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Canadian figure skaters set to take on world
| Source: |
CBC.ca |
| Date: |
October 20, 2011 |
| Author: |
Malcolm Kelly |
Kurt Browning was making his always busy way from one event to the
other earlier this week when he was asked why Canada is always so deep
and competitive in ice dance.
Simple answer: "We're good skaters."
That goes for two of the three other disciplines as well, save for
ladies singles, currently in a bit of a down spot.
"We are a skating nation," says the four-time world men's champion and
current CBC commentator, who recognizes that things have never been as
competitive globally as they are now.
"The world is getting bigger, Korea and China are starting to be
powers ... they are figuring out the equation, learning from everyone
else and figuring out how to train harder."
But Canada still does well, he says, because "we have coaches who know
how to bring the best out of students."
Coming off a two-medal performance at the world championships in
Moscow last spring, the Canadian team enters this season with now 28
months to go before the 2014 Winter Olympics. They are looking to hold
on to what they have, and move a few more skaters into medal
contention.
Here's how Canada's skaters stack up in each of the four
disciplines:
Men's singles
2010-2011 season: One world medal (gold, Patrick Chan)
Retired: Shawn Sawyer (silver at nationals), Joey Russell (bronze at nationals, 24th at worlds)
Returning: Chan, Kevin Reynolds, Elladj Balde, Liam Firus
With two more world championship seasons ahead before the real Olympic
preparations begin, there does seem a chance that boredom or a sense
of dreary repetition could set in for Patrick Chan, the defending
global champ.
Browning thinks it can happen, but doesn't see it in this case.
"[Patrick] wants to be Roger Federer [the tennis star]. He wants to
really dominate the next four years, doesn't want anybody else to win
anything, and all power to him," he says.
"He's got the feet, the brains and the charisma, and the turns in the
air."
Chan, who has a new long program, introduced quad jumps to his
routines last season and learned to hit them with consistency, leading
to his win at worlds and the potential for a lot more.
Behind Chan, Sawyer and Russell have retired, moving Kevin Reynolds up
into the No. 2 spot for now. Reynolds struggled at the nationals,
finishing fourth, and was 20th at the worlds.
"Kevin has to decide if he's going to be on the outside, or get inside
and do it," says Browning. "He still seems like a small boy among men
sometimes."
What's needed is the confidence that comes from believing you belong,
and that will enable him to become "a different presence on the
ice."
Then there's Andrei Rogozine, who won the junior worlds last season
and already has some senior experience, having appeared at the 2011
nationals, where he was 13th.
"Andrei is really good," Browning says. "I'm still waiting for him to
take to the ice in a consistent manner."
That's something that will come with experience.
Ladies singles
2010-2011 season: No world medals
Retired: None (Joannie Rochette still undecided)
Returning: Cynthia Phaneuf, Myriane Samson, Amelie Lacoste, Alexandra Najarro
A disappointing 2010-2011 season was made more so because it followed
an Olympic year that was so bright.
Joannie Rochette won a bronze under difficult circumstances at the
Games in Vancouver, and then Cynthia Phaneuf skated to a surprise, but
well deserved, fifth place in the worlds.
But Rochette took last season off and still hasn't said if she's ever
coming back, while Phaneuf struggled mightily at the 2011 worlds,
finishing 13th. That placing hurt badly, as it means Canada will only
send one singles skater to the global event next year.
Also back are Myriane Samson, who was second at the nationals, Amelie
Lacoste, bronze at nationals and 16th at worlds, and young Alexandra
Najarro (18 years old), fourth at Nats.
It's a slim field, but that doesn't mean it won't be interesting, says
PJ Kwong, the long-time figure skating coach, CBC commentator and now
author.
"Cynthia Phaneuf has a renewed commitment to performing rather than to
scores, and that's going to stand her in good stead," says
Kwong.
Finding as many points as possible rather than putting in a good
overall performance has become pervasive around the world right now,
she believes.
"[Women skaters] get so focused on jumps that when they don't have the
high risk elements [working] there's not so much to connect the
program together."
Browning believes this year it's still the Cynthia Phaneuf
show.
"It's hers to lose [in Canada]," he says. "She's super capable on the
international level, she just fell off the pace a bit last
year."
Ice Dance
2010-2011 season: One world medal (silver, Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir)
Retired: None
Returning: Virtue and Moir, Kaitlyn Weaver and Andrew Poje (5th at worlds), Alexandra Paul and Mitchell Islam (3rd at nationals), Kharis Ralph and Asher Hill (4th at nationals)
Now that Tessa Virtue is over the injury that kept the Olympic gold
medalists out for much of last season, she and Moir will be back at
the top of a deep Canadian pack.
The intrigue begins below the superb stars, starting with the
splitting of Canada's No. 2 team of Vanessa Crone and Paul Poirier,
who won nationals in 2011 with Moir and Virtue out, but were a
disappointing 10th at the worlds.
Poirier is now paired with Piper Gillis, an American skating for
Canada, while Crone is looking for a new partner.
Weaver and Poje, who were an excellent fifth at the worlds in Moscow,
finishing fourth in the free dance, will be expected to move into the
second spot as a result.
"Kaitlin and Andrew are back with a vengeance," says Kwong, who points
out the team had set top-5 in the world as their pre-season goal last
year, and got it.
"They are prepared to take a creative risk this year with their new
free dance program – it's about love without being gooey. And I like
the fact they are not resting on what they have done before – the
razzle dazzle that was Moulin Rouge."
Browning loves Paul and Islam.
"They have an elegance to them that is, may I say, Virtue and
Moir-esque," he says. "I hate to make that comparison but they are
similar in that they are true dancers."
Kwong also looks to Ralph and Hill for something special this year
because they have "rebranded" and are much more sophisticated, she
says.
Pairs
2010-2011 season: No world medals
Retired: Mylene Brodeur and John Mattatall, Bryce Davison
Returning: Kirsten Moore-Towers and Dylan Moscovitch (8th at worlds), Meagan Duhamel and Eric Radford (7th at worlds), Paige Lawrence and Rudi Swiegers (3rd at nationals)
Kurt Browning remembers when he was skating in the late 1980s and
early 1990s, every body wanted to be at the rink for the pairs final
because it was so wide open.
Those were the days of Isabelle Brasseur and Lloyd Eisler, Christine
Hough and Doug Ladret, Cindy Landry and Lyndon Johnson.
Those times are back, as there are now four teams jockeying for
position in a deep field.
Kirsten Moore-Towers and Dylan Moscovitch won the nationals going away
but were beaten by a place at the worlds by Meagan Duhamel and Eric
Radford. Also in the mix are Paige Lawrence and Rudi Swiegers and a
new pairing with a familiar old face.
Jessica Dube and Bryce Davison won three national titles and a world
bronze together but a bad knee injury has sent Davison to the
sidelines and into coaching. Dube has teamed with Sebastien Wolfe, who
used to skate with Tara Hancherow as a junior.
"You just don't know what's going to happen," says Browning. "In
pairs, it's wide open, and who know how much these teams are going to
improve."
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