2022–23 Canadian Pairs: News and Updates

[puglover]

Great showing by our pairs teams. I am so happy for them, their coaches and support teams. I didn't realize that Lia and Trennt were 4th in the free skate and that was with the misses on the 3S's that they can easily do.

 

[karmena]

I am so impressed by Canadian pairs! by all three of them! Bravo, Canadians!

 

[screech]

Lia and Trennt definitely have 'IT'. I did notice though that they take short crossovers. The guy normally does to be able to match the girl, but even her crossovers are short, and she actually reaches a bit, but then pulls back her foot a bit before it actually touches the ice. If they work on that a bit more, their speed will improve, as will their ice coverage.

 

[~tapdancer~]

Lia and Trennt were SO GOOD! 6th in your first Worlds and not long a team, I am so impressed. She is wonderful, her smile and projection are excellent. Trennt seems to skate with a joy I have not seen from him in a while. I pray they stay together and keep getting better!

I also enjoyed Brooke and Ben, he is such a supportive partner and I really enjoyed their Les Miz.

 

[Pink Cats]

I thought all the Canadian pairs were just wonderful and I hope to see them all next year. I only have one negative comment, I think Brooke needs to wear stronger colours, that palish pink in the long really washed her out.

Who was the female commenter she really had some good points.

 

[victorskid]

I thought all the Canadian pairs were just wonderful and I hope to see them all next year. I only have one negative comment, I think Brooke needs to wear stronger colours, that palish pink in the long really washed her out.

Who was the female commenter she really had some good points.

The ISU commentators are Belinda Noonan & Mark Hanretty.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

I think Brooke needs to wear stronger colours, that palish pink in the long really washed her out.

you’re right

 

[Skate Talker]

Belinda Noonan usually does Olympic figure skating commentary for the official OBS (Olympic Broadcasting System)

 

[Colonel Green]

The filmed companion piece to Heroux’s McIntosh sisters article, which ran on The National last night.

 

[Sylvia]

Re-posting here from the Pairs general discussion thread... Sport24.ru interview before Worlds (March 21) with Deanna Stellato-Dudek:

Deanna Stellato-Dudek: “Pair skating is not for the weak. It’s for very strong and brave girls.”

Interview with Deanna Stellato-Dudek for Russian media.

fs-gossips.com

Excerpts:

Do you have a Canadian passport?
Deanna Stellato-Dudek: No. I know there are some countries that will give you a passport relatively easily if you represent them, but Canada is not one of those countries, nor is the US. In the US, it takes about seven years, and in Canada, about four or five. I don’t have a passport yet, I’m still waiting. We really hope that I’ll have it by December 2025. To qualify for the 2026 Olympics, you need to have your passport by December 25th. I hope to have it much sooner, but we remain hopeful.

How do you manage financial issues in the US and Canada? I mean, have you had to combine training and work, or has the federation provided financial assistance?
Deanna Stellato-Dudek: In the US, funding is provided to athletes of a certain level. The money comes through the United States Figure Skating Federation. When you receive it, you have to pay taxes. This is not from the government or anything like that, just from the Federation itself. So it’s no different than prize money, which is also taxed. In Canada, athletes are mostly funded by the government, so the money is provided tax-free. But I’m not receiving any funding at the moment because I’m not a citizen, just part from Skate Canada and its channels. To receive full government funding, you have to be a citizen or at least have your PR card, which is your permanent residency card, like a green card in the US before you become a citizen. I don’t have that yet.

 

[karmena]

Why it takes so long for Deanna to get her Canadian Permanent Resident card?? as far as remember, Lubov Ilyushechkina got her PR card very fast!

 

[skatingguy]

Why it takes so long for Deanna to get her Canadian Permanent Resident card?? as far as remember, Lubov Ilyushechkina got her PR card very fast!

Remember it took awhile for her to get a release from the USFS, so that would have caused a delay.

 

[karmena]

Oh, yes! it makes a sense indeed
Thank you for an explanation.

 

[Sylvia]

Trennt Michaud's post yesterday: https://www.instagram.com/p/CqeHgqErq2w/

Well that was a crazy season to say the least! So proud of what @_lia.pereira and I were able to accomplish in our first year together, and can’t thank all of our coaches and team enough for everything they do. We couldn’t have done it without you, and I’m so excited for this journey we’re on! Let’s get it ...

Lia Pereira's video "Worlds in 1 minute and 30 seconds": https://www.instagram.com/reel/CqW6sVcu7ad/

 

[4rkidz]

Trennt Michaud's post yesterday: https://www.instagram.com/p/CqeHgqErq2w/

Lia Pereira's video "Worlds in 1 minute and 30 seconds": https://www.instagram.com/reel/CqW6sVcu7ad/

He should be excited! What an amazing first season together and I think they have that “it” factor. Excited to watch them develop.

 

[Sylvia]

Brooke McIntosh and Benjamin Mimar have show appearances planned for tonight (Prince of Wales Skating Club in St. John’s, NL) and then in Ben's hometown area April 15-16 at CPA Repentigny & April 22 CPA Charny in QC: https://www.instagram.com/p/CqqG5TSr_HY/

They did a live 10-minute chat today with Skate Ontario's weekly #3Turn3 starting after the 5-min. mark: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENRCtJ1F7Vw&t=311s
They will use this season's choreographers for their 2023-24 programs -- they've started the FS choreo. with Carol Lane and Juris Razgulajevs and their SP will be choreographed by David Wilson and Sandra Bezic (didn't clearly hear 2nd name that Mimar said) at the end of April.

 

[Sylvia]

August 5, 2022:

In a bit of a surprise, Evelyn has announced that she's retiring. She'll be focusing on university.

Western University filmed a 6-minute feature on Evelyn Walsh (April 28):

Evelyn Walsh: Sticking the landing

Evelyn Walsh has skated around the world competing for Canada. Now, she's much closer to home as a member of Western's varsity figure skating team. The Gazette got on the

westerngazette.ca

YT link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6F0gS9ltww

Evelyn Walsh has skated around the world competing for Canada. Now, she's much closer to home as a member of Western's varsity figure skating team. The Gazette got on the ice with her to talk about retiring from competitive skating and seeing the sport through a new lens as a student.

 

[Sylvia]

They [McIntosh/Mimar] did a live 10-minute chat today with Skate Ontario's weekly #3Turn3 starting after the 5-min. mark: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENRCtJ1F7Vw&t=311s
They will use this season's choreographers for their 2023-24 programs -- they've started the FS choreo. with Carol Lane and Juris Razgulajevs and their SP will be choreographed by David Wilson and Sandra Bezic (didn't clearly hear 2nd name that Mimar said) at the end of April.

Mimar's post yesterday (their on ice photo with Wilson and Bezic): https://www.instagram.com/p/CrmbfnTLQgs/

 

[karmena]

Wonderful news! It sounds that Brooke is very delighted with their new SP!

I hope- and wish!- for Pereira/Michaud eventually venture for other choreographers, not only to be with Purkiss. Nothing against Purkiss as a choreographer at all. I just wish for P/M programs with more, as to say, substance. IMO Trennt and Lea have a great potential and they need to find their own identity as a pair (in future) and to venture to different choreographers. I cannot see this to happen if they stay with one choreographer all te time.

 

[4rkidz]

August 5, 2022:

Western University filmed a 6-minute feature on Evelyn Walsh (April 28):

Evelyn Walsh: Sticking the landing

Evelyn Walsh has skated around the world competing for Canada. Now, she's much closer to home as a member of Western's varsity figure skating team. The Gazette got on the

westerngazette.ca

YT link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6F0gS9ltww

What a wonderful young woman, proud of her sport and community. I am sure she will be a great sports psychologist.

 

[Sylvia]

Congrats to Bryce Chudak on graduating from the Fire & Emergency Services Training Institute's 18-week training course in Toronto and being "well on my way to being a professional firefighter" (Trennt is with him in the 4th pic): https://www.instagram.com/p/CsHirDsrhRD/

 

[karmena]

Is Natasha Purich still competing?

 

[Sylvia]

Is Natasha Purich still competing?

Purich posted this on her Instagram in late March: https://www.instagram.com/p/CqdgJXQJYnM/

Yesterday I had the chance to sit down and chat with @emmabulawka it was the first time I've talked to another athlete from my sport and felt an understanding. These last two years have been full of highs and lows but I've been on a journey to find peace with myself, my body and my career. Our biggest topic of conversation yesterday was losing the love of the sport and how taking some time away from the sport to heal was a blessing. The shoulda coulda woulda's will always be there in the back of my brain along with the uncomfortable moments of continual personal growth but these moments are slowly being drowned out by new found friendships and laughter of those around me.

Very excited for some of the upcoming projects planned in the coming months.

@elysiamariee

#mentalhealthmatters #injuryrecovery #loveofsports #girlsarestrong #figureskating #edawareness #breaksareimportant

Natasha has shared skating clips on outdoor ice - she posted about having "struggled with a severe eating disorder for years" back in early February - I copied out her post/linked here: https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/th...-discussion-thread.107347/page-8#post-6384681

 

[karmena]

Purich posted this on her Instagram in late March: https://www.instagram.com/p/CqdgJXQJYnM/

Natasha has shared skating clips on outdoor ice - she posted about having "struggled with a severe eating disorder for years" back in early February - I copied out her post/linked here: https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/th...-discussion-thread.107347/page-8#post-6384681

Thank you!

 

[Sylvia]

Dec. 27, 2022:

Just noticed that Lori-Ann Matte / Thierry Ferland, who previously WD from both of their GP assignments, are listed as WD from the Nationals Senior Pair SP starting order as of Dec. 22 (9 teams remain): https://cssterminalserv.skatecanada.ca/results/23CDNSeniorPairSP1SO.pdf

Patinage Quebec's post today about Matte/Ferland: https://www.instagram.com/p/CsJ-C3Aphqb/
Machine translation:

Congratulations to @thi.ferland and @lo_matte for their recent recognition of receiving a Beneva Scholarship as part of the Aléo Foundation Scholarship Program. This year, the @fondationaleo and Beneva distributed a total of $82,000 to 23 student-athletes. Thank you for your unconditional support to the athletes and long live this partnership.

Ferland posted clips of his triples on April 6: https://www.instagram.com/reel/CqtKy93u0aj/

Matte last posted a clip of her 3S on Jan. 31 ("3 months ago I could barely walk without any pain, today we are landing triple salch again #roadtorecovery #trusttheprocess #figureskating #proud"): https://www.instagram.com/p/CoGM5MpPAvW/

 

[Sylvia]

Putting this in the 2022-23 season thread because of my last month's post above:

... video (FWIW) of Thierry Ferland throwing [USA's Gabriella] Izzo at WAIH [World Arena Ice Hall in Colorado Springs, CO] was posted today:

Natalia Mishkutenok on Instagram: "Nice throw Gabbi & Thierry 😁"

221 likes, 8 comments - natalia.mishkutenok on June 12, 2023: "Nice throw Gabbi & Thierry 😁".

www.instagram.com

Also, Tilda Alteryd/Gabriel Farand (8th at CAN Nationals: http://www.isuresults.com/bios/isufs00115032.htm) are no more since she announced her new partnership with Valtter Virtanen today (link is posted in both the Finnish news thread in GSD and the Pairs discussion thread in the Trash Can).

Link to the 2023-24 Canadian Pairs news thread: https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/threads/2023-24-canadian-pairs-news-updates.110746/