Let's see now.
Jeffrey Buttle sits out three months waiting for a stress fracture in his lower back to heal. Has to pass on the entire fall season, meaning he won't compete for real until the Canadian championships.
Then the guy goes out and hangs up the highest men's score — a whopping two-program total of 232.83 — ever recorded by a Canadian skater.
Tell me again how there were supposed to be doubts about where he was at?
“For him to come out after three months and put out two solid performances, that just shows you what kind of competitor he is,” said silver-medal winner Christopher Mabee, who should know — he's Buttle's training mate and good buddy.
“He really wants it, so he went out and got it.”
Did he ever. Seven triple jumps later, Buttle blew away the field for his third straight Canadian title. Even when he popped a triple Axel, Buttle was wily enough to throw in a second triple flip later.
So, Mr. Buttle, whaddya think?
“The back definitely feels good,” he said with a laugh.
“I’m definitely happy with the way it went. Obviously, it wasn’t perfect, and I think conditioning definitely played a role in that. I felt fine going into the second (triple Axel), but obviously there was a mental block. I’m happy that, after the Axel, I knew that because I singled it, I could add another triple later on. A little bit of number playing, maybe, in the program.”
Not that he was hurting for points. His 153.98-point score for the program was 11.7 better than former champ Emanuel Sandhu, who wound up with the bronze, and more than 20 higher than Mabee posted.
Buttle admitted later he felt comfortable — sort of — that it would hold up, even with Sandhu and Mabee yet to skate.
“I had an inkling (it was good enough),” he said. “But I had seen how Chris had been training at home, doing clean programs, clean run-throughs. He was only three points behind and I knew what I was capable of, so I definitely didn’t think I had it in the bag. (But) I felt pretty confident it would hold up.”
The music for Buttle's entrancing free program, from the movie Ararat, is a tribute to the Armenian coach, Rafael Arutunian, who guides his fortunes along with Lee Barkell at the Mariposa School of Skating in Barrie, Ont. Given what Buttle has been through this season, it was kind of appropriate.
“It’s about a struggle, and I was definitely feeling a bit of a struggle at the end of the program (tonight),” he said. “But I fought through that.”
Chris Mabee had it right. That's just what champions do.
Showing posts with label Mariposa. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mariposa. Show all posts
Saturday, January 20, 2007
Mabee, He Did
There are no maybes about Christopher Mabee anymore.
The young man from Tillsonburg, Ont., stared the big spotlight down tonight in the men's free skate and yes, it is true — he wobbled at a few moments. But this is the new Chris Mabee, as he reminded us again tonight.
So when the Canadian men's team was finally set for the world championships in Tokyo after one dandy night of skating, the list included Mabee's name for the first time.
Relief? You bet.
“I had two big errors,” said Mabee, 21, who popped a triple Axel and triple Salchow. “I just really questioned whether it was enough, and I’m so happy that it was because I’m really ready to go to worlds.”
Jeffrey Buttle, his good friend and training mate at the Mariposa School of Skating in Barrie, Ont., surely agreed.
“I’m really happy for him,” said Buttle. “He’s been capable of that for the past couple of years, so to see him go out there and put down two solid performances like that was really good.”
After Buttle, Shawn Sawyer of Edmundston, N.B., and Emanuel Sandhu of Richmond Hill, Ont., all brought the house down with terrific performances, it was all on Mabee, who skated in the final start position.
“Did I feel nervous? Yeah, I did,” Mabee admitted. “Especially after sitting in a room by myself, all the doubts started creeping in. I tried to keep them away and think about what I had to do to give a good performance.”
The magic number to make the team was about 125 points. But Mabee posted 133.63 for his wildly entertaining program, snagged himself another standing ovation, and climbed past Sandhu into the silver medal position. Mabee totalled 209.31, Sandhu 207.49.
The result stung Sandhu, whose medal collection at Canadians, up until now, included three gold and six silver medals as a senior.
“It hurts a little bit, because I was hungry for my title back, I was hungry for a gold medal,” said Sandhu. “I put in the work and I felt I could do it. I was practising like a champion all week and I competed like a champion today. I didn’t compete like a champion yesterday (in the short program) and that’s what took me out of the title position.”
The young man from Tillsonburg, Ont., stared the big spotlight down tonight in the men's free skate and yes, it is true — he wobbled at a few moments. But this is the new Chris Mabee, as he reminded us again tonight.
So when the Canadian men's team was finally set for the world championships in Tokyo after one dandy night of skating, the list included Mabee's name for the first time.
Relief? You bet.
“I had two big errors,” said Mabee, 21, who popped a triple Axel and triple Salchow. “I just really questioned whether it was enough, and I’m so happy that it was because I’m really ready to go to worlds.”
Jeffrey Buttle, his good friend and training mate at the Mariposa School of Skating in Barrie, Ont., surely agreed.
“I’m really happy for him,” said Buttle. “He’s been capable of that for the past couple of years, so to see him go out there and put down two solid performances like that was really good.”
After Buttle, Shawn Sawyer of Edmundston, N.B., and Emanuel Sandhu of Richmond Hill, Ont., all brought the house down with terrific performances, it was all on Mabee, who skated in the final start position.
“Did I feel nervous? Yeah, I did,” Mabee admitted. “Especially after sitting in a room by myself, all the doubts started creeping in. I tried to keep them away and think about what I had to do to give a good performance.”
The magic number to make the team was about 125 points. But Mabee posted 133.63 for his wildly entertaining program, snagged himself another standing ovation, and climbed past Sandhu into the silver medal position. Mabee totalled 209.31, Sandhu 207.49.
The result stung Sandhu, whose medal collection at Canadians, up until now, included three gold and six silver medals as a senior.
“It hurts a little bit, because I was hungry for my title back, I was hungry for a gold medal,” said Sandhu. “I put in the work and I felt I could do it. I was practising like a champion all week and I competed like a champion today. I didn’t compete like a champion yesterday (in the short program) and that’s what took me out of the title position.”
Friday, January 19, 2007
Mabee He Will
Christopher Mabee didn't exactly show up in Halifax with thoughts of a Canadian championship dancing in his head.
But he'll have a hard time fending off that sentiment now.
Mabee had the Metro Centre crowd in the palm of his hands with a bouncy, exhilirating — and, oh yes, clean as a whistle — performance that brought 'em to their feet after he was done. Suddenly, the perennial bridesmaid from Tillsonburg, Ont., has a national title clearly in his sights.
“It's always been in my head, it's always been a goal of mine,” admitted Mabee, 21. “It's very close right now, but my focus isn't on winning, it's getting the performance done. Then you'll receive the reward afterward.”
Mabee surely got his last night — first from the audience, which enveloped Mabee (who couldn't stop smiling) with a standing ovation. Then the judges handed him 75.68 points, a personal best by a whopping seven points.
“I had a blast out there,” said Mabee, who seems to earn a standing ovation at just about every Canadians he enters. “I finally put it out in competition like I know I can.”
For three years now, Mabee has been chugging close to the medal podium: Sixth in 2004, then fifth, then fourth. With a 10.47-point edge over third-place Emanuel Sandhu and nearly 12 over the rest, Mabee is looking good to secure one of Canada's three men's berths for the world championships in Tokyo. He seems completely relaxed on the ice, and has found the right comfort zone mentally.
“I tell myself to be confident in myself,” said Mabee, who's drawn the final start position for Saturday night's free skate final. “Know that I can do it, don't just tell myself that I think I can ... that's when doubts creep in. I think that's what I did during the short program. I went out and said 'I know I can do this clean.' ”
While Mabee held court with the media, his friend Jeffrey Buttle stood off to the side, waiting his turn. Buttle couldn't stifle a grin or two while Mabee spoke, then gave him a warm hug afterward.
“We're pretty much best friends, we hang out all the time,” said Buttle, 24, the two-time defending champ from Smooth Rock Falls, Ont. “I didn't see (Mabee's skate), but I heard (the ovation) and I watch him every day and he does it well.
“That was really cool to skate after that.”
Despite falling on a triple Axel, Buttle posted a 78.85-point score to build a slim lead over Mabee, his training mate at the Mariposa School of Skating in Barrie, Ont. Given the fact he's missed most of the season recovering from a stress fracture in his lower back, Buttle admits a third title would be particularly sweet.
“It would mean a lot, especially considering the circumstances this year,” said Buttle, who declared himself in “the best shape of my life” after being off the ice for three months because of the injury. “It would be a big confidence booster for me (to win again).”
His good buddy Christopher Mabee, no doubt, can tell him how much that can mean.
But he'll have a hard time fending off that sentiment now.
Mabee had the Metro Centre crowd in the palm of his hands with a bouncy, exhilirating — and, oh yes, clean as a whistle — performance that brought 'em to their feet after he was done. Suddenly, the perennial bridesmaid from Tillsonburg, Ont., has a national title clearly in his sights.
“It's always been in my head, it's always been a goal of mine,” admitted Mabee, 21. “It's very close right now, but my focus isn't on winning, it's getting the performance done. Then you'll receive the reward afterward.”
Mabee surely got his last night — first from the audience, which enveloped Mabee (who couldn't stop smiling) with a standing ovation. Then the judges handed him 75.68 points, a personal best by a whopping seven points.
“I had a blast out there,” said Mabee, who seems to earn a standing ovation at just about every Canadians he enters. “I finally put it out in competition like I know I can.”
For three years now, Mabee has been chugging close to the medal podium: Sixth in 2004, then fifth, then fourth. With a 10.47-point edge over third-place Emanuel Sandhu and nearly 12 over the rest, Mabee is looking good to secure one of Canada's three men's berths for the world championships in Tokyo. He seems completely relaxed on the ice, and has found the right comfort zone mentally.
“I tell myself to be confident in myself,” said Mabee, who's drawn the final start position for Saturday night's free skate final. “Know that I can do it, don't just tell myself that I think I can ... that's when doubts creep in. I think that's what I did during the short program. I went out and said 'I know I can do this clean.' ”
While Mabee held court with the media, his friend Jeffrey Buttle stood off to the side, waiting his turn. Buttle couldn't stifle a grin or two while Mabee spoke, then gave him a warm hug afterward.
“We're pretty much best friends, we hang out all the time,” said Buttle, 24, the two-time defending champ from Smooth Rock Falls, Ont. “I didn't see (Mabee's skate), but I heard (the ovation) and I watch him every day and he does it well.
“That was really cool to skate after that.”
Despite falling on a triple Axel, Buttle posted a 78.85-point score to build a slim lead over Mabee, his training mate at the Mariposa School of Skating in Barrie, Ont. Given the fact he's missed most of the season recovering from a stress fracture in his lower back, Buttle admits a third title would be particularly sweet.
“It would mean a lot, especially considering the circumstances this year,” said Buttle, who declared himself in “the best shape of my life” after being off the ice for three months because of the injury. “It would be a big confidence booster for me (to win again).”
His good buddy Christopher Mabee, no doubt, can tell him how much that can mean.
Promising Pair
Carolyn MacCuish and Andrew Evans surely felt plenty of those moments of awe, as some of the champions they've looked up to passed them in the hallways of the Metro Centre.
Now they own Canadian championships gold medals of their own.
MacCuish and Evans didn't wait long to make a splash at their first Canadians, winning the junior pairs crown this afternoon. The first-year juniors were tops in both the short program and the free skate, with their 122.02-point total edging out Montrealers Amanda Velenosi and Mark Fernandez (119.07) for the gold.
“Honestly, we're surprised,” said Evans, 18, of Caledon East, Ont. “We came in hoping to be top five, make the junior national team and get some trips around the world.”
That's a given now, considering Skate Canada sent them to a pair of Junior Grand Prix events this season. They finished sixth in Oslo and seventh in Liberac, Czech Republic.
“They have a great future,” said Jacinthe Lariviere, a former Canadian pairs champion (with Lenny Faustino) who coaches the young team at the Mariposa School of Skating in Barrie, Ont. with Lee Barkell and Shane Dennison. “They work really hard at home ... They know what they want, and they have a lot of confidence in each other.”
MacCuish and Evans previously trained in Toronto with coach Kim Hanford. But when Hanford retired, she directed them to the Mariposa camp. It meant MacCuish had to leave home in Burlington, Ont., at the tender age of 13 (she's 14 now).
“It's really young (to leave home),” said Lariviere. “I can tell you her mom misses her a lot, but she knows she's happy.”
Never more so than yesterday.
“Sometimes, it's a bit difficult,” said a smiling MacCuish, who boards with a family in Barrie. “But winning today makes it all worthwhile.”
(An aside: Dennison's wife, Jennifer Robinson, left Windsor, Ont., when she was 13 to move to Barrie, and has told the story many times of crying in the back seat of the car almost all the way on the drive to her new home. Six Canadian titles, and top-10 finishes at the Olympics and world championships later, things worked out rather well in the end, we think. Oh, yeah ... she still happily lives in Barrie).
The last two years, MacCuish and Evans were medallists at the Skate Canada Junior Nationals — silver as pre-novices in 2005, and bronze in novice a year ago. So this was their first trip to the “big Canadians,” as Evans called it.
“It's so much different but it's so much more fun,” he said. “We see all the people we idolized and watch them go by and just go 'wow.' ”
Welcome to the Canadian champions' club, kids.
Now they own Canadian championships gold medals of their own.
MacCuish and Evans didn't wait long to make a splash at their first Canadians, winning the junior pairs crown this afternoon. The first-year juniors were tops in both the short program and the free skate, with their 122.02-point total edging out Montrealers Amanda Velenosi and Mark Fernandez (119.07) for the gold.
“Honestly, we're surprised,” said Evans, 18, of Caledon East, Ont. “We came in hoping to be top five, make the junior national team and get some trips around the world.”
That's a given now, considering Skate Canada sent them to a pair of Junior Grand Prix events this season. They finished sixth in Oslo and seventh in Liberac, Czech Republic.
“They have a great future,” said Jacinthe Lariviere, a former Canadian pairs champion (with Lenny Faustino) who coaches the young team at the Mariposa School of Skating in Barrie, Ont. with Lee Barkell and Shane Dennison. “They work really hard at home ... They know what they want, and they have a lot of confidence in each other.”
MacCuish and Evans previously trained in Toronto with coach Kim Hanford. But when Hanford retired, she directed them to the Mariposa camp. It meant MacCuish had to leave home in Burlington, Ont., at the tender age of 13 (she's 14 now).
“It's really young (to leave home),” said Lariviere. “I can tell you her mom misses her a lot, but she knows she's happy.”
Never more so than yesterday.
“Sometimes, it's a bit difficult,” said a smiling MacCuish, who boards with a family in Barrie. “But winning today makes it all worthwhile.”
(An aside: Dennison's wife, Jennifer Robinson, left Windsor, Ont., when she was 13 to move to Barrie, and has told the story many times of crying in the back seat of the car almost all the way on the drive to her new home. Six Canadian titles, and top-10 finishes at the Olympics and world championships later, things worked out rather well in the end, we think. Oh, yeah ... she still happily lives in Barrie).
The last two years, MacCuish and Evans were medallists at the Skate Canada Junior Nationals — silver as pre-novices in 2005, and bronze in novice a year ago. So this was their first trip to the “big Canadians,” as Evans called it.
“It's so much different but it's so much more fun,” he said. “We see all the people we idolized and watch them go by and just go 'wow.' ”
Welcome to the Canadian champions' club, kids.
Monday, January 15, 2007
The Gang's All Here
Here's what I love about Canadians.
(well, one of many things)
I go over the Delta Halifax to pick up my accreditation, and who do I see but Gatineau's own Valerie Marcoux and her dashing partner Craig Buntin, the three-time defending pairs champions. We exchange pleasantries like we've known each other for years. Well, because we have (10 and counting in Val's case).
I'm not down the hall a few steps and I run into some coaches (David Graham of Nepean) and skaters (Nepean's Brooke Paulin and Minto's Annie Claire Bergeron Oliver) I know from Ottawa, all with that smile of satisfaction you get when you've earned your way to the big show. Michelle Leigh from Barrie's haven of skating talent, the Mariposa School of Skating, wanders over to say hello. So does that charming two-time Canadian women's champion, Joannie Rochette, who's just arrived from Montreal a few days after turning 21.
See, it's not so big that it doesn't have that feel of a family reunion. Lots of folks you only see once or twice a year, but always let you know they're happy you're here, too.
That goes for the small group of us in the media who cover these events regularly (this is Canadians No. 15 for me). Haven't crossed paths with any of my fellow scribes yet, but the action gets rolling at the rink tomorrow.
The stories will soon begin to be written. Or get told.
Of that, I have no doubt.
(well, one of many things)
I go over the Delta Halifax to pick up my accreditation, and who do I see but Gatineau's own Valerie Marcoux and her dashing partner Craig Buntin, the three-time defending pairs champions. We exchange pleasantries like we've known each other for years. Well, because we have (10 and counting in Val's case).
I'm not down the hall a few steps and I run into some coaches (David Graham of Nepean) and skaters (Nepean's Brooke Paulin and Minto's Annie Claire Bergeron Oliver) I know from Ottawa, all with that smile of satisfaction you get when you've earned your way to the big show. Michelle Leigh from Barrie's haven of skating talent, the Mariposa School of Skating, wanders over to say hello. So does that charming two-time Canadian women's champion, Joannie Rochette, who's just arrived from Montreal a few days after turning 21.
See, it's not so big that it doesn't have that feel of a family reunion. Lots of folks you only see once or twice a year, but always let you know they're happy you're here, too.
That goes for the small group of us in the media who cover these events regularly (this is Canadians No. 15 for me). Haven't crossed paths with any of my fellow scribes yet, but the action gets rolling at the rink tomorrow.
The stories will soon begin to be written. Or get told.
Of that, I have no doubt.
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