by Claire Cloutier, special for Two for the Ice The rhythm dance at Skate Canada featured some great performances from a strong group of ice dancers in Laval, Quebec. There were a few surprises as well, both in the standings and protocols. Madison Hubbell & Zachary Donohue of the U.S., skating in their second event…
by Claire Cloutier, special for Two for the Ice The pairs event at Skate Canada ended on a high note Saturday, as Vanessa James & Morgan Cipres delivered a stunning free skate to seal their first Grand Prix victory. An exciting three-way battle for the other podium spots resulted in Cheng Peng & Yang Jin…
by Claire Cloutier, special for Two for the Ice The pairs short program at Skate Canada in Laval, Quebec, was quite a strong event, with many teams showing improvement from their early-season performances. It was a deep pairs field overall in Laval. Vanessa James & Morgan Cipres of France, reigning World bronze medalists, won the…
by Jacquelyn Thayer After a strong short program event for the Skate Canada International pairs field, the long brought a few more woes — though the top finishers managed to hang on for podium success. With their “Non, je ne regrette rien” free, Meagan Duhamel and Eric Radford completed their third victory at Skate Canada…
by Jacquelyn Thayer The free dance at 2016 Skate Canada International showcased little movement from the short — but did feature a range of high-scoring performances and more than a few technical twists. Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir successfully completed their Grand Prix comeback debut, winning their sixth Skate Canada International title with a total…
by Jacquelyn Thayer A small field of seven, thanks to a late withdrawal, also makes the 2016 Skate Canada International pairs event a prime opportunity for teams seeking to establish or build their international reputation. Back on home turf – and looking to defend their previous two Skate Canada International titles – Meagan Duhamel and…
by Jacquelyn Thayer While the short dance event at 2016 Skate Canada International might have drawn most attention for its return of Olympic and world champs and its match-up of several recent high-scoring couples — the real joy lay in its infinite variety. With a program permitting one of two very broadly-defined secondary rhythms —…
by Jacquelyn Thayer Victory at Autumn Classic International served as a successful first step of a two-year comeback plan for Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir. And shortly after, the team were back to work with free dance choreographer David Wilson. “It was always part of the plan — you kind of create, try to make…
by Jacquelyn Thayer; photos by Danielle Earl Canadian pair Margaret Purdy & Michael Marinaro capped off their junior international career with their best season to date. After taking gold at both JGP Lake Placid and JGP Croatia Cup, qualifying them for the Junior Grand Prix Final in Sochi, the team concluded their third trip to…
