally converting her potential into a big result in her final season before her planned retirement.
Figure skating
Mixed emotions for injured skater
Is the way that elite athletes approach an injury different from the way we do as mere mortals?Injured men's figure skater Jeremy Ten attended last week's Canadian championships on crutches, relegated to watching his buddies
compete.Ten agreed to send me his thoughts on what must have
been a mixed experience "being on the other side of the boards," as he
called it, at one of the biggest events of the season.
Figure skating
Chan made name for himself at nationals
New champions were crowned in three of the four disciplines at the 2011
BMO Canadian Figure Skating Championships last weekend, but it was the
one repeat winner that stood above everyone else in Victoria.
From time to time, skating stars emerge who need only to be referred to
by one name: Toller, Kurt, Tessa and Scott, Barb and Paul, to list a few Canadians that fit the single-moniker bill.
Patrick Chan has put his name in that illustrious group.
Figure skating
Big skates to fill at Canadian championships
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.With three of the four defending individual and team champs not competing, it will be interesting to see who can step into the gold-medal vacancies.
Figure skating
Life as a Canadian figure skating coach
The Canadian figure skating championship takes place in Victoria beginning Friday. While the skaters make up the "front line," standing right behind them will be the coaches who have brought them to this point.
Figure skating
Choreographers more important than ever
There was a time when coaches of figure skaters were responsible for all
aspects of their students' skating: everything from teaching, to
training, to designing the concept of their programs, to costuming and
choreography.Then, about 30 years ago, a new player joined the figure skater's team: the choreographer.
I've often said that the difference between first and second place can be how a skater does what he or she does, not simply the sum total of the elements.
Figure skating
Chan makes statement at GP Final
By winning gold with a season-best score at the prestigious Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final in Beijing this past weekend, Canada's Patrick Chan announced himself as a serious contender for the men's world title in March 2011.
Figure skating
Upset brewing at Grand Prix Final
The ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final
is set to take place this weekend in Beijing, where only the top six
finishers in each of the four disciplines in the Grand Prix series will
compete. It's the best of the best.
Miki Ando should be the front-runner on paper in the ladies event
after winning both of the Grand Prix stops she entered. But something in the back
of my mind tells me that Italian Carolina Kostner will be the one to
watch.
Figure skating
Verner's secret: Something borrowed, something blue
Recently at a Toronto-area rink, a breathless Tomas Verner ran in with New York costume designer Jamie Scott in tow.
Scott, one of the best in his field, routinely designs costumes for
theatre and opera groups around the U.S., including on Broadway.
Verner, also one of the finest at what he does, won two medals in men's
competition during the Grand Prix of Figure Skating series this year,
including a gold in Russia. The Czech skater is in the midst of
last-minute preparations for his departure for the Grand Prix Final in
Beijing this week.
Figure skating
No matter the stage, skaters have it tough
Reflecting on the Grand Prix series and the enthusiastic emails I have
been receiving from fans; it occurred to me that there is a renewed
fascination with figure skating.
CBC's Brenda Irving says "I am so impressed by the skaters' athletic
ability and the fact that they are out there all alone with all eyes' on
them and totally vulnerable."
Figure skating
New stars to emerge at Grand Prix Final
The field is set for figure skating's Grand Prix Final in Beijing, where some relative newcomers will be trying to make their marks.
Figure skating
Expect surprises at Grand Prix of France
The home of the final ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating event is Paris,
France this coming weekend. Over the course of the six events, the
skaters are vying to finish in the top six in each discipline in order
to qualify for the Grand Prix Final taking place in December in Beijing,
China. There are still spots to be claimed based on the results of
this competition
Figure skating
Parity, judging make for intriguing men's field
"In the last 15 years, the world has gotten so competitive. In my day, there really was only me and Viktor [Petrenko] and now there are 10 guys who can challenge on any given day."
Those are the words of Canada's four-time world champion figure skater Kurt Browning.
It's an interesting and very accurate perspective especially since it seems as if no men's skater seems ready to take on the mantle of "the one to beat" this season.
Figure skating
Cup of Russia full of surprises
The fifth of six ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating events took place this
weekend in Moscow, where more berths were secured for the Grand Prix
Final in Beijing in December.The Cup of Russia event was full of surprises.
Figure skating
New talent, old faves in Cup of Russia
The Rostelecom Cup, or Cup of Russia, should have the makings of a great competition featuring new talent, old favourites and skaters looking to snag one of the top six spots in each discipline to qualify for the Grand Prix final next month in Beijing.
Figure skating
More "Grind" Prix than Grand Prix
I look forward every fall to the six-event ISU Grand Prix Series. I admit it is for purely selfish reasons. I get the chance to peek into the season's future and try and figure out who is going to do what by the time the world championships come around in March. This preoccupation provides me with no end of amusement and distraction as I take all possible scenarios into consideration.
Figure skating
What to make of Skate America
Portland, Ore., played host over the weekend to Skate America, the fourth of six stops on the ISU Grand Prix Series. At stake, placement points with the top six finishers in each discipline earning the opportunity to compete at the Grand Prix final in Beijing, China, in December.
Figure skating
iAsk Pj: Who will challenge Takahashi?
CBC figure skating expert Pj Kwong wants to know what you the figure skating fan thinks each week. Email your insights and opinions on this week's topic to pjkwong@pjkwong.com, and Pj will respond to her favourite email here at CBCSports.ca. Don't forget to include your name and where you're writing from. If you're willing to have Pj read your response on the air during a CBC broadcast, please tell her it's OK to do so.
Figure skating
Veteran pair make season debut at Skate America
The fourth of six stops on the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating series takes place this weekend in Portland, Ore.
The chance to compete at the ISU Grand Prix Final in Beijing in December is still on the line.
Figure skating
Taking stock of trends and surprises
Three events are down with three more to go in the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating series and it's time to take stock of the trends and surprises that have emerged.
Figure skating
Head-to-head battles highlight Cup of China
The third stop on the six-city tour known as the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating takes place this weekend in Beijing.What to watch above all else are the head-to-head battles taking place in each of the events.
Figure skating
iAsk Pj: Who needs redemption?
CBC figure skating expert Pj Kwong wants to know what you the figure skating fan thinks each week. Email your insights and opinions on this week's topic to pjkwong@pjkwong.com, and Pj will respond to her favourite email here at CBCSports.ca. Don't forget to include your name and where you're writing from. If you're willing to have Pj read your response on the air during a CBC broadcast, please tell her it's OK to do so.
Figure skating
Grand Prix dilemma has no easy fix
As I walked around the K-Rock Centre arena in Kingston, Ont., during the recent Skate Canada International competition, I was struck by the number of fans who came up to me, wanting to talk about the athletes who weren't competing during the Grand Prix events.
Figure skating
iAsk Pj: Copy Cats
CBC figure skating expert Pj Kwong answers your questions each week during the Grand Prix season. If you have a question for Pj, please send it to pjkwong@pjkwong.com and we may use it here on iAsk Pj. Here is this week's question and answer:
Figure skating
Fresh faces raised profile at Skate Canada
Both David Pelletier, my co-commentator on Bold, and I thought coming into Skate Canada International that it would be the perfect launching pad for some of the new faces whose Olympic journeys start now.
Figure skating
Canuck sweep on the cards at Skate Canada
The second stop on the six-city ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating series is the Skate Canada International in Kingston, Ont., this coming weekend. One of the advantages of being the host country is the ability to slate three entries in each of the four disciplines, and Canadians are the frontrunners in each category.
Figure skating
Asada's struggles show perils of coaching switch
It's at this time of year, as the figure skating season gets underway in earnest, that all of the changes that have taken place over the summer come to light.The most significant of those changes for a skater is the decision to switch coaches.
Figure skating
Olympic medallists on display at NHK Trophy
The first of six ISU Grand Prix figure skating events gets underway this weekend with the NHK Trophy in in Nagoya, Japan.
Figure skating
Canadian figure skaters preparing for big season
The excitement in the air was palpable this past week as Canada's top skaters descended on the Hershey Centre in Mississauga, Ont., for Skate Canada's high performance camp.
PJ Kwong
PJ is a self-proclaimed Word Broker who goes by the motto: I read them. I write them. I speak them. A degree from the University of Toronto studying Modern Languages has been put to good use as a bilingual PA announcer for, among other things, the last 5 Olympic Games, the FIFA U-20 2007 Men's World Cup and numerous international figure skating events since 1993.
Working as a figure skating coach for the last 25+ years led to commentating opportunities from CTV/TSN, ABC, Tokyo Broadcasting, CBC, Fuji TV, Seoul Broadcasting and CCTV among others. CBC has been home to Pj's skating voice, writing and commentary opinions since 2007. She would tell you that although working in skating is where her passion lies; she is the voice of lots of commercial projects, a blogger on her own site, a public speaker and with "Taking The Ice: Success Stories from the World of Canadian Figure Skating" a published author. You want opinions? She's got them. Follow her on Twitter to see.
