(February 23, 2007)

There will be two very familiar faces in the role of honorary chairs of the 2008 BMO Canadian Championships in Vancouver.

Skate Canada announced at a press conference in Vancouver on Wednesday that ten-time Canadian Ice Dance Champions Shae-Lynn Bourne and Victor Kraatz will fill the role as honorary chairs of the five-day event, which takes place Jan. 16 - 20 at the Pacific National Exhibition.

Bourne and Kraatz, the 2003 world champions and three-time Olympians, will be in Vancouver for next year’s championships. The duo was inducted into the Skate Canada Hall of Fame at the 2007 BMO Canadian Championships in Halifax earlier this year.

“I think it’s great to be involved with Skate Canada’s new direction,” said Kraatz. “It (acting as co-chairs of the championships) will be one of the first things that Shae-Lynn and I will be doing together. I also think this is a wonderful opportunity because the championships will be in my hometown of Vancouver.”

After retiring from eligible competition, both Bourne, who now lives in Rocky Hill, Conn., and Kraatz, of Vancouver, have gone on to successful coaching careers. Bourne is busy coaching skaters in Connecticut, while Kraatz and his wife, Maikki Uotila-Kraatz, are the ice dance directors at the BC Centre of Excellence in Burnaby, B.C.

Figure Skating to take spotlight in Vancouver

The sport of figure skating will be in the spotlight for a week next January in Vancouver.

Vancouver’s Deputy Mayor Tim Stevenson announced at the press conference that Mayor Sam Sullivan and the City of Vancouver have declared the week of Jan. 14 - 20, 2008 as Figure Skating Week.

“We are very pleased that the City of Vancouver has embraced the sport of figure skating with this special recognition,” said Skate Canada CEO William Thompson. “Skate Canada is looking forward to a very exciting week during Figure Skating Week in Vancouver next year that will culminate in a very competitive 2008 BMO Canadian Championships.”