The curtain has come down for another year.
One more Canadian championships officially in the books, one more set of memories to file away — perhaps for as long as we live.
Scrapbooks, photos, videos and yes, even blogs. We all choose different ways to remember times such as these. Just ask Shae-Lynn Bourne: Four years after she and Victor Kraatz ended their competitive careers following their biggest triumph (a world championship in 2003 in Washington, D.C.), many of their biggest highlights have been preserved on a website that is a symbol of today’s generation: YouTube.
“I didn’t even know there was a YouTube,” Bourne remarked with a laugh after spending hours sifting through some of the moments she shared with Kraatz and skating fans around the world.
Now, whenever she needs a reminder, it’s a click of a mouse away.
It's true that, when we look back upon events such as these, it’s always the performances of the champions that seem to come to mind first. And make no mistake about: Jeffrey Buttle, Joannie Rochette, Jessica Dube (that admitted AC/DC fan) and Bryce Davison, and Marie-France Dubreuil and Patrice Lauzon — deservedly earns spots in our hearts.
But in keeping with the ‘alternative’ them of this blog, here’s five things I’ll cherish from a week spent in Nova Scotia.
A personal Halifax High Five, if you will.
1) His name, somewhat appropriately, often said a lot about what people thought about his chances at this event. Mabee he will, Mabee he won’t. But Christopher Mabee took a major step toward stardom in Halifax. Not only did he earn his first ticket to the world championships, Mabee showed he could get it done when the lights shone brightest. And nobody here was a better showman (Great Big Sea for a show program? In Halifax? Just brilliant, young man), or seemed to enjoy himself more on the ice. In other words, there are no maybes — or 'ordinary days' — anymore.
2) Full disclosure: Mrs. Doherty thinks the blog “really rocks.” That being said, this list wouldn’t be complete without Lesley Hawker’s name on it. More than perhaps anyone at this event, she embodies the spirit of what her sport — any sport — should be about. That, no matter how many times people say it can’t happen, if you follow your heart, if you never stop trying, your biggest dreams really can come true. At 25, Hawker is still going strong and keeps skating for all the right reasons. Hopefully, for a few more years yet. Yes, Mrs. Doherty, you rock, too.
3) It’s the story Hollywood just loves to tell. Girl falls in love with skating as a young child, and dreams of becoming a champion. The road is long and winding but, in the end, she makes it. Dana Zhalko-Tytarenko lived that story in Halifax. Just last year, the 15-year-old from Ottawa finished 14th as a novice. Today, she went home with the junior women’s gold medal in her suitcase. The utter joy — and yes, shock — Zhalko-Tytarenko showed as she talked about the unexpected win was my feel-good story of these Canadians. Even on Sunday night, she was still giddy about it at the closing banquet. Are you listening, Hollywood?
4) When I think of the favourite people I’ve met in 15 years of covering this sport, Shae-Lynn Bourne and Victor Kraatz always come quickly to mind. Not just for the titles they won and the amazing performances they gave us every time they stepped on the ice, but just for being who they are. Figure skating is so much richer for having had them be a part of it. Seeing them back together again for the Hall of Fame induction was an absolute treat for all of us. Knowing both will still be around rinks for years to come, sharing their passion with the next generation ... that’s the best thought of all.
5) A funny video during Sunday’s closing banquet asked the question: What is a Haligonian? Here’s my answer. The same thing they’ve always been. Some of the most warm, welcoming people you will ever meet in this country. Halifax is a wonderful city with a soul that every town and city across Canada would do well to emulate. Then again, my ‘most trusted Halifax source’ and her partner in ‘entertaining’ prose tought me that many years ago. Tell you what, Halifax. Any time you want to bring this event back to your city, I’m there. That's a promise.
Showing posts with label Ottawa. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ottawa. Show all posts
Monday, January 22, 2007
Saturday, January 20, 2007
The Face Of A Champion
If you walked by Dana Zhalko-Tytarenko this week and did the double take, you're not alone.
“Everybody tells me that, I always hear it,” the 15-year-old from Ottawa said yesterday as she talked about her skating idol.
“Either they say I skate like Oksana Baiul or I look like Oksana Baiul.”
Now she's a champion like Oksana Baiul.
While the title isn't world or Olympic champ, it seemed to mean just about as much to Zhalko-Tytarenko, a delightful, incredibly sweet teenager who lived a young girl's dream this morning by winning the junior women's gold medal.
Even a couple of hours later, the joy was still very evident on her face.
It still hadn't sunk in.
“I don't think it will until I get the medal,” said Zhalko-Tytarenko, who will have the gold slipped around her neck during Sunday's medal ceremony.
These are the stories that you love to tell or write about, that make you feel a certain warmth inside. A year ago, Zhalko-Tytarenko finished 14th as a novice at the Skate Canada Junior Nationals. She arrived in Halifax aiming for a top-five finish. Winning a Canadian title? The thought didn't even enter her mind.
Then, after placing third in the short program, she went out and delivered the free skate of her young life. Zhalko-Tytarenko, who skated last in the field, had no idea what went on before her. So when the No. 1 went up beside her name on the scoreboard, her jaw dropped and the cheers began to rise from the Metro Centre seats.
Canadian champion? Who, me?
“I still don't really believe it,” she said as she entered the media room for more interviews in an Eastern Ontario blue and white track suit, her long brown hair a perfect match for the big brown eyes that had a special sparkle on this day.
Zhalko-Tytarenko became the first Canadian junior women's champion from Ottawa since Angela Derochie of the Nepean Skating Club did it in Moncton, N.B., in 1992. Derochie now lives in Halifax and is part of the security staff working at the Civic Centre, the practice arena for this competition.
Zhalko-Tytarenko's story reads like figure skating road map. Her parents, Michael and Natalie, put her into skating on the advice of doctors in Kiev after she developed severe appendicitis before her second birthday. The family moved to Canada when Dana was four and settled in Winnipeg. Her coach there was Heather Kemkaran, a two-time Canadian women's champion.
When her father's job (he's an aerospace engineer) took the family to Washington, D.C. four years later, Kemkaran directed Zhalko-Tytarenko to famed coach Don Laws, who became her coach during her time there.
Two years later, it was off to Ottawa and the Minto Skating Club, where Zhalko-Tytarenko worked with Erik Loucks and Gordon Forbes. This year, she was on the move again, but this time for her skating: Zhalko-Tytarenko went back to the same rink in the Washington suburb of Laurel, Md., this time under the guidance of former Soviet ice dance star Genrikh Sretenski and his wife, Julia (they were her secondary coaches under Laws during her previous time there).
It was in Laurel that Zhalko-Tytarenko believes “everything came together” for her.
“I learned how to work more,” she said. “I’ve always been a hard worker, I don’t waste any time on the ice. But I’ve learned how to make every minute count and how to work on the right things.”
Next up for her will be completing a full set of triples: She wants to have everything up to the triple lutz in her arsenal for next season. Whether she'll stay junior or move up to senior, she doesn't know.
Then again, it's not like she thought she'd have to make that kind of decision this week.
“I really didn’t expect what happened here. I was not planning on this,” said a beaming Zhalko-Tytarenko, who still considers herself very much a proud Canadian.
“We are in Washington now, but I still think of Canada as my home.”
Sunday, they will drape the gold medal around her neck, and Dana Zhalko-Tytarenko will finally know that it's all very real.
That, like another Ukrainian skater she so admires, she is a champion, too.
Kinda looks like her too, don't you think?
“Everybody tells me that, I always hear it,” the 15-year-old from Ottawa said yesterday as she talked about her skating idol.
“Either they say I skate like Oksana Baiul or I look like Oksana Baiul.”
Now she's a champion like Oksana Baiul.
While the title isn't world or Olympic champ, it seemed to mean just about as much to Zhalko-Tytarenko, a delightful, incredibly sweet teenager who lived a young girl's dream this morning by winning the junior women's gold medal.
Even a couple of hours later, the joy was still very evident on her face.
It still hadn't sunk in.
“I don't think it will until I get the medal,” said Zhalko-Tytarenko, who will have the gold slipped around her neck during Sunday's medal ceremony.
These are the stories that you love to tell or write about, that make you feel a certain warmth inside. A year ago, Zhalko-Tytarenko finished 14th as a novice at the Skate Canada Junior Nationals. She arrived in Halifax aiming for a top-five finish. Winning a Canadian title? The thought didn't even enter her mind.
Then, after placing third in the short program, she went out and delivered the free skate of her young life. Zhalko-Tytarenko, who skated last in the field, had no idea what went on before her. So when the No. 1 went up beside her name on the scoreboard, her jaw dropped and the cheers began to rise from the Metro Centre seats.
Canadian champion? Who, me?
“I still don't really believe it,” she said as she entered the media room for more interviews in an Eastern Ontario blue and white track suit, her long brown hair a perfect match for the big brown eyes that had a special sparkle on this day.
Zhalko-Tytarenko became the first Canadian junior women's champion from Ottawa since Angela Derochie of the Nepean Skating Club did it in Moncton, N.B., in 1992. Derochie now lives in Halifax and is part of the security staff working at the Civic Centre, the practice arena for this competition.
Zhalko-Tytarenko's story reads like figure skating road map. Her parents, Michael and Natalie, put her into skating on the advice of doctors in Kiev after she developed severe appendicitis before her second birthday. The family moved to Canada when Dana was four and settled in Winnipeg. Her coach there was Heather Kemkaran, a two-time Canadian women's champion.
When her father's job (he's an aerospace engineer) took the family to Washington, D.C. four years later, Kemkaran directed Zhalko-Tytarenko to famed coach Don Laws, who became her coach during her time there.
Two years later, it was off to Ottawa and the Minto Skating Club, where Zhalko-Tytarenko worked with Erik Loucks and Gordon Forbes. This year, she was on the move again, but this time for her skating: Zhalko-Tytarenko went back to the same rink in the Washington suburb of Laurel, Md., this time under the guidance of former Soviet ice dance star Genrikh Sretenski and his wife, Julia (they were her secondary coaches under Laws during her previous time there).
It was in Laurel that Zhalko-Tytarenko believes “everything came together” for her.
“I learned how to work more,” she said. “I’ve always been a hard worker, I don’t waste any time on the ice. But I’ve learned how to make every minute count and how to work on the right things.”
Next up for her will be completing a full set of triples: She wants to have everything up to the triple lutz in her arsenal for next season. Whether she'll stay junior or move up to senior, she doesn't know.
Then again, it's not like she thought she'd have to make that kind of decision this week.
“I really didn’t expect what happened here. I was not planning on this,” said a beaming Zhalko-Tytarenko, who still considers herself very much a proud Canadian.
“We are in Washington now, but I still think of Canada as my home.”
Sunday, they will drape the gold medal around her neck, and Dana Zhalko-Tytarenko will finally know that it's all very real.
That, like another Ukrainian skater she so admires, she is a champion, too.
Kinda looks like her too, don't you think?
Friday, January 19, 2007
One For The Home Side?
Halifax can claim at least a piece of one of the junior ice dance medals.
Ottawa's Sophie Knippel, who won the bronze with Matthew Doleman of Dundas, Ont., was born in the Nova Scotia capital.
Vanessa Crone of Aurora, Ont., and Paul Poirier of Unionville, Ont., won the gold, while the silver went to Barrie's Joanna Lenko and Mitchell Islam.
*** Edmonton's Aaron Van Cleave, who won the junior pairs bronze medal with Sarah McCoy of Calgary, didn't have much time to celebrate. Less than 2-1/2 hours after their pairs free skate, Cleave was due to hit the ice for the senior men's short program. That's a busy day.
*** Speculation is in overdrive among us media types about where this event is headed next year (the 2008 site will be announced Sunday). We pretty certain it's heading west after three years in the east. A few of us had Winnipeg (which last played host to Canadians in 2001) and its sparkling MTS Centre as the frontrunner, but we've since figured out curling's Brier is there next year. So scratch the Manitoba capital. Calgary held worlds just last year and Edmonton was the Canadians host in 2004. Hmmm, that means Alberta's probably out, too. Which makes us ask: Come Sunday, will it be hello B.C.?
*** It's a grey, rainy day outside (so much for that bitter cold. For today, anyways). Should mean a boom in sales for those Skate Canada-logoed sou'westers you can snap up for ten bucks inside the Metro Centre. No souvenir in this building says Nova Scotia quite like it.
Ottawa's Sophie Knippel, who won the bronze with Matthew Doleman of Dundas, Ont., was born in the Nova Scotia capital.
Vanessa Crone of Aurora, Ont., and Paul Poirier of Unionville, Ont., won the gold, while the silver went to Barrie's Joanna Lenko and Mitchell Islam.
*** Edmonton's Aaron Van Cleave, who won the junior pairs bronze medal with Sarah McCoy of Calgary, didn't have much time to celebrate. Less than 2-1/2 hours after their pairs free skate, Cleave was due to hit the ice for the senior men's short program. That's a busy day.
*** Speculation is in overdrive among us media types about where this event is headed next year (the 2008 site will be announced Sunday). We pretty certain it's heading west after three years in the east. A few of us had Winnipeg (which last played host to Canadians in 2001) and its sparkling MTS Centre as the frontrunner, but we've since figured out curling's Brier is there next year. So scratch the Manitoba capital. Calgary held worlds just last year and Edmonton was the Canadians host in 2004. Hmmm, that means Alberta's probably out, too. Which makes us ask: Come Sunday, will it be hello B.C.?
*** It's a grey, rainy day outside (so much for that bitter cold. For today, anyways). Should mean a boom in sales for those Skate Canada-logoed sou'westers you can snap up for ten bucks inside the Metro Centre. No souvenir in this building says Nova Scotia quite like it.
Thursday, January 18, 2007
Cheers To You, Mrs. Doherty
Yes, that was me.
I made Lesley Hawker cry.
I'm the (choose you own adjective) guy who, after the “awful” (to use her word) short program that crushed her Olympic dreams in Ottawa last year, asked Hawker the dreaded 'so, that's not what you expected' question (perhaps you saw it on a CBC mini-documentary that aired just before the Turin Games). Then watched her dissolve into tears before saying emphatically 'I'm so much better a skater than that.'
Mrs. Doherty, I'm happy to report, was in much better spirits tonight.
She skated the short program of her 25-year-old life. And, after being bathed in her second-ever standing ovation at Canadians (and oh, how the only one of the night was so richly deserved), she talked about how that devastating night at the Civic Centre motivated her so much.
“I do not like to make the same mistake twice,” she said. “I like to learn from them.”
This is one spunky lady, you should know, without an ounce of quit in her.
“I'm from tough stock,” she said with a big grin. “I'm the oldest of 10 children. You don't just quit because you fall on your butt a couple times, that's for sure. My parents say when you start something, you want to finish it.
“More than one of my old coaches, and the one I have now (Richard Callaghan), said to me, 'you don't want to go out like that.' You want to show them you can go out on top.”
She just might. With an exquisite skate to music from Les Miserables (“my all-time favourite musical”), Hawker earned a personal best score of 53.57 — the No. 2 performance of the night behind two-time defending champion Joannie Rochette of Ile-Dupas, Que., who totalled 56.89.
Hawker also squeezed a hair in front of Vancouver teen Mira Leung — who was pretty terrific herself with a joyful skate to Pink Panther music — to grab temporary hold on the second Canadian women's ticket to the world championships in Tokyo. Although it's a tenuous edge over Leung, who scored 52.50. Former national junior champ Myriane Samson, of St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Que., is also in the mix at 51.94.
But Hawker, who married Jamie Doherty in June (and became Mrs. Doherty), seems to have the mental strength she needs this time to fight for that coveted world berth in Friday night's free skate final.
“That kind of stuff doesn't come overnight,” she said. “I'm surrounded by people who are willing to be real patient with me and work with me, perservere if you will. Now, it's all starting to show.
“When I skate, I don't skate for medals. I don't skate for anyone else. (Skating) makes me happy. And when you're nervous, you're not happy doing it. I just want to enjoy myself out there and be as good as I can be.”
A standing ovation was the icing on the cake. Hawker's first at this level came at her first Canadians in 2002 in Hamilton.
“I drew inspiration from that,” she said. “A couple of days ago, I thought about it and remembered that was a great moment, and that it would be nice to have one again. But they do say standing ovations can be addictive, so I'll have to be careful about that.”
Then Mrs. Doherty smiled that 100-watt smile of hers.
I'll take that moment over last year's any day.
I made Lesley Hawker cry.
I'm the (choose you own adjective) guy who, after the “awful” (to use her word) short program that crushed her Olympic dreams in Ottawa last year, asked Hawker the dreaded 'so, that's not what you expected' question (perhaps you saw it on a CBC mini-documentary that aired just before the Turin Games). Then watched her dissolve into tears before saying emphatically 'I'm so much better a skater than that.'
Mrs. Doherty, I'm happy to report, was in much better spirits tonight.
She skated the short program of her 25-year-old life. And, after being bathed in her second-ever standing ovation at Canadians (and oh, how the only one of the night was so richly deserved), she talked about how that devastating night at the Civic Centre motivated her so much.
“I do not like to make the same mistake twice,” she said. “I like to learn from them.”
This is one spunky lady, you should know, without an ounce of quit in her.
“I'm from tough stock,” she said with a big grin. “I'm the oldest of 10 children. You don't just quit because you fall on your butt a couple times, that's for sure. My parents say when you start something, you want to finish it.
“More than one of my old coaches, and the one I have now (Richard Callaghan), said to me, 'you don't want to go out like that.' You want to show them you can go out on top.”
She just might. With an exquisite skate to music from Les Miserables (“my all-time favourite musical”), Hawker earned a personal best score of 53.57 — the No. 2 performance of the night behind two-time defending champion Joannie Rochette of Ile-Dupas, Que., who totalled 56.89.
Hawker also squeezed a hair in front of Vancouver teen Mira Leung — who was pretty terrific herself with a joyful skate to Pink Panther music — to grab temporary hold on the second Canadian women's ticket to the world championships in Tokyo. Although it's a tenuous edge over Leung, who scored 52.50. Former national junior champ Myriane Samson, of St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Que., is also in the mix at 51.94.
But Hawker, who married Jamie Doherty in June (and became Mrs. Doherty), seems to have the mental strength she needs this time to fight for that coveted world berth in Friday night's free skate final.
“That kind of stuff doesn't come overnight,” she said. “I'm surrounded by people who are willing to be real patient with me and work with me, perservere if you will. Now, it's all starting to show.
“When I skate, I don't skate for medals. I don't skate for anyone else. (Skating) makes me happy. And when you're nervous, you're not happy doing it. I just want to enjoy myself out there and be as good as I can be.”
A standing ovation was the icing on the cake. Hawker's first at this level came at her first Canadians in 2002 in Hamilton.
“I drew inspiration from that,” she said. “A couple of days ago, I thought about it and remembered that was a great moment, and that it would be nice to have one again. But they do say standing ovations can be addictive, so I'll have to be careful about that.”
Then Mrs. Doherty smiled that 100-watt smile of hers.
I'll take that moment over last year's any day.
Same Old Song And Dance
Siobhan Karam and Joshua McGrath are right where they want to be at the Canadian figure skating championships.
In more ways than one.
The Minto Skating Club duo finds itself in fifth place after today's senior compulsory dance. Keep it up, and the second-year seniors — who finished seventh at home in Ottawa last year — are right in target to hit their goal this week in Halifax.
“We want to get on the national team, and skate our best, as always,” said McGrath, 21.
Their seventh-place finish a year ago meant no senior Grand Prix assignments in the fall. But Karam said that wasn't exactly a bad thing.
“We've been together so long, if we compete once in a year or 10 times a year, it still feels the same,” she said. “It really doesn't make a difference. It just gave us more time to train.”
It wouldn't be a Canadians without a Karam and McGrath travel adventure story. At least Karam, who owns one of the best smiles in figure skating, can grin about it now.
“We're used to that,” she said.
Karam's flight from their training base in Detroit was delayed and she missed her connection to Halifax. So she found herself stuck at the airport in Newark, N.J., for nine hours. She finally got here after 11 p.m. on Tuesday.
“I just did homework,” she said. “I brought all my books, thank God. If not, I would have wasted my whole day.”
Did she run out?
“Oh no, I could do it forever,” said Karam, 20, a third-year student at the University of Windsor, although she admits the extra study time has her ahead of the game.
“We have 40 hours a week of homework,” said McGrath, also in third year.
McGrath's flight was scheduled for Tuesday afternoon, but his was delayed, too. So rather than endure a long airport wait, he went back home and hopped on the plane the next morning. He got here Wednesday afternoon.
“We just changed our practice time, so it all worked out,” said Karam.
Now they can focus on making it all work out on the ice.
So far, so good in that area. And it could get better. With 29.00 points in the bank, Karam and McGrath are just 1.82 out of the bronze-medal position now occupied by Chantal Lefebvre of LaSalle, Que., and Moscow-born Arseniy Markov, who represents the Prescott Figure Skating Club. In between them, in fourth, are Lauren Senft of West Vancouver, B.C., and Winnipeg's Leif Gislason (30.70).
Worth noting: Canada can send three ice dance teams to the 2007 worlds in Tokyo.
In more ways than one.
The Minto Skating Club duo finds itself in fifth place after today's senior compulsory dance. Keep it up, and the second-year seniors — who finished seventh at home in Ottawa last year — are right in target to hit their goal this week in Halifax.
“We want to get on the national team, and skate our best, as always,” said McGrath, 21.
Their seventh-place finish a year ago meant no senior Grand Prix assignments in the fall. But Karam said that wasn't exactly a bad thing.
“We've been together so long, if we compete once in a year or 10 times a year, it still feels the same,” she said. “It really doesn't make a difference. It just gave us more time to train.”
It wouldn't be a Canadians without a Karam and McGrath travel adventure story. At least Karam, who owns one of the best smiles in figure skating, can grin about it now.
“We're used to that,” she said.
Karam's flight from their training base in Detroit was delayed and she missed her connection to Halifax. So she found herself stuck at the airport in Newark, N.J., for nine hours. She finally got here after 11 p.m. on Tuesday.
“I just did homework,” she said. “I brought all my books, thank God. If not, I would have wasted my whole day.”
Did she run out?
“Oh no, I could do it forever,” said Karam, 20, a third-year student at the University of Windsor, although she admits the extra study time has her ahead of the game.
“We have 40 hours a week of homework,” said McGrath, also in third year.
McGrath's flight was scheduled for Tuesday afternoon, but his was delayed, too. So rather than endure a long airport wait, he went back home and hopped on the plane the next morning. He got here Wednesday afternoon.
“We just changed our practice time, so it all worked out,” said Karam.
Now they can focus on making it all work out on the ice.
So far, so good in that area. And it could get better. With 29.00 points in the bank, Karam and McGrath are just 1.82 out of the bronze-medal position now occupied by Chantal Lefebvre of LaSalle, Que., and Moscow-born Arseniy Markov, who represents the Prescott Figure Skating Club. In between them, in fourth, are Lauren Senft of West Vancouver, B.C., and Winnipeg's Leif Gislason (30.70).
Worth noting: Canada can send three ice dance teams to the 2007 worlds in Tokyo.
Stepping Up In Class
Two straight years, they arrived at the Canadian figure skating championships awash in expections.
Allie Hann-McCurdy and Michael Coreno didn't disappoint. They grabbed the silver medal in junior dance in 2005 in London, Ont., in their first nationals together. A year ago in Ottawa, they rose to the top of the podium in Ottawa — a golden homecoming of sorts for Hann-McCurdy, who's from Orleans and represents the Gloucester Skating Club.
But it's a whole new world now for this promising young dance duo, which now calls Vancouver home and is coached by former world champion Victor Kraatz and his wife, Maikki Uotila Kraatz. They're first-year seniors just trying to get noticed this year in Halifax.
“It's much less nerve-wracking being in senior,” said Hann-McCurdy, 19. “Nobody expects anything from you ... Our goals are just based on our performances. Performing well and making people notice us. We'll talk about (placement) numbers next year.”
Hann-McCurdy and Coreno got a major introduction to the senior world in the fall with their first two senior Grand Prix assignments. They finished 10th at Trophee Eric Bompard in Paris and 11th at Skate America in Hartford, Conn. The field at both events included reigning world champions Albena Denkova and Maxim Staviski of Bulgaria.
“That definitely helped the transition to senior,” said Hann-McCurdy.
Added Coreno, 22, of Delhi, Ont.: “It's funny because there was less pressure doing that. You just want to showcase your skills and see what happens and get feedback.”
Hann-McCurdy and Coreno posted a score of 25.29 points for their Golden Waltz compulsory dance yesterday. That leaves them in ninth place out of 17 couples, just 0.24 points behind veteran seniors Mylene Lamoureux and Michael Mee of Quebec.
Allie Hann-McCurdy and Michael Coreno didn't disappoint. They grabbed the silver medal in junior dance in 2005 in London, Ont., in their first nationals together. A year ago in Ottawa, they rose to the top of the podium in Ottawa — a golden homecoming of sorts for Hann-McCurdy, who's from Orleans and represents the Gloucester Skating Club.
But it's a whole new world now for this promising young dance duo, which now calls Vancouver home and is coached by former world champion Victor Kraatz and his wife, Maikki Uotila Kraatz. They're first-year seniors just trying to get noticed this year in Halifax.
“It's much less nerve-wracking being in senior,” said Hann-McCurdy, 19. “Nobody expects anything from you ... Our goals are just based on our performances. Performing well and making people notice us. We'll talk about (placement) numbers next year.”
Hann-McCurdy and Coreno got a major introduction to the senior world in the fall with their first two senior Grand Prix assignments. They finished 10th at Trophee Eric Bompard in Paris and 11th at Skate America in Hartford, Conn. The field at both events included reigning world champions Albena Denkova and Maxim Staviski of Bulgaria.
“That definitely helped the transition to senior,” said Hann-McCurdy.
Added Coreno, 22, of Delhi, Ont.: “It's funny because there was less pressure doing that. You just want to showcase your skills and see what happens and get feedback.”
Hann-McCurdy and Coreno posted a score of 25.29 points for their Golden Waltz compulsory dance yesterday. That leaves them in ninth place out of 17 couples, just 0.24 points behind veteran seniors Mylene Lamoureux and Michael Mee of Quebec.
Ten For 2010?
One of the handy things Skate Canada prepares for the media at each major competition, such as this one, is a set of brief biographical sketches of every competitor. Besides the standard birthdate, home town, coach and club details, skaters are asked to supply a thought about their short and long-term goals.
I still smile when I think about a long-term goal a 14-year-old Vancouver skater expressed back at the 2004 Skate Canada Junior Nationals in Ottawa: “Ten for 2010.”
Jeremy Ten, who's 17 now and keeps rapidly moving up the ranks, took another impressive step toward his biggest goal with a supreme performance in the junior men's free skate today. Ten landed six triple jumps and posted a personal best score of 112.68 to blow away the field in what had been a close competition after the short program.
Ten, second after the short, finished with a 165.96 overall total— nearly 20 points better than silver medallist Elladj Balde of Pierrefonds, Que. Short program winner Jean-Simon Legare of Beauport, Que., took the bronze, while Nathan Last of the Nepean Skating Club wound up 14th.
“I'm so proud of what I did out there today,” said Ten of his fourth straight national medal (gold as pre-novice in 2004, silver in novice in 2005, silver in junior behind Labrador City's Joey Russell a year ago).
That catchy phrase he offered up three years ago?
Oh, it's still very much alive, too.
“We say that to him,” said Jill Marie Harvey, who coaches Ten with Joanne McLeod and Bruno Marcotte at the B.C. Centre of Excellence in Burnaby.
“It makes it seem more achievable.”
Ten's skating keeps doing a lot to make it seem possible, too.
I still smile when I think about a long-term goal a 14-year-old Vancouver skater expressed back at the 2004 Skate Canada Junior Nationals in Ottawa: “Ten for 2010.”
Jeremy Ten, who's 17 now and keeps rapidly moving up the ranks, took another impressive step toward his biggest goal with a supreme performance in the junior men's free skate today. Ten landed six triple jumps and posted a personal best score of 112.68 to blow away the field in what had been a close competition after the short program.
Ten, second after the short, finished with a 165.96 overall total— nearly 20 points better than silver medallist Elladj Balde of Pierrefonds, Que. Short program winner Jean-Simon Legare of Beauport, Que., took the bronze, while Nathan Last of the Nepean Skating Club wound up 14th.
“I'm so proud of what I did out there today,” said Ten of his fourth straight national medal (gold as pre-novice in 2004, silver in novice in 2005, silver in junior behind Labrador City's Joey Russell a year ago).
That catchy phrase he offered up three years ago?
Oh, it's still very much alive, too.
“We say that to him,” said Jill Marie Harvey, who coaches Ten with Joanne McLeod and Bruno Marcotte at the B.C. Centre of Excellence in Burnaby.
“It makes it seem more achievable.”
Ten's skating keeps doing a lot to make it seem possible, too.
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
Junior Achievement
The medal picture in the junior ice dance event came into rather clear focus this afternoon.
With an impressive victory in the original dance, Vanessa Crone of Aurora and Unionville's Paul Poirier put a virtual hammerlock on the battle for the gold medal. With a 77.03 overall point total, Crone and Poirier stretched their lead to 3.4 points over Barrie's Joanna Lenko and Mitchell Islam. That's a mountain in ice dance.
Lenko and Islam, meanwhile, are 3.74 points in front of third-place Sophie Knippel of Ottawa and Matthew Doleman of Dundas, who in turn are 4.11 better than the duo in fourth, Quebec's Karen Routhier and Eric Saucke-Lacelle.
In other words, you can pretty much guess the composition of the podium when the medals get handed out after Friday morning's free dance.
The first medals of the 2007 Canadian championships will be presented Thursday morning, after the junior men's free skate. The leaders in the chase for the medals after today's short program: Jean-Simon Legare of Beauport, Que. (54.25 points); Vancouver's Jeremy Ten (53.28), and Moscow-born Elladj Balde of Pierrefonds, Que. Nathan Last of the Nepean Skating Club stands 13th.
ON THE HOME FRONT:
*** Maybe this is finally Dana Zhalko-Tytarenko's turn. And what a place for it to happen for her. The petite 15-year-old from the Minto Skating Club has put together a strong competitive season from start to finish, but spent much of it playing bridesmaid. She finished second behind Nepean's Brooke Paulin (by a mere 0.03 points) at the Eastern Ontario Sectionals in November at the Nepean Sportsplex, and just missed a medal at the Eastern Challenge in Moncton, N.B., in December, winding up fourth behind clubmate Annie Claire Bergeron-Oliver by just 0.89 points.
But Zhalko-Tytarenko warmed to the big stage at the Metro Centre today, skating a confident short program to put herself in third place behind B.C.'s Kathryn Kang and Cecylia Witkowski. Kang scored 41.16 points, Witkowski 40.60 and Zhalko-Tytarenko 38.14. The Minto skater holds a 1.3-point edge over fourth-place Karine Chevrier of Pincourt, Que.
The free skate final is Saturday morning, and Zhalko-Tytarenko will close the show. She has drawn the final start position in the last of four flights.
Zhalko-Tytarenko, who was born in Kiev, switched her training base to Laurel, Md. this season. She is now coached by former Soviet ice dance star Genrikh Sretenski.
Bergeron-Oliver, who's battled an assortment of injuries this season, stands ninth after a solid skate today. With a 35.05-point total, she is less than two points away from cracking the top five. Bergeron-Oliver placed seventh in her junior debut at Canadians at home in Ottawa last year.
The third Minto skater in the event, Alexandrine Chong, placed 14th in the short.
*** You no doubt have noticed the look of this blog has changed. I thought the old template was a little tough on the eyes, so I changed it to something that's cleaner and (I hope) easier to read. Your comments on the new look are welcome, as always.
With an impressive victory in the original dance, Vanessa Crone of Aurora and Unionville's Paul Poirier put a virtual hammerlock on the battle for the gold medal. With a 77.03 overall point total, Crone and Poirier stretched their lead to 3.4 points over Barrie's Joanna Lenko and Mitchell Islam. That's a mountain in ice dance.
Lenko and Islam, meanwhile, are 3.74 points in front of third-place Sophie Knippel of Ottawa and Matthew Doleman of Dundas, who in turn are 4.11 better than the duo in fourth, Quebec's Karen Routhier and Eric Saucke-Lacelle.
In other words, you can pretty much guess the composition of the podium when the medals get handed out after Friday morning's free dance.
The first medals of the 2007 Canadian championships will be presented Thursday morning, after the junior men's free skate. The leaders in the chase for the medals after today's short program: Jean-Simon Legare of Beauport, Que. (54.25 points); Vancouver's Jeremy Ten (53.28), and Moscow-born Elladj Balde of Pierrefonds, Que. Nathan Last of the Nepean Skating Club stands 13th.
ON THE HOME FRONT:
*** Maybe this is finally Dana Zhalko-Tytarenko's turn. And what a place for it to happen for her. The petite 15-year-old from the Minto Skating Club has put together a strong competitive season from start to finish, but spent much of it playing bridesmaid. She finished second behind Nepean's Brooke Paulin (by a mere 0.03 points) at the Eastern Ontario Sectionals in November at the Nepean Sportsplex, and just missed a medal at the Eastern Challenge in Moncton, N.B., in December, winding up fourth behind clubmate Annie Claire Bergeron-Oliver by just 0.89 points.
But Zhalko-Tytarenko warmed to the big stage at the Metro Centre today, skating a confident short program to put herself in third place behind B.C.'s Kathryn Kang and Cecylia Witkowski. Kang scored 41.16 points, Witkowski 40.60 and Zhalko-Tytarenko 38.14. The Minto skater holds a 1.3-point edge over fourth-place Karine Chevrier of Pincourt, Que.
The free skate final is Saturday morning, and Zhalko-Tytarenko will close the show. She has drawn the final start position in the last of four flights.
Zhalko-Tytarenko, who was born in Kiev, switched her training base to Laurel, Md. this season. She is now coached by former Soviet ice dance star Genrikh Sretenski.
Bergeron-Oliver, who's battled an assortment of injuries this season, stands ninth after a solid skate today. With a 35.05-point total, she is less than two points away from cracking the top five. Bergeron-Oliver placed seventh in her junior debut at Canadians at home in Ottawa last year.
The third Minto skater in the event, Alexandrine Chong, placed 14th in the short.
*** You no doubt have noticed the look of this blog has changed. I thought the old template was a little tough on the eyes, so I changed it to something that's cleaner and (I hope) easier to read. Your comments on the new look are welcome, as always.
They Pay Me For This?
Today is 'junior day' at Canadians, meaning it's the younger set's turn in the spotlight while the big guns cool their heels away from competition ice for a day.
Which means, for lot of them, the highlight of the day (of course, right?) is the opening press conference at the Metro Centre. What skater doesn't relish the thought of spending as much time as possible talking with us ink-stained wretches (to coin an old phrase)?
Fortunately, in this sport, that statement isn't too much of a stretch. One thing you have to say about figure skaters: With very few exceptions, they're wonderfully nice people who do a lot to make our job easier.
Put it this way: If someone asked me to put together a top 20 list of my favourite athletes that I've dealt with over the years, I'd bet half of them (at least) would be figure skaters. And I hope some of the ones who'd be on that list know who they are (they should).
Let's just say there are a lot worse things a guy could get paid to do for a living.
NEWS AND NOTES
*** Skate Canada CEO William Thompson announced yesterday that Sony has inked a four-year deal as a major association sponsor. That would explain the Sony Bravia signs on the rinkboards. Which begs the question: When can we get one of those HD beauties in the media room? TSN is shooting the event in high def, after all. And trust me, it doesn't get much better than TV in HD. Then again, we might never leave our little workspace.
*** Speaking of TSN ... the network plans to offer Internet streaming of the winning performances of all the senior free skates and short programs, and the free and original dance on TSN Broadband. All will be up and running by the end of the dance event Sunday.
*** They do a really neat thing at the welcome reception at Canadians. All the skaters are paraded in as provincial teams, just like at the Canada Games, each with a 'flag bearer' (okay, sign carrier). Annie Claire Bergeron-Oliver of the Minto Skating Club did the honours for Eastern Ontario.
*** Couldn't help feeling a twinge of sadness — as many no doubt did — when the late, great Osborne Colson's image was displayed during a video from last year's Canadians in Ottawa that was shown during the ceremony. Patrick Chan, his former pupil, no doubt misses Ozzie every day and thinks of him plenty. This event, and the sport in Canada, just won't be the same without 'the wizard of Os.' (as former Sun colleague Barre Campbell — brother of Skate Canada media manager Melanie — called Colson in a fab piece last year).
Which means, for lot of them, the highlight of the day (of course, right?) is the opening press conference at the Metro Centre. What skater doesn't relish the thought of spending as much time as possible talking with us ink-stained wretches (to coin an old phrase)?
Fortunately, in this sport, that statement isn't too much of a stretch. One thing you have to say about figure skaters: With very few exceptions, they're wonderfully nice people who do a lot to make our job easier.
Put it this way: If someone asked me to put together a top 20 list of my favourite athletes that I've dealt with over the years, I'd bet half of them (at least) would be figure skaters. And I hope some of the ones who'd be on that list know who they are (they should).
Let's just say there are a lot worse things a guy could get paid to do for a living.
NEWS AND NOTES
*** Skate Canada CEO William Thompson announced yesterday that Sony has inked a four-year deal as a major association sponsor. That would explain the Sony Bravia signs on the rinkboards. Which begs the question: When can we get one of those HD beauties in the media room? TSN is shooting the event in high def, after all. And trust me, it doesn't get much better than TV in HD. Then again, we might never leave our little workspace.
*** Speaking of TSN ... the network plans to offer Internet streaming of the winning performances of all the senior free skates and short programs, and the free and original dance on TSN Broadband. All will be up and running by the end of the dance event Sunday.
*** They do a really neat thing at the welcome reception at Canadians. All the skaters are paraded in as provincial teams, just like at the Canada Games, each with a 'flag bearer' (okay, sign carrier). Annie Claire Bergeron-Oliver of the Minto Skating Club did the honours for Eastern Ontario.
*** Couldn't help feeling a twinge of sadness — as many no doubt did — when the late, great Osborne Colson's image was displayed during a video from last year's Canadians in Ottawa that was shown during the ceremony. Patrick Chan, his former pupil, no doubt misses Ozzie every day and thinks of him plenty. This event, and the sport in Canada, just won't be the same without 'the wizard of Os.' (as former Sun colleague Barre Campbell — brother of Skate Canada media manager Melanie — called Colson in a fab piece last year).
This Land Is Our Land
You bring together a couple hundred or so folks from across the country, you quickly find out what a vast land it is that we all call home.
It's a virtual geography lesson everywhere you turn.
Jeffrey Buttle's home town is listed as Smooth Rock Falls, a small burg in northern Ontario. Fellow Canadian champ Joannie Rochette hails from Ile-Dupas, a tiny village of about 500 about an hour this side of Montreal. And on and on it goes.
Just last night, I learned all about the famed Cherry Festival in Blenheim, a town of 4,800 in southwestern Ontario, not far from Chatham (Shae-Lynn Bourne's home town, don't ya know). The highlight of the festival is the Pit Spitting Contest, from which a winner emerges to contest a world championship somewhere in Michigan.
Of course, all of this was amusing to moi because I spent a number of years working in St. Thomas, which happens to be about an hour's drive east of Blenheim (with hotspots such as Dutton, West Lorne, Rodney and Ridgetown along the way).
St. T was a major railway hub back in the day, and its biggest claim to fame is that P.T. Barnum's largest elephant (the aptly named Jumbo) met its demise on the Grand Trunk line there in 1885. There is even a life-sized statue in the west end of the city that was erected in memory of the giant pachyderm. A former mayor once had 'Jumbo' as his licence plate (no, I'm not making any of this up).
But I digress ...
My source for the Blenheim gem was none other than Skate Canada's fine young 'facility manager' at the Halifax Civic Centre (a.k.a. the Forum), which is serving as the practice rink here. The word is that, like most practice rinks at Canadians, it's colder than ... well, outside ... there. In other words, like a lot of the small-town iceboxes I used to cover junior hockey in during my St. T. life.
I don't doubt the Forum fits into the same category, given the source.
After all, Sarah is from Blenheim.
(though she happily — and wisely, I might add — now calls Ottawa home).
It's a virtual geography lesson everywhere you turn.
Jeffrey Buttle's home town is listed as Smooth Rock Falls, a small burg in northern Ontario. Fellow Canadian champ Joannie Rochette hails from Ile-Dupas, a tiny village of about 500 about an hour this side of Montreal. And on and on it goes.
Just last night, I learned all about the famed Cherry Festival in Blenheim, a town of 4,800 in southwestern Ontario, not far from Chatham (Shae-Lynn Bourne's home town, don't ya know). The highlight of the festival is the Pit Spitting Contest, from which a winner emerges to contest a world championship somewhere in Michigan.
Of course, all of this was amusing to moi because I spent a number of years working in St. Thomas, which happens to be about an hour's drive east of Blenheim (with hotspots such as Dutton, West Lorne, Rodney and Ridgetown along the way).
St. T was a major railway hub back in the day, and its biggest claim to fame is that P.T. Barnum's largest elephant (the aptly named Jumbo) met its demise on the Grand Trunk line there in 1885. There is even a life-sized statue in the west end of the city that was erected in memory of the giant pachyderm. A former mayor once had 'Jumbo' as his licence plate (no, I'm not making any of this up).
But I digress ...
My source for the Blenheim gem was none other than Skate Canada's fine young 'facility manager' at the Halifax Civic Centre (a.k.a. the Forum), which is serving as the practice rink here. The word is that, like most practice rinks at Canadians, it's colder than ... well, outside ... there. In other words, like a lot of the small-town iceboxes I used to cover junior hockey in during my St. T. life.
I don't doubt the Forum fits into the same category, given the source.
After all, Sarah is from Blenheim.
(though she happily — and wisely, I might add — now calls Ottawa home).
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Joey Rocks The House
If you listened closely last night, you might have heard them cheering all the way from Labrador City.
Joey Russell, well on his way to becoming the biggest name the province has ever had in this sport (if he isn't already), drew a well-earned standing ovation during the men's qualifying session at the Metro Centre last night. Russell landed seven triples jumps — including a pair of impressive triple-triple combinations — in a fine display of improvement. His score of 117.63 was a personal best by nearly 13 points, a whopping improvement.
It was the performance of the night until Edmonton's Vaughn Chipeur went a tad better, posting a 117.94 score to win the night. Everyone goes back to zero, though, for Friday's short program.
Russell, who won the junior men's title a year ago at the Ottawa Civic Centre, has seen his star has continue its rapid ascent since he set up camp at the Mariposa School of Skating in Barrie under the tutelage of Lee Barkell — the same coach who guides the fortunes of Olympic bronze medallist Jeffrey Buttle.
The 18-year-old Russell should be a skater to watch in the years to come.
They're surely paying big attention back home in Lab City.
ON THE HOME FRONT
*** Ottawa's Sophie Knippel and partner Matthew Doleman of Dundas stand third after the compulsories in what is shaping up to be a tight race for the podium in the junior ice dance event. Two Quebec teams are within 0.30 points of the Knippel/Doleman duo heading into today's original dance.
*** It was a good day for three Eastern Ontario skaters in men's qualifying. Brennan Martin (11th) of the Minto Skating Club, and Kingston's Jamie Forsythe (12th) and Tyler Cochrane (13th) all advanced to Thursday's short program. Minto's Michael Elias (19th) was eliminated.
Joey Russell, well on his way to becoming the biggest name the province has ever had in this sport (if he isn't already), drew a well-earned standing ovation during the men's qualifying session at the Metro Centre last night. Russell landed seven triples jumps — including a pair of impressive triple-triple combinations — in a fine display of improvement. His score of 117.63 was a personal best by nearly 13 points, a whopping improvement.
It was the performance of the night until Edmonton's Vaughn Chipeur went a tad better, posting a 117.94 score to win the night. Everyone goes back to zero, though, for Friday's short program.
Russell, who won the junior men's title a year ago at the Ottawa Civic Centre, has seen his star has continue its rapid ascent since he set up camp at the Mariposa School of Skating in Barrie under the tutelage of Lee Barkell — the same coach who guides the fortunes of Olympic bronze medallist Jeffrey Buttle.
The 18-year-old Russell should be a skater to watch in the years to come.
They're surely paying big attention back home in Lab City.
ON THE HOME FRONT
*** Ottawa's Sophie Knippel and partner Matthew Doleman of Dundas stand third after the compulsories in what is shaping up to be a tight race for the podium in the junior ice dance event. Two Quebec teams are within 0.30 points of the Knippel/Doleman duo heading into today's original dance.
*** It was a good day for three Eastern Ontario skaters in men's qualifying. Brennan Martin (11th) of the Minto Skating Club, and Kingston's Jamie Forsythe (12th) and Tyler Cochrane (13th) all advanced to Thursday's short program. Minto's Michael Elias (19th) was eliminated.
A New Beginning
Every time I walked past Amanda Billings at last year's world championships in Calgary, I couldn't help feeling a touch of sadness.
Not that Billings didn't have a blast playing volunteer at such a big event in her home town (she'll tell you she soaked up every minute of it). But you know, somewhere deep down inside, she wished it was her out there on the ice, living the biggest of dreams in the arena first made famous by the 1988 Winter Olympics.
The poor girl just never had a chance.
Billings showed up injured at the Canadian championships two months earlier in Ottawa, having badly sprained an ankle during a freak off-ice accident. The gutsy Albertan gave it a shot anyways, but the pain was too great after she endured the qualifying session. So up went the WD beside her name. Not to suggest Mira Leung wasn't a deserving world team member (with two-time national champ Joannie Rochette), but a healthy Billings certainly would have been a worthy challenger in Ottawa for both the Olympic and world teams.
It's with that backdrop that a smiling Billings talked yesterday about being happy to be back in the game again.
“It's just great to be injury free,” said Billings, 20, who finished fifth in yesterday's women's qualifying session to advance to Thursday's short program. “It was a whole different experience, not to have to be worrying about an injury in the back of your mind.
“Just to get back here was a great experience.”
One final women's qualifying note: Gatineau's Kim Caissy, a former Canadian juvenile and pre-novice champ, snagged the 14th of 15 available spots for the short program.
Not that Billings didn't have a blast playing volunteer at such a big event in her home town (she'll tell you she soaked up every minute of it). But you know, somewhere deep down inside, she wished it was her out there on the ice, living the biggest of dreams in the arena first made famous by the 1988 Winter Olympics.
The poor girl just never had a chance.
Billings showed up injured at the Canadian championships two months earlier in Ottawa, having badly sprained an ankle during a freak off-ice accident. The gutsy Albertan gave it a shot anyways, but the pain was too great after she endured the qualifying session. So up went the WD beside her name. Not to suggest Mira Leung wasn't a deserving world team member (with two-time national champ Joannie Rochette), but a healthy Billings certainly would have been a worthy challenger in Ottawa for both the Olympic and world teams.
It's with that backdrop that a smiling Billings talked yesterday about being happy to be back in the game again.
“It's just great to be injury free,” said Billings, 20, who finished fifth in yesterday's women's qualifying session to advance to Thursday's short program. “It was a whole different experience, not to have to be worrying about an injury in the back of your mind.
“Just to get back here was a great experience.”
One final women's qualifying note: Gatineau's Kim Caissy, a former Canadian juvenile and pre-novice champ, snagged the 14th of 15 available spots for the short program.
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