Newly-crowned Canadian Ladies Champion Cynthia Phaneuf, 16, of Sorel-Tracy, Que., was awarded a Possibility Award for her outstanding performances at the 2004 BMO Financial Group Canadian Championships.

Edmonton’s Ben Ferreira, 24, who won the silver medal in the Senior Men’s event at the 2004 BMO Financial Group Canadian Championships, was honoured for his career best free skate performance at the event.

Ice Dancers Josée Piché, 29, of Le Gardeur, Que., and Pascal Denis, 28, of Repentigny, Que., who placed fourth in the Senior Ice Dance event at the 2004 BMO Financial Group Canadian Championships, were presented with a Possibility Award for their outstanding performance in the original dance.

Erin Scherrer, of Waterloo, Ont., was honoured for her strong performances and her courage at the 2004 BMO Financial Group Canadian Championships. The 16-year-old overcame an injury suffered on site and went on to not only complete her programs, but to claim the bronze medal in the Junior Ladies event on the strength of two virtually flawless performances.

Also awarded a BMO Financial Group Possibility Award were Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir. Virtue, a 14-year-old London, Ont. native, and Moir, 16, of Ilderton, Ont., who won the gold medal in the Junior Ice Dance event, were recognized for their excellent performances throughout the event.

A total of seven BMO Financial Group Possibility Awards, as well as the Underhill Martini Scholarship Award, were also presented at the 2004 BMO Financial Group Skate Canada Junior Nationals, which were held Feb. 4 to 7, 2004 in Nepean, Ont.

The recipients of the BMO Financial Group Possibility Awards were all honoured for their outstanding performances at the event. The following athletes were presented with BMO Financial Group Possibility Awards:

Amanda Valentine - 13, Ottawa - 2004 Canadian Novice Ladies Champion
Patrick Chan - 13, Toronto - 2004 Canadian Novice Men’s Champion
Natalie Kwong - 13, Richmond Hill, Ont. - 2004 Canadian Pre-Novice Ladies Champion
Kyra Moscovitch / Dylan Moscovitch - 10, Toronto / 19, Toronto - 2004 Canadian Pre-Novice Pair Champions
Bethany Puttkemery / Ian Bradford - 15, Stayner, Ont. / 16, Cambridge, Ont. - 4th place in Pre-Novice Ice Dance event, 2004 BMO Financial Group Skate Canada Junior Nationals

The Underhill Martini Scholarship Award is presented each year at the BMO Financial Group Skate Canada Junior Nationals to a skater, or skaters, who has shown great potential. The winner receives a cheque for $1,500 and a limited edition painting. This year’s winners were Brittany Heath and Robert Paxton. In their first-ever competition as a pair, Heath, 14, of Wallaceburg, Ont., and Paxton, 20, of Barrie, Ont., won the bronze medal in the Novice Pair event.

Brittany Heath / Robert Paxton

Cynthia Phaneuf with Marilyn Chidlow, Skate Canada Chair and Grant Bennett, District Vice-President, Edmonton District BMO Bank of Montreal

Ben Ferreira

Josée Piché / Pascal Denis

Tessa Virtue / Scott Moir

Patrick Chan, Amanda Valentine,
Kyra Moscovitch / Dylan Moscovitch, Bethany Puttkemery / Ian Bradford
(Absent: Natalie Kwong)