(July 24, 2007)

A number of Skate Canada athletes participated in a special show organized for the grand reopening of pavillon de la Jeunesse in Québec City on July 19, 2007.

Athletes taking part in the event included five-time Canadian Ice Dance Champions and two-time world silver medallists Marie-France Dubreuil and Patrice Lauzon, 2007 Canadian Pair Champions Jessica Dubé and Bryce Davison, and Skate Canada national team members Shawn Sawyer and Cynthia Phaneuf.

Dubreuil and Lauzon, who announced they will not be competing in the 2007-2008 season, rocked the house with their performance to Led Zeppelin’s Whole Lotta Love. Another special moment was when 2004 Canadian Champion Cynthia Phaneuf skated to Strangers in the Night sung live by Marc Ferland, a former skater who won the national novice title in 1982. Skating fans also enjoyed Dubé and Davison’s number to the song Qui je suis from Quebec star singer Andrée Watters.

Dubé and Davison and Phaneuf will be back in Québec City in November to compete in the 2007 HomeSense Skate Canada International, which will take place Nov. 1 - 4, 2007 at the Colisée Pepsi. All-event tickets to the event can be purchased online at www.billetech.com, by phone at 418-691-7211 or 1-800-900-SHOW, or in person at the Colisée Pepsi box office.

Le pavillon de la Jeunesse, which originally opened in 1930 and is located on the Expocité grounds, has been closed for just under a year in order to complete the upgrades to the facility. The grand reopening on Thursday July 19 was the first event in the newly renovated facility.