2023-24 Canadian Figure Skating

[RatedPG]

I didn’t think Maddie was too bad. Her 3Lz 3T is amazing!! Fully rotated and wow! Her 3F is her hardest triple and she nailed it. It was the 3S that let her down, twice. She goes for it twice because she must be comfortable with this jump. Like @4everchan says, not sure why she doesn’t repeat the 3Lz instead. Anyways, failure is failure. She skated quite poorly here. I didn’t know step sequences could go down to level 1. She skated poorly. To be in the top ten, you practically just need a 60+ TES jump layout and ok skating skills.

But, she has no challenge in Canada in the Seniors field, this Olympic cycle. It seems Canada is content to put all their eggs in this basket. I need Fee Ann (challenge winner), Kaiya (National champion) and Uliana (TES Queen) to step it up.

The good thing is that Lulu (Junior Champion) is forced to move up to Seniors domestically next year. I hope Lulu slays it next year.

 

[4everchan]

Fée Ann, Uliana and Lulu sound like a good plan... and let's have a crazy comeback + longevity Gabby story.. .just to make Skate Canada look like they didn't plan things properly... and while I am at it, Sara-Maude, Justine, Audréanne and Rose come up big time and bring single skating back in Québec. (I am okay with being a dance/pairs Mecca but yeah... it's nice to have a Joannie or a Cynthia once in a while)

 

[rain]

Still hoping for G/P, but gold is most likely gone…they could get silver though…

Of course I think G/P should be in first place, but what makes me most angry is that the judges already decided the competition, and it did not reflect how the teams skated. There should still be a fight for gold, not this nonsense. I want to see them bring the house down when they skate last in the FD.

And huge congrats to Lajoie/Lagha for making the final flight. I've said before I thought they were on their way up this season and we're seeing it here.

 

[4everchan]

And huge congrats to Lajoie/Lagha for making the final flight. I've said before I thought they were on their way up this season and we're seeing it here.

after the RD, this is the most positive thing Canadian fans have. It also speaks volume about what's about to happen with two teams who may not wish to compete with Deanna for oldest Olympian.

 

[Knebli]

I didn’t think Maddie was too bad. Her 3Lz 3T is amazing!! Fully rotated and wow! Her 3F is her hardest triple and she nailed it. It was the 3S that let her down, twice. She goes for it twice because she must be comfortable with this jump. Like @4everchan says, not sure why she doesn’t repeat the 3Lz instead. Anyways, failure is failure. She skated quite poorly here. I didn’t know step sequences could go down to level 1. She skated poorly. To be in the top ten, you practically just need a 60+ TES jump layout and ok skating skills.

But, she has no challenge in Canada in the Seniors field, this Olympic cycle. It seems Canada is content to put all their eggs in this basket. I need Fee Ann (challenge winner), Kaiya (National champion) and Uliana (TES Queen) to step it up.

The good thing is that Lulu (Junior Champion) is forced to move up to Seniors domestically next year. I hope Lulu slays it next year.

She needs an attitude adjustment imho. Sorry. Her interview after her long with CBC Sports was not setting an example for other young skaters. Suck it up for interviews as you were trained by Skate Canada. Let out the frustration afterward. Just saying.

 

[kenboy123]

Of course I think G/P should be in first place, but what makes me most angry is that the judges already decided the competition, and it did not reflect how the teams skated. There should still be a fight for gold, not this nonsense. I want to see them bring the house down when they skate last in the FD.

And huge congrats to Lajoie/Lagha for making the final flight. I've said before I thought they were on their way up this season and we're seeing it here.

I agree that the judges already decided C/B would win since they are planning to retire, so they wanted this send off for them...they probably figured that G/P had more chances in the future...having said that, I might not be so easy if P/C do come back...they might be permanently stick as second best...like I already said before, last season was probably their best chance to become world champions (they were literally steamrolling, not even C/B were anywhere close), but their season was derailed and they will probably never has the chance again...

 

[rain]

I agree that the judges already decided C/B would win since they are planning to retire, so they wanted this send off for them...they probably figured that G/P had more chances in the future...having said that, I might not be so easy if P/C do come back...they might be permanently stick as second best...like I already said before, last season was probably their best chance to become world champions (they were literally steamrolling, not even C/B were anywhere close), but their season was derailed and they will probably never has the chance again...

I wouldn't be remotely surprised to see Piper and Paul retire after this season.

 

[kenboy123]

I wouldn't be remotely surprised to see Piper and Paul retire after this season.

While I'm not anticipating it, I wouldn't be surprised either...

 

[Sackie]

Interesting enough Lulu's Jr World score beats Maddie's Sr World score. I was really hoping that after losing her National Title Maddie would skate lights out here at worlds. And given her SB scores she would have easily been in the top ten had she even come close to them. Remember that Buttle lost his Can Title and then came back to win worlds that year. And because Patrick went into worlds as the new Can Champ he was taken seriously and placed in the top 10. Maddie needs that pressure at home that our other champs have had.
Unfortunately I can see both Piper and Paul and FBS retiring this year. So hopefully LaLa can keep up the great work and be in the hunt for a medal next year. And we also have a few other dance teams at home who can keep the pressure on LaLa to keep bringing it.

 

[rain]

While I'm not anticipating it, I wouldn't be surprised either...

I can just see the calculation being that if the establishment wouldn't give them the world title at home when they skated two brilliant programs, they're never going to, especially if Papadakis/Cizeron come back, as has been rumoured. So they'll take the free dance win in front of a home crowd and the standing ovation and call it a day.

 

[kenboy123]

I can just see the calculation being that if the establishment wouldn't give them the world title at home when they skated two brilliant programs, they're never going to, especially if Papadakis/Cizeron come back, as has been rumoured. So they'll take the free dance win in front of a home crowd and the standing ovation and call it a day.

maybe they should have "announced retirement" beforehand whether they were going to retire or not, so that would have a better chance...

 

[Sackie]

But then if Chock and Bates announced retirement too - wouldn't the judges still give it to them. I mean if you think of all the times a CAN team made a little error and were dinged big time yet C/B can fall and still win. I remember when Bourne and Kratz fell right after their final pose yet they lost a medal because of it. Chock falls during a program and they still win.

 

[kenboy123]

But then if Chock and Bates announced retirement too - wouldn't the judges still give it to them. I mean if you think of all the times a CAN team made a little error and were dinged big time yet C/B can fall and still win. I remember when Bourne and Kratz fell right after their final pose yet they lost a medal because of it. Chock falls during a program and they still win.

Maybe/ maybe not...it could have made a difference because there was home crowd advantage...but because it didn't happened and G/P didn't announce retirement and C/B did say they were retiring...it didn't matter where the competition was...they were going to give it to them anyways...

 

[Colonel Green]

But, she has no challenge in Canada in the Seniors field, this Olympic cycle. It seems Canada is content to put all their eggs in this basket.

Less a matter of being content than that being what they have to work with.

Anyway, a very good Worlds for the pairs and dancers; a not-so-good Worlds for the singles skaters. And in that sense, Worlds accurately reflected the season leading up to it.

Marjorie & Zach are really on the cusp of breaking through to the medals, though that may end up having to wait until the 2026 post-Olympic Worlds depending on how things go (though they were quite close to Fear & Gibson here, so if Piper & Paul retired...maybe before that?).

 

[RatedPG]

Worlds was fantastic for us Canadians!!
A gold and a silver exceeded my expectations.

I’m already moving to Trigslav over in Slovenia, in April

I know Canada is sending their top two Novice Girls to compete in the advanced Novice category: Lia Cho and Sandrine Blais

Has anybody heard if we are sending anybody else? Usually these events where we send our novice athletes have a lot of Canadian participants. I believe Japan sends two entries and placed in the top two in Junior/Senior categories last year. International exposure is something our nation is missing. Would love to end this season at this event with multiple athletes.

Senior Women: Fee Ann and Uliana (Maybe Audreanne, if Uliana sticks to Juniors)
Senior Men: Aleksa and Matthew
I’ll even throw Conrad in there;
Junior Women: Reese and Mely-Ann
These two junior girls tied with identical scores at nationals.
Junior Men: winner of junior nationals and one of the David’s or Grayson
Novice boys: winner of nationals and winner of challenger event (different winners)

I really do hope we send more than just two novice girls, to this event.

 

[saine]

Worlds was fantastic for us Canadians!!
A gold and a silver exceeded my expectations.

I’m already moving to Trigslav over in Slovenia, in April

I know Canada is sending their top two Novice Girls to compete in the advanced Novice category: Lia Cho and Sandrine Blais

Has anybody heard if we are sending anybody else? Usually these events where we send our novice athletes have a lot of Canadian participants. I believe Japan sends two entries and placed in the top two in Junior/Senior categories last year. International exposure is something our nation is missing. Would love to end this season at this event with multiple athletes.

Senior Women: Fee Ann and Uliana (Maybe Audreanne, if Uliana sticks to Juniors)
Senior Men: Aleksa and Matthew
I’ll even throw Conrad in there;
Junior Women: Reese and Mely-Ann
These two junior girls tied with identical scores at nationals.
Junior Men: winner of junior nationals and one of the David’s or Grayson
Novice boys: winner of nationals and winner of challenger event (different winners)

I really do hope we send more than just two novice girls, to this event.

I've been hoping that some of the various clubs would post assignments like how Sandrine Blais was announced. Ice Palace mostly since they went 1-2 for men in Novice Nationals. That's convenient for your fantasy assignments there But nothing else so far.

Hopefully Fee-Ann gets assigned if they only send one senior woman. She had the highest domestic score of the season with her Challenge win, she should be getting out as a senior internationally.

 

[Sackie]

Skate Canada had better start working on a fix for our single skaters and soon. They just do not seem to do well under pressure. Of course it is the old problem that some of them do not get many chances to face pressure. However the ones at worlds this year were 3 that have had chances yet they still faltered. But I will give Wesley the benefit of the doubt because it was his 1st worlds, but he has done Jr Worlds several times. Canada down to one man entry for next year is just terrible given our men skaters history.

 

[Jumping_Bean]

Worlds was fantastic for us Canadians!!
A gold and a silver exceeded my expectations.

I’m already moving to Trigslav over in Slovenia, in April

I know Canada is sending their top two Novice Girls to compete in the advanced Novice category: Lia Cho and Sandrine Blais

Has anybody heard if we are sending anybody else? Usually these events where we send our novice athletes have a lot of Canadian participants. I believe Japan sends two entries and placed in the top two in Junior/Senior categories last year. International exposure is something our nation is missing. Would love to end this season at this event with multiple athletes.

Senior Women: Fee Ann and Uliana (Maybe Audreanne, if Uliana sticks to Juniors)
Senior Men: Aleksa and Matthew
I’ll even throw Conrad in there;
Junior Women: Reese and Mely-Ann
These two junior girls tied with identical scores at nationals.
Junior Men: winner of junior nationals and one of the David’s or Grayson
Novice boys: winner of nationals and winner of challenger event (different winners)

I really do hope we send more than just two novice girls, to this event.

On the European Criterium site, there are four Canadian entries listed:

Junior Women: Stavrina Aranitis (5th at Jr Nationals)
Novice Women: Ksenia Krouzkevitch, Lia Cho, Sandrine Blais (entire Novice Nationals podium)

 

[RatedPG]

On the European Criterium site, there are four Canadian entries listed:

Junior Women: Stavrina Aranitis (5th at Jr Nationals)
Novice Women: Ksenia Krouzkevitch, Lia Cho, Sandrine Blais (entire Novice Nationals podium)

OMG! Ksenia too
(I wonder if Nathalie has a chance too. She came in 4th and is in Lia’s camp; three entries already exceeded my expectations.. )

Also, Stavrina too!! I’m so happy ; she came in 5th in Juniors with 147.69. This is a good sign for Mely-Ann (3rd - 147.87) and Reese (4th - 147.87). Top two, Lulu (JGP event and Worlds) and Aleksa (JGP event). I have a good feeling Mely-Ann was selected. Nervous for Reese as she doesn’t have a triple triple.

 

[saine]

Skate Canada had better start working on a fix for our single skaters and soon. They just do not seem to do well under pressure. Of course it is the old problem that some of them do not get many chances to face pressure. However the ones at worlds this year were 3 that have had chances yet they still faltered. But I will give Wesley the benefit of the doubt because it was his 1st worlds, but he has done Jr Worlds several times. Canada down to one man entry for next year is just terrible given our men skaters history.

Considering how his free skate at Junior Worlds last season went, this season has been a massive improvement for Wesley. He's set himself up well for next season since he's in the SB 24 and is guaranteed at least one GP assignment. I wasn't worried about him the way I was worried about Roman and I can see him returning to Worlds next season. They both made the free and whoever goes next year won't have to do the qualifying round at least.

It would have been nice to keep the 2nd spot for men, but it would've been hard no matter who was sent. The men aren't at the level needed right now for two spots.