Author: Skate Canada

Josée Picard and Éric Gilles were recently inducted into the Skate Canada Hall of Fame at the 2019 Canadian National Skating Championships in Saint John, New Brunswick.  Alumni Committee Chair, Debbi Wilkes, visited with them recently to discuss their success as coaches and to discover that some of their greatest long-term achievements were actually “off the ice”.

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Where is Marie McNeil now and what has she been up to?  

Written by Marie McNeil Bowness

Newer generations know me as Marie Bowness, an ISU technical specialist and power skating coach.  Older generations, many alumni, know me as Marie McNeil, Ice Dance champion with partner Rob McCall. So, as you can tell I have spent most of my life on the ice.  As they say, once a rink rat always a rink rat.

Continue reading “Podcast: J. Picard & E. Gilles | Spotlight: M. McNeil Bowness | Chan Office Visit | Dore Mentorship Fund | Milestone Events”

This season Skate Canada and the Alumni Committee welcomed two new members into the Alumni Family. This past January at Nationals in Saint John, two of Canada’s most popular national team members, Dylan Moscovitch and Elladj Baldé, renewed their friendship and reminisced about the experiences skating has brought to their lives Facing the end of their first year of retirement from competition, they also talked about their new goals … and through many giggles … shared how skating has prepared them for the road ahead as they both embark on new directions.  

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Skate Canada saddened by the passing of skating pioneer Billie Mitchell

Skate Canada is saddened by the passing of beloved Hall of Famer Billie Mitchell. She passed away peacefully at age 103 on Wednesday, February 13, 2019. Mitchell, a native of Vancouver, blazed a path for female leadership in sport and was devoted to advancing figure skating throughout her life.

Continue reading “Podcast: Moscovitch & Baldé | Passing of Mrs. Mitchell | 2019 Nationals | The Brothel Incident | Westwood Gems Part 2”

As Athlete Ambassador of the 2019 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships, Elvis shared accounts of some of his experiences competing at Nationals, the things it taught him and the lessons he hopes he can pass along. 20 years post competition and he is still one of the most sought-after performers in the world.  Listen Now »

About the OLY Designation?                                     

By Denise Benning, OLY

When you see the letters PhD after someone’s name, it is recognition that the individual has reached the highest academic level, an accomplishment which took years of hard work and sacrifice to achieve.  From a sports perspective, this description also rings true when considering the dedication it takes to compete as a high-performance athlete.

Continue reading “Podcast: E. Stojko | Oly | The Whistle | J. Westwood | Reynolds Retires”

Ann Shaw, Skate Canada Alumni Committee member chats with Joyce Hisey about her experience as a Team Leader at the annual senior competition in Oberstdorf, Germany.

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A fun holiday message from our alumni, Elizabeth Putnam, Patrick Chan and their sweet pup, Poppy!

Oh, the People You’ll Meet!** (With apologies and thanks to Dr. Seuss)

by Susan Heffernan

“Out there things can happen and frequently do

To people as brainy

And silly as you.

Oh, the people you’ll meet!”

As I reflect on my skating journey it is about the PEOPLE I’VE MET. Skaters, coaches, volunteers and of course my fellow officials.

Continue reading “Podcast: J. Hisey | Special Holiday Message | Oh, the People You’ll Meet! | Once Upon an Ice Rink… | Alumni Celebrate at Grand Prix Final”

Skate Canada Archivist – Emery Leger

Skate Canada Hall of Fame & Heritage Committee member, Diane Imrie chats with Emery Leger, Skate Canada Archivist about Skate Canada’s collection from photographs, trophies, medals, costumes, films… and much more.

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Keeping with our theme of early-season memories, here are a few from recent Hall of Fame inductee Steve Milton, one of the most prolific and highly regarded skating journalists in the media business.

Skating Memories – Written by Steve Milton

I have a confession to make about the start of the competitive figure skating season during the early years of my journalistic career.

I had no clue what I was looking at.

And this was even after a few years of being widely referred to as an “expert figure skating journalist.” I think that was a relative term because there were no speciality websites or blogs in the late ‘1970s and early ’80s, and most “mainstream” media members who covered other sports, as I and my colleagues did, didn’t know the difference between a Salchow and a Jersey cow.

Continue reading “Podcast: E. Leger | Skating Memories by S. Milton | Thank You Canada Tour | Rochette & Baldé at Skate Canada International 2018”

NEXXICE Senior

Tune in to listen to NEXXICE legends Shelley Simonton Barnett (coach) and Jennifer Beauchamp (alumnus) chatting about our 9 time Canadian Champions.

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Canada Ice Dance Theatre: Volume 4 “Our Good-byes”

By Ron Vincent

When I look back on CIDT history, and the people I worked with, it is with a great deal of sadness over the early losses of the majority of the original principals.

Continue reading “NEXXICE SR Podcast | “Our Good-byes” | Season Starting Memories-Part 2 | HOF Inductions: J. Rochette & C. Bourne”

PART 1 Season-starting Memories

As the new skating season swings into action, many Alumni are reminded from years gone by of the thrills and fears experienced at the start of their own competitive seasons. Whether Athlete, Judge, Coach, Volunteer or Hall of Famer, every memory is golden and demonstrates the richness that is part of our individual skating stories. Continue reading “Season – Starting Memories | The Move to Vancouver | 1963 World Gold Medal”

Lenny Faustino

Debbi Wilkes chats with  Canadian pair skater, Lenny Faustino.  Lenny with pair partner Jacinthe Larivière, were the 2003 Canadian National Champions and represented Canada at the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympic Games.

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Kenny Moir – Alumni Award, at the Ice Theatre of New York (ITNY)

A native of Vancouver Canada, Kenny Moir began his journey in figure skating at the age of 3 when his parents enrolled him, along with his sister Glenda, with the Winter Club at the end of their block. As luck would have it, the Winter Club happened to be one of British Columbia’s foremost training centers. After qualifying for Novice nationals at the age of twelve, Kenny went on to compete in many Canadian Championships resulting in a novice silver medal in 1973 and appeared in several International competitions.

Continue reading “L. Faustino Podcast | Alumni Award | Birth of a Vision”