2024–25 Canadian Men: News and Updates

[Karen-W]

I fail to understand this line of thinking. If Aleksa Rakic wins nationals with a "clean" skate (ie several jumps under or on the quarter), I hardly think that would necessarily any better for the future of Canadian mens skating.

Embrace the chaos and let folks root for who they want to root for.

At least he's standing up on the jumps. I'm pretty sure we can be certain that none of the rest of the guys will manage that.

 

[victorskid]

Skate Canada International took place in the Laval arena in 2018 - Roman finished last ...

 

[Former Lurve Goddess]

Anyone got any insight into how the current state of Canadian men came to be? It used to be that even when there were no World's medal contenders, there'd be a few guys who could at least finish in the top 10.

 

[Sylvia]

Anyone got any insight into how the current state of Canadian men came to be?

The pandemic was a factor.

Messing retired mid-Olympic cycle (2023);
2023 silver medalist Orzel retired last year;
2020 national champ Sadovsky is still looking for consistency in comp.;
2024 national champ Chiu has been dealing with injury this season;
2024 silver medalist Rakic TBD;
"Prodigy" Gogolev grew a LOT and his injuries likely are related to that;
Circelli switched to Italy last season;
Nguyen retired in 2022 at the age of 24;
Joseph Phan (4th 3 times at Nationals) retired in 2022 at 21;
Nadeau retired from singles in 2021 & switched to pairs/now in pro skating.

 

[dramagrrl]

2020 national champ Sadovsky is still looking for consistency in comp.;

Understatement........

 

[kwanfan1818]

We’ve discussed a number of times here how enough of the men with the most potential grew so tall that the odds were against them as singles, and only Nadeau switched to Pairs.

 

[Former Lurve Goddess]

We’ve discussed a number of times here how enough of the men with the most potential grew so tall that the odds were against them as singles, and only Nadeau switched to Pairs.

Maybe Skate Canada needs to scout some boys who have really short parents?

 

[Sylvia]

Wesley’s post today:

Wesley Chiu on Instagram: "Unfortunately, I had to withdraw from Nationals due to an ankle injury. It was a last minute and tough decision to make, but the right one in order to be fully healthy for the rest of the season. Hope to be back on competit

wesleychiu_ on January 14, 2025: "Unfortunately, I had to withdraw from Nationals due to an ankle injury. It was a last minute and tough decision to make, but the right one in order to be fully healthy for the rest of the season. Hope to be back on competition ice soon and all the best to...

www.instagram.com

Unfortunately, I had to withdraw from Nationals due to an ankle injury. It was a last minute and tough decision to make, but the right one in order to be fully healthy for the rest of the season. Hope to be back on competition ice soon and all the best to everyone competing in Laval!

 

[victorskid]

Roman aiming for top 10 at Worlds....

Roman Sadovksy is ready to make his comeback at Nationals - Skate Ontario

By: Dylan Nazareth This is not Roman Sadovsky’s first rodeo. This weekend, the 25-year-old skater will make his 11th appearance at nationals. With a wealth of experience under his belt, the 2020 Canadian champion is feeling good ahead of Friday’s short program. “I’m feeling really confident,”...

skateontario.org

 

[Sylvia]

In the Loop's men's photos & quotes today (Jan. 16) after practice in Laval:

Roman: https://www.instagram.com/p/DE6Fm5Gofka/

Aleska: https://www.instagram.com/p/DE6FWNtIL1v/

Anthony: https://www.instagram.com/p/DE6FElhoHVU/

 

[fan]

Roman aiming for top 10 at Worlds....

Roman Sadovksy is ready to make his comeback at Nationals - Skate Ontario

By: Dylan Nazareth This is not Roman Sadovsky’s first rodeo. This weekend, the 25-year-old skater will make his 11th appearance at nationals. With a wealth of experience under his belt, the 2020 Canadian champion is feeling good ahead of Friday’s short program. “I’m feeling really confident,”...

skateontario.org

I’m aiming to be 55kg. Some things just won’t happen.

 

[Former Lurve Goddess]

Roman aiming for top 10 at Worlds....

Roman Sadovksy is ready to make his comeback at Nationals - Skate Ontario

By: Dylan Nazareth This is not Roman Sadovsky’s first rodeo. This weekend, the 25-year-old skater will make his 11th appearance at nationals. With a wealth of experience under his belt, the 2020 Canadian champion is feeling good ahead of Friday’s short program. “I’m feeling really confident,”...

skateontario.org

It's best not to tempt the Skategods.

 

[Sylvia]

Rob Brodie's first article today from Laval focuses on the men (after the opening Stellato-Dudek/Deschamps section): https://rwbrodiewrites.substack.com/p/scnats25-its-like-a-fire-burning

... Skate Canada high performance director Mike Slipchuk made it official today: no final decision on which men’s skater will represent Canada at the all-important 2025 World Championships in Boston will be made until after the Four Continents Championships next month in South Korea.
Given that Skate Canada did the same thing a year ago in advance of 2024 Worlds in Montreal, it’s really no surprise. Especially, too, in light of the fact that only two Canadian men with the qualifying criteria for Worlds (Aleksa Rakic and Roman Sadovsky) will compete here in Laval this week. The other two Canadian men who have the necessary scores are both injured and one of them, Stephen Gogolev, is done for the season due to recurring back issues. The other is Chiu, the defending Canadian champion who had to pull out of this week’s event due to an ankle injury that has not fully healed since it happened at Cup of China back in November.
“If you had multiple spots (for Worlds), you may be in a position to name one and then wait on the other. None of the men were clearly ahead of the pack this season, they were all kind of in there,” said Slipchuk. “So it’s best for us to have two events. You get to see them domestically but Four Continents is where your get a real good litmus test because it’s an international (judging) panel. It’s safe to say that, barring something unforeseen, we will wait on that decision and we have that built into our criteria.”
That criteria involves taking the entire season into consideration before making any World team decisions, and every skater is fully aware of that going into the campaign. That’s why Chiu’s absence in Laval isn’t a season-killer for him. He was Canada’s highest finisher (17th) in the men’s event at Montreal Worlds and that, in part, is what keeps his name in the discussion for the upcoming Worlds in Boston. Skate Canada knows what he’s capable of on that stage; it’s just a matter of whether he can get himself back to full health in time to prove it at Four Continents.
“At the end of the day, we want to be able to send the best skaters that we have to the (Canadian and World) Championships. There’s been a whole plan put in place for (Chiu’s) recovery, so we’re well aware of where things are at,” explained Slipchuk. “He’s back on the ice, but he’s not at a point yet where he’s ready to compete. He’s not doing everything. So he’s best to keep training and getting healthy.
“(Missing nationals) does not eliminate him from the discussion for Worlds because he has the (qualifying) scores all the way through. I’ll go see him in a few weeks and I’ll see him regardless, and we’ll go from there. He’s our top guy from Worlds last year but then again, we have to look at all aspects … Things happen, injuries happen and it’s a little unique this year where Four Continents is four weeks later. So you have five weeks now, so there’s a bit of a time. He’ll definitely be in the conversation.”
While it won’t be the last word in this discussion, Rakic (the silver medalist in Calgary a year ago) and Sadovsky (the 2020 Canadian champion) both have an opportunity to make a compelling argument for themselves this week.
“It’s a national title and there’s always that allure, and you want to win that. So there’s a bit of extra motivation here,” said Slipchuk. “Definitely, it’s an opportunity for them here to try to show what they can do and build that confidence. That’s kind of what we’re hoping to see here.
“It helps in the decision making process but even more, it helps their confidence. To come here and have a good nationals and two good skates only builds that confidence and when they go to Four Continents, it keeps building. They’re kind of starting to hit their stride; they need to hit that now.”

The last section of the article is about Edrian Paul Celestino - an excerpt:

While he kept training in Montreal, where he was born, Celestino represented the Philippines for four years internationally, most notably making three appearances at Four Continents with a best placement of 17th in 2023. But as time rolled on, injuries kept piling up and taking their toll on his body. It made him decide that this season would be his last. With the Canadian Championships coming to Laval, Celestino knew exactly where he wanted his swan song to take place. Back to where it all started for him.
“I’m 26 years old. I feel like I could still go on, but my body is telling me no due to multiple injuries, recurring injuries,” he said. “I’m actually injured right now. I have a joint that’s swollen in my second toe, so I have trouble with any jumps off that foot. When I found out nationals would be in Laval, I thought it would be a great fairytale ending do to my last competition here.”