The 2009-2010 Grand Prix of Figure Skating series continues with Skate Canada. This is the final event before the Grand Prix Final which will be held in Tokyo from December 3 - 6. Canada's Patrick Chan makes his debut on the Grand Prix circuit for the first time -- he had to withdraw from Cup of Russia due to an injury. The U.S.'s Jeremy Abbott (one of my favs) also competes in Canada and I hope hope HOPE that his free skate isn't a meltdown like it was at the recent NHK Trophy in Japan. At NHK, Jeremy was second after the short with the best short program this season in my opinion, and was sixth in the free skate, and finished fifth overall. Michal Brezina from the Czech Republic is also competing, as is Daisuke Takahashi from Japan.
For the ladies, the U.S.'s Alissa Czisny, Mirai Nagasu and Caroline Zhang once again will try to break out of the pack. But look for Joannie Rochette from Canada and Akiko Suzuki from Japan to take the lead. In pairs, Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy from Germany and Maria Mukhortova and Maxim Trankov from Russia will go head-to-head and in ice dance, Canada's Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir are expected to win gold.
The list of competitors for 2009 Skate Canada is as follows:
- For the men: Kevin van der Perren (BEL), Patrick Chan (CAN), Joey Russell (CAN), Jeremy Ten (CAN), Michal Brezina (CZE), Alban Preaubert (FRA), Samuel Contesti (ITA), Daisuke Takahashi (JPN), Denis Ten (KAZ), Jeremy Abbott (USA), Stephen Carriere (USA) and Armin Mahbanoozadeh (USA)
- For the ladies: Amelie LaCoste (CAN), Cynthia Phaneuf (CAN), Joannie Rochette (CAN), Laura Lepisto (FIN), Sarah Hecken (GER), Jenna McCorkell (GBR), Akiko Suzuki (JPN), Joshi Helgesson (SWE), Sarah Meier (SUI), Alissa Czisny (USA), Mirai Nagasu (USA) and Caroline Zhang (USA)
- For the pairs teams: Jessica Dube/Bryce Davison (CAN), Anabelle Langlois/Cody Hay (CAN), Kirsten Moore-Towers/Dylan Moscovitch (CAN), Aliona Savchenko/Robin Szolkowy (GER), Maria Mukhortova/Maxim Trankov (RUS), Ksenia Ozerova/Alexander Enbert (RUS), Caydee Denney/Jeremy Barrett (USA) and Caitlin Yankowskas/John Coughlin (USA)
- For the ice dance teams: Andrea Chong/Guillame Gfeller (CAN), Tessa Virtue/Scott Moir (CAN), Kaitlyn Weaver/Andrew Poje (CAN), Nathalie Pechalat/Fabian Bourzat (FRA), Carolina Hermann/Daniel Hermann (GER), Federica Faiella/Massimo Scali (ITA), Ekaterina Bobrova/Dmistri Soloviev (RUS), Madison Hubbell/Keiffer Hubbell (USA) and Emily Samuelson/Evan Bates (USA)
And as usual, if you're a subscriber to icenetwork, for $30, you can catch all the action live on icenetwork.com. All times are Eastern.
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2009
11:50 a.m.: Pairs short program
1:15 p.m.: Ladies short program
6:30 p.m.: Compulsory dance
7:55 p.m.: Mens short program
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2009
12:00 p.m.: Original dance
1:30 p.m.: Pairs free skate
4:00 p.m.: Mens free skate
7:00 p.m.: Ladies free skate
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2009
12:15 p.m.: Free dance
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