The 2007 Canadian National Figure Skating Championships were held Jan 16-21 at the Halifax Metro Centre in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Approximately 250 skaters competed in which the results were used to determine who would represent Canada at the upcoming World Figure Skating Championships, Four Continents Championships (4CCs) and World Junior Championships.
In the Senior division, Joannie Rochette (QC) easily defended her crown, winning her third consecutive title. Mira Leung (BC/YT) and Lesley Hawker (CO) captured their second consecutive silver and bronze medal, respectively.
Only two berths were alloted for the senior ladies at Worlds. Rochette and Leung were chosen to represent Canada.
The top three ladies also earned a spot at the 4CCs. Cynthia Phaneuf (QC) was chosen as the third lady as Leung declined her invite.
Dana Zhalko-Tytarenko (EO) was the gold medal winner in the Junior division, while McKenzie Pedersen (AB/NT/NU) rallied from fifth after the short to win the silver. Cecylia Witkowski (BC/YT) slipped from second after the short to settle for the bronze.
Only one lady can represent Canada at Junior Worlds, and Myriane Samson (QC), who placed fifth in the Senior category, was chosen to fill the spot.
On Sunday, Skate Canada announced that the 2008 Canadian Figure Skating Championships would be held in Vancouver at the Pacific Coliseum – the same venue for the 2010 Olympics. In addition, there will be no qualification round for the single skaters in order to shorten the event to five days.
Short Program (Juniors)
Kathryn Kang (BC/YT) opened with a triple Lutz-double toeloop combination and a double flip in her lyrical routine to Anna Maria by Giovanni Marradi. The 17-year-old, who displayed nice arms and was light on her feet, also produced a double Axel, good footwork, and a nice layback spin to earn 41.16 points for a first place finish.
Witkowski landed a double Axel, a triple toeloop-double toeloop combination, and a double flip. The 15-year-old also produced a level three circular footwork sequence and good spins, placing second with 40.60 points for her entertaining and light-hearted routine to music by Irving Berlin.
Zhalko-Tytarenko, who showed good expression in her tango routine, fought for the landing of a triple Salchow (in combination with a double toeloop), but otherwise produced a double Axel, a double flip, a fast layback spin, and a nice level three straight line footwork sequence. The 15-year-old placed third with 38.14 points.
Karine Chevrier (QC) landed a double Axel and a double flip, but struggled on the landing of her second jump in a triple Salchow-double toeloop combination, placing fourth with 36.84 points.
Pedersen placed fifth in the short with 36.32 points, followed by Kerry Meagher (WO) who scored 35.78 points.
Long Program (Juniors)
In third after the short, Zhalko-Tytarenko opened her routine with a triple toeloop-double flip sequence and a triple Salchow-double toeloop combination, but was a bit unsteady on the landing of her double Axel and a triple Salchow. She also had to hang onto the landing of a double Axel (in sequence with a double toeloop), but produced a fast layback spin and a nice straight line footwork sequence. She earned 71.26 points for a first place finish in the long, and with a total of 109.40 points, rose from third place to capture the title.
Pedersen, who stood in fifth after the short, delivered a double Axel-double toeloop-double loop combination in the opening of her Fantaisie-Impromptu Op. 66 routine, but underrotated a triple Salchow (in combination with a double toeloop). Nevertheless, she produced a clean triple toeloop, a double Axel, and good spins to place second in the long (70.74 points) and overall (106.79 points).
Brittany Novakowski (BC/YT), who stood in 11th after the short, produced a double Axel-double toeloop combination, a triple Salchow, two more double Axels, and good difficult spins. The 2007 Western Challenge Junior Champion earned 69.47 points for her ethereal routine to Claire De Lune, placing third in the long, and subsequently rising to fourth overall (104.06 points).
McKenzie Crawford (WO), who stood in 15th after the short, a produced two level four combination spins, a double Axel-double toeloop combination, and two clean triple jumps in her Hungarian Rhapsody routine, placing fourth in the long (68.56 points) and sixth overall (104.06 points).
Performing to Romeo & Juliet, Meagher delivered a very good level three layback spin and level four combination spin, as well as a triple Salchow, a double Lutz-double toeloop-double toeloop combination, and a good double flip-double toeloop combination. She placed fifth in the long (68.04 points) and overall (103.82 points).
Witkowski underrotated and fell on a triple Salchow. The 2006 Novice National Champion placed sixth in the long (65.34) and third overall (105.94 points).
Kang, who was first after the short, placed 15th in the long (55.00 points) and slipped to 11th place overall (96.16 points).
Short Program (Seniors)
Rochette doubled a Lutz in her Little Wing routine, but that was the only mistake in this otherwise solid routine. The two-time and current national champion delivered a good triple flip-double toeloop combination and a solid double Axel, two very good level four spins, and a nice spiral sequence, placing first with 56.89 points.
Hawker landed a double Axel and a triple flip, but her triple Lutz-double toeloop was a tad shaky. The current national bronze medalist also produced a good level four combination spin and level two straight line footwork sequence, placing second with 53.57 points.
Skating to Freedom, Leung opened with a triple Lutz-double loop combination and a triple flip. The 17-year-old had struggled with a double Axel, but otherwise produced a good level three combination spin and a playful circular step sequence, earning 52.50 points to place third.
Myriane Samson (QC) fought for a triple flip, but otherwise landed a double Axel and a triple Lutz-double loop combination. The 18-year-old also produced a very good level three straight line footwork sequence, as well as two level four spins, placing fourth with 51.94 points.
Cynthia Phaneuf (QC) skated a good program to You Are So Beautiful which featured a double Axel, a triple toeloop, good spins, and a nice level three straight line footwork sequence. However, at the beginning of her routine her toepick slipped on a Lutz and the jump didn’t make it off the ice for the combination. The 19-year-old was fifth with 49.67 points.
Meagan Duhamel (NO) placed sixth (47.44 points), followed by Jessica Dubé (QC) (46.59 points).
Long Program (Seniors)
Overnight leader Rochette reeled off a very good triple flip-double toeloop-double loop combination and triple Lutz-double toeloop combination in the opening of her Don Juan routine, but them doubled and put a hand down on a triple loop. The 2006 Skate Canada Champion also doubled a Lutz and later singled an Axel in a jump combination, but otherwise produced two more good triple jumps and level four spins to place first (113.76 points) in the long and overall (170.65 points).
Skating to music from the Terracotta Warriors soundtrack, Leung executed six triple jumps (two in combination with double jumps), a double Axel-double toeloop combination, and very good level three layback and combination spin. The current national silver medalist placed second in the long (107.09 points) and overall with 159.59 points.
Hawker hopped out of a loop on a triple Lutz-double toeloop-double loop combination, but then landed a triple flip-double toeloop combination. She later doubled a triple loop, but otherwise delivered two more clean triple jumps and a good level four combination spin to place third in the long (102.59 points) and overall (156.16 points).
Phaneuf opened her Claire de Lune routine with a double Axel and a double loop, but then fell on a triple Lutz. The 2005 Canadian silver medalist fought for the landing of a triple toeloop-double toeloop-double loop combination, but landed two more triples and produced very good spins, earning 98.69 points for a fourth place finish in the long (98.69 points) and overall (148.36 points).
Duhamel produced four triple jumps in her Phantom of the Opera routine, placing fifth in the long (96.79 points) and sixth (144.23 points) overall.
Samson, who stood in fourth after the short, finished sixth in the long (93.79 points) and fifth overall with 145.73 points.
Amanda Billings (AB/NT/NU), who stood in 11th after the short, placed seventh (89.93 points) in the long and overall (133.49 points).
Dubé, who stood in seventh after the short, withdrew from the event as her long program was not yet ready. She came to the event only to skate her short.
