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Hope on Ice
An inspiring show for the whole family

The skating season has come to an end but great skating is still available! The grand opening of Hope on Ice will take place May 30, 2009 in Montreal. The show is an innovative multimedia skating show created and presented by ARCTIC-ART.

This extravaganza is unique and not a typical ice show. Hope on Ice incorporates multimedia, musicians, opera, dancers, acrobats and internationally renowned skaters and artists who will interpret this inspiring story on ice.

Skaters range from the age of seven to 70 and will include World silver medalist Joannie Rochette as well as skating legend and 1962 World Champion Donald Jackson.

Hope on Ice is a journey of Stéphane Vachon's experiences, people who have influenced him and friends that came along on his creative journey. Stéphane is a former national level skater and has performed professionally for many different companies.

Sure to be a hit, Skate Canada wishes all the performers, volunteers and organizers the best of luck! For more information, visit www.hopeonice.com.

Photo by David W. Carmichael

Photo by Jason Dénommée

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Athlete's Corner
ISU World Synchronized Skating Champions NEXXICE

It has been just over six weeks since NEXXICE won the first-ever synchronized skating gold medal for Canada at the ISU World Synchronized Skating Championships in Zagreb, Croatia. The Team, who trains out of the Burlington Skating Club and Kitchener-Waterloo SC is no stranger to world competition; in 2007 and 2008 they won back-to-back bronze medals.

NEXXICE made history this year as the first Canadian team to win gold. The event was created in 2000 and is only in its 10th year. Canada has now won seven medals at the championships: one gold, one silver and five bronze.

The 20 person team includes: Allison Proudfoot, Amy Cebulak, Ashley Greenhalgh, Cara Horan, Cara Moir, Carla Coveart, Danyel Wright-Dykstra, Emily Penrose, Jennifer Beauchamp, Julia Horan, Kristen Loritz, Lauren Zbucki, Madeleine Wendland, Michele Moore, Morgan Harper, Nichole Manahan, Sheri Moir, Taryn Milne, Taylor Kemp and Tiffany Elliot.

They are coached by Shelley Simonton Barnett and Anne Schelter.

Check out some pictures from their victorious trip to the ISU World Synchronized Skating Championships in Zagreb, Croatia!

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Get to know!
Vanessa Crone and Paul Poirier

This is Vanessa and Paul's second year on the Skate Canada national team. They made the team last season after coming an outstanding fourth place at their first BMO Canadian Figure Skating Championships in 2008. The 2008-2009 season was a breakout one for the pair as they got comfortable at numerous senior events. They were assigned to two ISU Senior Grand Prix events, placing an impressive fourth at Trophée Eric Bompard and then landing on the podium at HomeSense Skate Canada International. The success didn't stop there as the couple won their first medal at the BMO Canadian Figure Skating Championships in senior, a silver. They made the trip to the venue of the 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver for the ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships and placed fourth. This year they also secured a trip to Los Angeles for the ISU World Figure Skating Championships. This was their debut appearance at the event, as they represented the second entry for Canada in the ice dance discipline; they finished in 12th.

Vanessa and Paul are moving up the ice dance ranks at a rapid pace. We can no doubt expect great things from this teenage team.

Get to know, new to the summer additions of Above the Crowd we will feature an athlete/athletes that have made the 2009-2010 Skate Canada National Team in order familiarize skating fans with new and old faces!

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Hometown nominations

Skate Canada would like to congratulate pair skater Meagan Duhamel and ice dancer Andrew Poje for being honoured in their respective hometowns.

Andrew was one of eight nominees for the Kitchener-Waterloo Athlete of the Year. He lost out to Mandy Bujold on May 16.

Meagan is nominated for the House of Kin Sudbury Sports Hall of Fame in the amateur elite category; this is her fourth nomination in this category. Meagan will find out if she is the award winner on June 10, 2009 in Sudbury.

Congratulations to both Andrew and Meagan!

Meagan Duhamel/Craig Buntin	Kaitlyn Weaver / Andrew Poje

Photos by Brett Barden

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We got more bounce in California!
ISU World Figure Skating Championships 2009 - The photos you didn't see!

The 15-person Canadian team that travelled to Los Angeles, California for the ISU World Figure Skating Championships had an outstanding showing. They captured three medals in four disciplines and had three other top ten finishes.

After a week of tough competition the skaters got to spend some time relaxing in the Golden State! Above the Crowd caught up with some of the athletes kicking back with their skates off!

Canada's World medalists: Joannie Rochette (silver), Scott Moir and Tessa Virtue (bronze) and Patrick Chan (silver)	John Mattatall, Meagan Duhamel and Craig Buntin relax in the hotel!
Outside the Staples Center Patrick Chan signs some autographs for fans!	Vanessa Crone and Paul Poirier take a break to flip through a magazine.
Scott Moir poses with his favourite star on the Walk of Fame.	Pair skaters Bryce Davison and Jessica Dubé on their way to do an interview, Hollywood style!
Joannie Rochette gets a call from Quebec Premier Jean Charest after her silver medal win.	Meagan Duhamel and Craig Buntin take a break backstage.
An excited Jeremy Ten outside the L.A. Staples Center	Vanessa Crone, team leader Petra Burka, Jeremy Ten, Vaughn Chipeur, Paul Poirier and Skate Canada Director Marketing and Communications Debbi Wilkes smile for the camera!
Jeremy Ten, Vaughn Chipeur, Paul Poirier and Vanessa Crone are all smiles!	The skaters hit the beach! Jeremy Ten, Paul Poirier, Bryce Davison, Vanessa Crone, Vaughn Chipeur, Craig Buntin and John Mattatall.
Jeremy Ten and former World Champ Kurt Browning strike a pose!	Jeremy Ten, Paul Poirier, Meagan Duhamel and Vanessa Crone at Disneyland.
Jeremy Ten, Paul Poirier, Vanessa Crone, Meagan Duhamel and friends on their way to Disneyland.

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Upcoming Canadian Figure Skating Events

2009 HomeSense Skate Canada International comes to Kitchener!

Don't miss out on the excitement as Skate Canada hosts the last ISU Grand Prix before the ISU Grand Prix Final. Get a chance to see top Canadian skaters as well as elite international skaters. The event will take place from November 19-22, 2009 at The Aud.

Ticket Information
All-event ticket packages for the 2009 HomeSense Skate Canada International are on sale now! Tickets are available online at www.centre-square.com, by phone at 519.578.1570 or 1.800.265.8977, or in person at The Aud or at the Centre Square box office.

Inquiries: 2009hssci@skatecanada.ca

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2010 BMO Canadian Figure Skating Championships in London

Join the best skaters in Canada as they compete for spots on the Olympic and Worlds teams at the 2010 BMO Canadian Figure Skating Championships. The event will take place from January 11-17, 2010 at the John Labatt Centre and Western Fair Sports Centre.

Ticket Information
Skate Canada has announced a trial format in 2010 where the BMO Skate Canada Junior Nationals will be combined with the BMO Canadian Figure Skating Championships. 2010 will be the first year since 1997 that novice skaters will participate in the event along with the senior and junior levels. The junior and novice events (BMO Skate Canada Junior Nationals) are scheduled from January 11-14, 2010, at the Western Fair Sports Centre in London, Ontario. The senior events (BMO Canadian Figure Skating Championships) will be held January 14-17, 2010, at the John Labatt Centre, also in London.

Both ticket packages are on sale now! Canadians tickets will be sold for $125-$150 plus applicable surcharges. Junior Nationals general admission ticket packages will sell for $20 plus applicable surcharges.  Fans can purchase tickets for both events in person at the John Labatt Centre, online at www.johnlabattcentre.com or by phone at 1.866.455.2849.

Inquiries: 2010canadians@skatecanada.ca

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Skate Canada’s Annual Convention and General Meeting & National Coaches’ Conference

Skate Canada's Annual Convention and General Meeting & National Coaches' Conference will take place from June 3-6, 2009, in Edmonton, Alberta.

For more information please click here.

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Skate Canada News

BOB is back!

Ten CanSkate coaches are heading to Edmonton to attend the 2009 Skate Canada Annual General Convention and General Meeting and National Coaches' Conference June 3-6, 2009 as selected participants of the Best of the Best (BOB) CanSkate Coach Program.

The selected CanSkate coaches will participate in sessions on a variety of topics all relevant to the CanSkate program. The hope is that these talented coaches will take back their newly acquired knowledge and share it with their club and section.

Skate Canada is always looking for opportunities to encourage individuals who are involved in the lives of our skaters to improve and grow. The Best of the Best CanSkate Coach Program was launched in 2008.

2009 BOB participants:

• Rachel Stewart of the Nelson Figure Skating Club (Skate Canada - British Columbia) is NCCP Level 1 certified and has been coaching since 1988. A silver CEP coach, Rachel is currently the head coach of the club and is responsible for all programs.

• Cathy Wright of the Skate Regina Club (Skate Canada - Saskatchewan) is NCCP Level 3 certified and has been coaching since 1983. A gold CEP coach, Cathy has been involved with various high profile projects over the past 25 years. She is currently the developer and conductor of Saskatchewan's CanSkate Leadership Clinic.

• Megan Svistovski of the Skate Brandon Club (Skate Canada - Manitoba) is NCCP Level 1 certified and has been coaching since 2003. A gold CEP coach, Megan is involved at both the club and section levels. She is currently a PA Motivational Clinician in Manitoba and has been the club coach representative since 2006.

• Tamara Van Scheyndel of the Kitchener-Waterloo Skating Club (Skate Canada - Western Ontario) is NCCP Level 1 certified and has been coaching since 1989. A CanPowerSkate certified coach, Tamara has volunteered many hours with regards to various areas of operating a successful club.

• Jacoba Dodge of the Brooke-Alvinston Skating Club (Skate Canada - Western Ontario) is NCCP Level 3 certified and has been coaching CanSkate since 1995. A kindergarten teacher, Jacoba is also a successful synchronized skating coach and is currently the club coach representative in her club.

• Marci Elliott of the Elmvale Skating Club (Skate Canada - Central Ontario) is NCCP Level 2 certified and has been coaching since 1990. A gold CEP coach, Marci was the recipient of the Skate Canada Club and Recreational Coaching Award of Excellence in 2008 and is currently an Outreach Consultant for CanSkate programs in COS.

• Tina Stevens-Forani of the East Gwillimbury Figure Skating Club (Skate Canada - Central Ontario) is NCCP Level 2 certified and has been coaching since 1997. Currently the CanSkate coordinator in her club, Tina is also a Mentor Coach who ensures that the next generation of coaches will continue to promote passion and spirit in the sport.

• Dalene Murray of Skate Canada Brighton Inc. (Skate Canada - Eastern Ontario) is NCCP Level 2 certified and has been coaching since 1990. A gold CEP coach, Dalene is busy teaching eight CanSkate sessions a week at three different clubs in EOS. She also sits as the club coach representative on two club boards.

• Mary-Liz Wiley of the Beaconsfield Skating Club (Skate Canada - Quebec) is NCCP Level 3 certified and has been coaching since 1988. Currently the head CanSkate coach at her club, Mary-Liz is also the Skater Development Team Leader for CanSkate and debutant level skaters in the Lac St. Louis region.

• Neal Thorne of the Conception Bay North Figure Skating Club (Skate Canada - Newfoundland) is NCCP Level 2 certified and has been coaching all levels from CanSkate to competitive skate since 2003. A gold CEP coach and former competitive skater, Neil is also a sectional level technical specialist.

Good luck to everyone participating!

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Skate Canada National Development Camp wraps up in Toronto

Seven competitive single skaters travelled to Toronto, Ontario in April to participate in the yearly Skate Canada National Development Camp.

Skaters were selected based on their progress over the past competitive season.The purpose of the camp was to educate skaters and coaches on incorporating Performance Enhancement Training into their daily plan. Skaters were fitness tested and attended off-ice sessions on nutrition, psychology and dance. On-ice sessions included technical skill development and basic skating skills.

"The camp was a great experience for the skaters as well as the coaches that attended," said Mike Slipchuk, Skate Canada Director High Performance. "You could tell that everyone had a good time while working hard on developing new skills that we hope they will take back to their sections and clubs."

The following athletes participated in the camp:

Kate Charbonneau - 16 - Winnipeg, Man.
Cambria Little - 15 - Castlegar, B.C.
Vanessa Grenier - 17 - Sherbrooke, Que.
Andrei Rogozine - 16 - Richmond Hill, Ont.
Samuel Morais - 16 - Laval, Que.
Liam Firus - 16 - North Vancouver, B.C.
Garrett Gosselin - 16 - Regina, Sask.

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Sponsors News

Local sponsorship update!

Skate Canada is excited to be hosting four great events in Southwestern Ontario this season, beginning in November with the HomeSense Skate Canada International, continuing into December with the BMO Skate Canada Western Challenge and Eastern Challenge in Mississauga and ending with both the BMO Skate Canada Junior Nationals and BMO Canadian Figure Skating Championships in London in January. We encourage skating fans to come out and get involved in these events and experience a national or international event from a different perspective as either a volunteer or local sponsor. As a volunteer, you'll have the opportunity to be involved in the execution of the event and you'll also see the behind the scenes workings of a major figure skating event first hand! As a local sponsor you will have the opportunity to receive exposure for your business while supporting the athletes and helping to offer them a better competition environment.

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