Press Room: News Releases

2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001 

Canadian Skaters Take Flight to Russia

(November 21, 2001 - Gloucester, ON) A team of Canadian Senior skaters will travel to St. Petersburg, Russia to compete in the fifth ISU Grand Prix event of the season. The competition takes place November 22-25, 2001.

Headlining the Canadian team is four-time Canadian Champion Jennifer Robinson, 24, from Windsor, Ontario. She trains in Barrie, Ontario with coach Michelle Leigh. This will be Robinson's second ISU Grand Prix assignment of the season. She competed at Skate America in October, finishing seventh.

The Canadian entry in the Pair event is Valerie Marcoux, 21, from Gatineau, Quebec and Beloeil, Quebec's Bruno Marcotte, 27. This will also be their second ISU Grand Prix event of the season. Earlier this month they met COA-Skate Canada Olympic qualification criteria with a fifth place finish at the Sparkassen Cup on Ice. The two recently relocated to train with coach Paul Wirtz in Toronto, Ontario.

Rounding out the Canadian entries are Ice Dance team Josée Piché, 27, from Le Gardeur, Quebec and Repentigny, Quebec's Pascal Denis, 28. They are coached by François Vallée, Sylvie Fullum and Bruno Yvars in Boucherville, Quebec. Missing part of last season due to injury, Piché and Denis competed at the 2001 MasterCard Skate Canada International finishing ninth.

Cup of Russia is the fifth of six international events that comprise the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating. Athletes compete at these events for prize money totaling US $264,000 and points toward a berth in the Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final. The Final will be held in Kitchener, Ontario, December 13-16, 2001.

The Canadian officials at the event include Benoit Lavoie, from Beauport, Quebec and Victoria, British Columbia's Susan Morriss. The Team Manager is Owen Sound, Ontario's Carol Hopper.