2018 Canadian Championships Gen Info

ChanClan said:

Oh yes that is a good question from Skatie. I have an all event pass, does that mean I can get into the practices just fine? I don't need to go out and get a practice ticket right?

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vivley said:

I have one as well, but I noticed that it only gave me a ticket to the Senior and Junior women practice session only.



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If anyone wants tickets for the Novice / Juniors categories, please PM me. I also have the one practice ticket mentioned above and Dance / Ladies tickets.


Also, does anyone know what the policy is for hanging banners at Nationals? What size do they need to be?

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AvgeekJoe said:

1) PM sent. Thanks dude.
2) Best of luck on the banners. I asked Skate Canada today about giving gifts to skaters and a few other things, waiting to hear back.

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vivley said:

I have one as well, but I noticed that it only gave me a ticket to the Senior and Junior women practice session only.



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If anyone wants tickets for the Novice / Juniors categories, please PM me. I also have the one practice ticket mentioned above and Dance / Ladies tickets.


Also, does anyone know what the policy is for hanging banners at Nationals? What size do they need to be?

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cinuka said:

How long are you guys staying in Vancouver (if out of town)? Anyone thinking of doing day trips to Victoria, Whistler, etc?

Any suggestions for restaurants or things to do in Vancouver from those familiar with the city?

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Mango said:

You all who are attending the event need to come back here and comment, please. Because those who used to comment are gone.

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Trillium said:

I miss 4everchan's posts so much...

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Thunderbird Arena, where the National championships are held, is located at the western tip of Vancouver, in the University of British Columbia neighbourhood. It is a $30-35 cab ride from downtown but it is easily accessible by transit as well -
the buses go right in front of it. However, as you may have guessed, its location is not fabulous when it comes to fine dining or sight seeing. I won't mention much about accommodations as there are various options and at this point, I assume most people have looked into that but in case, there are always available rooms in the UBC residences like Gage Towers and Marine Drive etc, for those who would want to be close to the rink.

On campus : there is a brand new student building with substantial food options... It wasn't completed when I last was there but it should be by now. It's about a 15 minutes walk from the rink. On the other side of the campus, across the road, there is what is called the UBC village. There are a couple eating options there, the best one being One More sushi, which is reasonable in both price and quality and isn't a pick-up or fast food option. I would imagine that the Vera's Burgers is still operating as well, for those wanting to experience the "poutine" ... keep in mind though, that there is no real poutine outside of Quebec, as there is no real poutine cheese outside of Quebec

There are a couple pubs as well nearby, Mahoney's and Marine Drive Grill Pub. For fine dining (lunch) there is Sage bistro which is really the fanciest place to eat on campus and gives a good idea of fresh, local, Pacific Northern produce.

On campus: sight seeing - well in other times I would suggest both of the botanical gardens but at this time of the year, the main attraction on campus is the Anthropology Museum. It's a must see. They also have a souvenir shop that is more refined than the usual key chain. Down the stairs from the Museum (outside) you end up on Wreck Beach (clothing optional!!!) which is a major attraction as well for its beautiful oceanic views, waves and fresh air.

Not far from Thunderbird, a bit more East (away from the University) is the Wesbrook Village: you will find clothing stores, grocery, liquor store, pubs and restaurants in this area. It may be a good option for those not willing to face the crowd of campus for lunch and definitely a good option for those preferring to buy their own food/cooking. It's about a 10 minute walk from Thunderbird.

Taking the bus back to downtown: you will reach Alma Village.... (at Broadway)... there is a 7/11 there, but more importantly 2 good restaurants. Baru Latino is a South American restaurant. Food is delicious, drinks should be kept coming There is the Eatery as well, which is a funky very not traditional sushi place just a bit more East on Broadway. That area is lively when it comes to pubs and bars (and renewing often) as it where a lot of students live and work.

The next neighbourhood is Kitsilano: a very trendy neighbourhood with lots of fine dining options and pricey boutiques. You can always shop downtown on Robson but I would suggest going on 4th between Vine and Burrard and see what's there. The boutiques are smaller featuring more of the local or trendy designs. Lots and lots of restaurants, including a great and cozy but not too snobbish French bistro called Bistro Pastis. Their brunch is delicious! There also a lot of farm to table restaurants in that area.

Granville Island is a great place for tourists to visit. I will not comment much since there is a lot of information available already but if you do go there for food, try Edible Canada (or the Sandbar if you are more into fish).

The rest is all in downtown which is fun to visit as well... I will stop with restaurants because from my experience, there is not much time to eat during Nationals, and certainly not downtown.... However, I'd recommend visiting the Vancouver Aquarium and perhaps, if the weather allows, Stanley Park.

Vancouver is a gorgeous city, it has a lot of interesting neighbourhoods, including a vibrant Chinatown or the famous Gastown. A 45 minute ride up North if you were to rent a car, gets you to Squamish where you can take the Sea to Sky gondola for a wonderful view of the "sea and the sky" Another 45 minutes North would get you to Whistler, site of the Olympic games skiing event.

For those interested in going to Victoria, Vancouver Island, unless you go by plane (downtown to downtown) you will need to take the ferry for a few hours back and forth (and get there is quite a ride) so I wouldn't recommend it unless you plan to stay overnight. Victoria is pretty but it is much nicer during the summer time. Same goes for all the other smaller islands in between... fun to visit but not on a day trip.

Enjoy Vancouver! Bring an umbrella !

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Camera Policy
At Skate Canada events, spectators are permitted to use small point and shoot cameras for personal use only. The following guidelines will be enforced:
– No flash photography
– No camera bags in venue
– No use of professional cameras and/or detachable lenses
– Camera cannot interfere with other fans’ enjoyment
– Any resale of photography or posting photos on professional websites is strictly prohibited
– Absolutely no video recording is allowed. Only accredited coaches and team managers may be permitted to videotape their own skater/team from rinkside during that skater’s/team’s practice or performance. If athletes wish to obtain a video of their programs, they may purchase a copy from the licensed video distributor on site if applicable.

Spectators not abiding by these restrictions risk having their camera confiscated by venue security staff. Additionally, Skate Canada staff reserves the right to restrict use of other types of cameras should they feel the quality and/or type of camera fail to protect the athletes’ and/or event’s interests.

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Trillium said:

I miss 4everchan's posts so much...

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Ice Diva said:

Where is 4everchan?

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Mango said:

Our 4everfriend has kindly shared a guide of the area as he has spent a considerable amount of time there. If you're heading to Nationals you may want to give this a read.

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Trillium said:

I will be going to Nationals in Vancouver so this information will be very useful. Please thank 4everchan for providing it. It is not the same here without him.

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Here is everything you need to know before you get here!

Date: January 8 - 14

Full Schedule of Events: https://skatecanada.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/2018-CTNSC-Schedule-DE7.pdf

Box Office Opening Times:​

Monday, January 8 to Friday January 12th: 8:00AM
Saturday, January 13th: 7:00AM
Sunday, January 14th: 11:00 AM

Doors Open:

Session 1 Monday, January 8 6:00 AM
Session 2 Tuesday, January 9 6:30 AM
Session 3 Wednesday, January 10 7:15 AM
Session 4 Thursday, January 11 8:00 AM
Session 5 Thursday, January 11 5:15 PM
Session 6 Friday, January 12 6:15 AM
Session 7 Friday, January 12 1:10 PM
Session 8 Saturday, January 13 5:45 AM
Session 9 Saturday, January 13 12:30 PM
Session 10 Sunday, January 14 10:45 AM


Parking

UBC is easily accessed by bus through TransLink. If you are accessing UBC by vehicle, parking is available at Thunderbird Parkade with a flat, daily rate of $15.00. We encourage guests to purchase a parking permit ahead of time for $10.50 per day or $30.00 for January 10-14 - click here to create a UBC Parking Guest Account.

Guest Information

Thunderbird Arena strives to provide a safe and enjoyable entertainment experience for everyone; therefore, for safety and security reasons, patrons and their belongings may be subject to inspection prior to entering the venue. Please have a look through our Prohibited Items list.

Concession

Come hungry! Our concessions are the way to go! We serve a variety of options at our concessions which are located throughout the arena. These include traditional offerings from burgers, hotdogs, chicken strips to snacks like jumbo pretzels, popcorn and ice cream sandwiches. We've got a variety of sushi rolls from California Rolls to Philadelphia Rolls. We also offer a number of healthy options like gourmet sandwiches and artisian salads. Coming in early? Grab a coffee and have a fresh breakfast wrap ready to go. As for beverages, we serve draft beer, ciders, and wine at concession stands to go along with bottled water, juice, and soft drinks.

Skate Canada's Camera Policy

At Skate Canada events, spectators are permitted to use small point and shoot cameras for personal use only. The following guidelines will be enforced:
– No flash photography
– No camera bags in venue
– No use of professional cameras and/or detachable lenses
– Camera cannot interfere with other fans’ enjoyment
– Any resale of photography or posting photos on professional websites is strictly prohibited
– Absolutely no video recording is allowed. Only accredited coaches and team managers may be permitted to videotape their own skater/team from rinkside during that skater’s/team’s practice or performance. If athletes wish to obtain a video of their programs, they may purchase a copy from the licensed video distributor on site if applicable.

Spectators not abiding by these restrictions risk having their camera confiscated by venue security staff. Additionally, Skate Canada staff reserves the right to restrict use of other types of cameras should they feel the quality and/or type of camera fail to protect the athletes’ and/or event’s interests.

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