Featuring Elizabeth Manley

Canada’s 1988 Olympic sweetheart, Elizabeth Manley, has turned her silver medal into an outstanding career both on and off the ice. Strong, talented and determined, and taking another exciting step into the future, Liz is using everything she’s learned from sport and from her battles with depression to carve out a new niche for herself … this time as a “Life Coach”.

Join Liz and Alumni Chair Debbi Wilkes as they talk about this inspiring journey.

Featuring Ann Shaw

Debbi Wilkes welcomes Skate Canada Hall of Fame member, Ann Shaw. As a former international dance competitor and now a retired official, Ann has experienced every part of the skating world. From judging national, world and Olympic events to serving on the ISU Dance Committee, Ann’s pedigree and contributions have helped promote and define our sport in Canada and around the world.

For skating “lifers” like Ann Shaw, passion for the sport never waivers. Ann’s commitment and vision continue to inspire and challenge how to progress the sport in its evolution.

Enjoy this special podcast as Ann shares some of her most memorable skating experiences.

Debbi Wilkes accueille Ann Shaw, membre du Temple de la renommée de Patinage Canada. En tant qu’ancienne concurrente internationale de danse et maintenant officielle à la retraite, Ann a exploré toutes les parties du monde du patinage. Qu’il s’agisse de juger des événements nationaux, mondiaux et olympiques ou de siéger au comité de danse de l’ISU, les antécédents et les contributions d’Ann ont aidé à promouvoir et à définir notre sport, au Canada et dans le monde entier.  

Pour des amateurs « à vie » du patinage, comme Ann Shaw, la passion pour le sport ne s’éteint jamais. L’engagement et la vision d’Ann continuent à inspirer et à stimuler l’avancement du sport dans le cadre même de son évolution. 

Profitez de ce balado spécial, alors qu’Ann partagera certaines de ses expériences de patinage les plus mémorables. 

Featuring Marilyn Chidlow

In this month’s alumni podcast, Debbi Wilkes welcomes former Skate Canada President, Marilyn Chidlow.  Marilyn is an Alberta native who has been involved in every level of skating volunteering including the local club level, the National Board level as the Skate Canada President from 2000 to 2006, and attending the Olympic Winter Games. Marilyn not only remembers her first steps on the ice but also some of her greatest challenges and successes as leader of Skate Canada.

In this episode, Marilyn continues to shine with the leadership and diplomacy, which highlighted her Presidency of Skate Canada during some of the most memorable moments in skating history.  Her thoughtful, sensitive and positive attitude was a great role model for the organization and for the volunteers.

Three-time Olympic medalist and 10-time national champion

Patrick Chan is the most decorated male figure skater in Canadian history.  A three-time world champion (2011, 2012, 2013), a 2018 Olympic gold medalist in the team event in PyeongChang, he won two Olympic silver medals in the men’s event and team event at the Sochi games. And in January 2018, he won his 10^th national title to break the all-time record held by Montgomery Wilson since 1939.

Think about the complex skills it requires to be the best in skating: power and acceleration, deep edges, body control, complicated footwork, rich and detailed choreography, and outstanding jumps and spins. Ten-time Canadian Champion Patrick Chan has them all… and he has pushed figure skating in new directions.

This month’s podcast with Debbi Wilkes, Patrick talks about his career, his retirement, his future, and the important time for reflection during the COVID-19 isolation, the longest time he has been off the ice since he started skating!

Most elite athletes are perfectionists… and Patrick Chan admits he is no different.  His drive to learn and succeed and, since retirement, he has a new appreciation for what is required to move into the next chapter of his life.  While he hopes skating will always play a significant role, Patrick is open to developing new skills and searching for his next great challenge.

As you will discover, despite the lockdown, Patrick is hungry to return to the ice.

Featuring Emanuel Sandhu

Two-time Olympian and three-time Canadian champion, Emanuel Sandhu describes himself as a perfectionist with a two-sided personality.  Recently he and Debbi Wilkes chatted about his life and career, even the COVID pandemic could not suppress his optimism, curiosity, and love of adventure. For Emanuel, ballet and skating were perfectly intertwined both in his soul and on the ice to create an unforgettable combination of athleticism and artistry.  Join Emanuel and Debbi for this revealing and inspiring conversation.

Olympian Emanuel Sandhu is a three-time Canadian Men’s Figure Skating Champion, a Grand Prix Final Champion, and back-to-back Skate Canada International Grand Prix Gold Medalist – among other international titles – and a two-time Olympian (Salt Lake City 2002, Torino 2006; alternate 1998).

Originally from Richmond Hill, Ontario, multi-talented Emanuel is an alumnus of Canada’s National Ballet School, one of the world’s premiere ballet academies, which he attended for 10 years. He placed as top three male on the #1 rated television show “So You Think You Can Dance Canada”, followed by the So You Think You Can Dance Canada National Tour.

He is the first figure skater in the world to complete a triple/triple/triple jump combination in competition (Sears Open 1999) and has invented many never-before-seen spins including the famously flexible “Sandhu Spin”, which is frequently used by today’s skaters, and is known world-wide for his breathtaking skating performances, which blend art and technique.

With an Italian-East Indian heritage, Emanuel was awarded the Indo-Canadian Chamber of Commerce Youth Achievement Award at age 17, as well as YTV’s Youth Achievement Award, the Premier’s Athletic Award, and was nominated for Canada’s Male Athlete of the Year Award. He has been inducted into the Richmond Hill Hall of Fame.

His work extends far beyond the ice rink and dance studio to several local and National charities which he has donated his time and celebrity to including: The Pledge to End Bullying, The Red Cross, The Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation, Face the World Foundation, Raise-a-Reader, The Kidney Foundation of Canada and many others.

Emanuel still actively skates and dances, most recently having the honour of being invited to take company ballet class with The Bolshoi Ballet as well as participating in many shows including: Stars On Ice, Art On Ice (featured dancer and skater), Rock the Ice!, Holiday Festival on Ice, Japan Open, National Ballet of Canada’s Nutcracker Tour of Japan and Canada’s National Ballet School National Audition Tour, Wintertournee Germany, Opera On Ice Italy, Red Square Show Moscow, and many more.

Emanuel directed and choreographed the on-ice spectacular The Nutcracker by Plushenko, which toured Russia, and skated the lead roles of Stahlbaum and the Rat King.

Most recently he has performed in Swan Lake, a production which featured star ballet dancers of The Bolshoi Ballet and the Mariinsky Ballet respectively, as well as Cinderella by Plushenko. Both productions toured Russia.

He has choreographed innovative and successful programs for World and Olympic champions as well as up-and-coming international talents from around the world.  He also turns his focus to coaching not only in dance and figure skating but has also worked with hockey players in the powerskating world.

Outside the rink, his interests include anything design, space and science, business, drama, art, and music.

He sings and has recorded several of his original songs which he co-wrote.

He sang live and skated to his first single “Burn Up The Floor” in Germany.

For more news on Emanuel Sandhu, please follow him on his Social accounts:

https://www.instagram.com/emanuelsandhu/ 

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100009840616326 

L’olympien Emanuel Sandhu est un triple champion masculin canadien de patinage artistique, un champion de la Finale du Grand Prix et un médaillé d’or aux Internationaux Patinage Canada, qui est un événement du Grand Prix, au nombre de ses titres internationaux, en plus d’être deux fois olympien (Salt Lake City, en 2002, Turin, en 2006 et remplaçant en 1998).

Originaire de Richmond Hill, en Ontario, Emanuel est doté de multiples talents, en plus d’être un ancien élève de l’École nationale de ballet du Canada, l’une des meilleures académies de ballet au monde, qu’il a fréquentée pendant 10 ans. Il s’est classé parmi les trois premiers danseurs masculins de la série télévisée cotée numéro un, So You Think You Can Dance Canada, ce qui a été suivi de la tournée nationale de cette série.

Premier patineur artistique au monde à réussir une combinaison de trois triples sauts en compétition (Sears Open, 1999), Emanuel a inventé de nombreuses pirouettes inédites, dont la fameuse et flexible pirouette Sandhu, qu’utilisent fréquemment les patineurs aujourd’hui. Emanuel est reconnu dans le monde entier pour ses programmes de patinage à couper le souffle, qui allient l’art à la technique.

Comptant un héritage moitié d’origine italienne moitié ressortissant des Indes orientales, Emanuel s’est vu attribuer à l’âge de 17 ans le Youth Achievement Award de la Chambre de commerce Indo‑Canada, le Youth Achievement Award de YTV, le Premier’s Athletic Award, en plus d’être mis en candidature pour le Prix de l’athlète masculin de l’année du Canada. Il a été intronisé au Richmond Hill Hall of Fame.

Son travail va bien au-delà de la patinoire et du studio de danse et englobe plusieurs organismes de bienfaisance locaux et nationaux, pour lesquels il a fait don de son temps et utilisé sa célébrité, y compris : The Pledge to End Bullying, la Croix-Rouge, la Fondation canadienne du cancer du sein, Face the World Foundation, Raise-a-Reader, la Fondation canadienne du rein et bien d’autres.

Emanuel patine et danse toujours activement, ayant tout récemment eu l’honneur d’être invité à suivre des cours de ballet avec le Ballet du Bolchoï, ainsi qu’à participer à de nombreux spectacles, y compris Étoiles sur glace, Art On Ice (danseur et patineur en vedette), Rock the Ice!, Holiday Festival on Ice, Japan Open, la tournée de Casse-noisette au Japon du Ballet national du Canada, la Tournée nationale d’auditions de l’École nationale de ballet du Canada, Wintertournee en Allemagne, Opera On Ice en Italie, Red Square Show à Moscou, entre autres.

Emanuel a mis en scène et chorégraphié le spectaculaire Casse-Noisette sur glace de Plushenko, qui a fait le tour de la Russie, jouant les rôles principaux de Stahlbaum et du Roi des rats.

Plus récemment, il s’est produit dans Le Lac des cygnes, une production qui mettait en vedette des danseurs de ballet étoiles du Ballet du Bolchoï et du Ballet Mariinsky, respectivement, ainsi que Cendrillon par Plushenko. Les deux productions ont effectué le tour de la Russie.

Il a chorégraphié des programmes novateurs et réussis pour des champions du monde et olympiques, ainsi que des talents internationaux émergents du monde entier. Il se concentre aussi sur ses fonctions d’entraîneur, non seulement en danse et patinage artistique, mais également avec des joueurs de hockey en patinage intensif.

À l’extérieur de la patinoire, Emanuel s’intéresse à la conception, à l’espace et à la science, aux affaires, au drame, à l’art et à la musique.

Il chante et a enregistré plusieurs de ses chansons originales, qu’il a coécrites.

Il a chanté de vive voix et patiné au son de son premier microsillon, Burn Up The Floor, en Allemagne.

Featuring Manon Perron

In these days of multitasking, there is no better expert than today’s guest on the Alumni Podcast, Manon Perron.  Manon has mastered it all, from being a skater, local/national and Olympic coach, team leader, mentor, and now as a Skate Canada Advisor to the High Performance Program.  Her energy and passion for the sport and for developing skaters’ skills beyond the ice, and her contributions to high performance are immeasurable.  Manon and Alumni Chair Debbi Wilkes caught up recently to talk about Manon’s incredible career and her continuing dedication to skating in Canada.

From St. Leonard, Que., Manon Perron led a successful coaching career for over 30 years. A NCCP Level 4 certified coach, she is best known as coach of the 2010 Olympic bronze medallist, Joannie Rochette. Manon’s role as Team Leader in PyeongChang was instrumental in making our team perform an historical best Olympic Winter Games.

Over the years, Manon has built a reputation for dedication and leadership development in sport. Having produced podium athletes at the national, international, and world/Olympic levels, Manon has a solid knowledge of the technical and tactical requirements necessary to develop well-rounded athletes. Following a successful coaching career, Manon took on the role of Expert Coach with the Quebec Section for six years and currently holds a position as High Performance Advisor with Skate Canada. Manon is a role model and supports the development and growth of athletes and coaches in our Next Gen and High Performance programs. It is important to mention how instrumental Manon has been as a respectable mentor-leader in Skate Canada’s National Mentorship Program since its implementation in 2014. While Manon remains an active seminar leader both domestically and internationally, she was a three-time recipient of the Skate Canada Competitive Coach Excellence Award. Manon who obtained an honourable mention in 2012 became the well deserved recipient of the Geoff Gowan “Lifetime Achievement” Award in 2018.

Originaire de Saint-Léonard, au Québec, Manon Perron a poursuivi une fructueuse carrière d’entraîneure pendant plus de 30 ans. Entraîneure certifiée de niveau 4 du PNCE, elle est surtout reconnue comme entraîneure de la médaillée de bronze olympique de 2010, Joannie Rochette. Le rôle de Manon en tant que chef d’équipe, à PyeongChang, a contribué à la réalisation de la meilleure performance de notre équipe, d’un point historique, aux Jeux olympiques d’hiver.

Au fil des ans, Manon s’est taillé une réputation pour son dévouement et le développement du leadership dans le sport. Ayant produit des athlètes dignes des podiums nationaux, internationaux, mondiaux et olympiques, elle possède de solides connaissances en ce qui concerne les exigences techniques et tactiques nécessaires pour le développement d’athlètes bien équilibrés. Après une brillante carrière d’entraîneure, Manon a exercé les fonctions d’entraîneure experte de la section du Québec, pendant six ans, et elle occupe actuellement un poste de conseillère en haute performance de Patinage Canada. Modèle de rôle, Manon appuie le développement et la croissance des athlètes et des entraîneurs dans nos programmes pour la prochaine génération et de haute performance. Il est important de mentionner dans quelle mesure Manon a été une mentore et une leader respectée du Programme national de mentorat de Patinage Canada, depuis sa mise en œuvre en 2014. Bien que Manon demeure une animatrice de séminaires active, aux échelons national et international, elle a gagné trois fois le Prix d’excellence de Patinage Canada aux entraîneurs de compétition. Après avoir obtenu une mention honorable en 2012, Manon a été la lauréate bien méritée du prix Geoff Gowan pour l’ensemble des réalisations, en 2018.

Featuring Cynthia Phaneuf

Two-time Canadian Champion Cynthia Phaneuf opens up about her career on the ice and off the ice since her retirement back in 2012,  and expresses how her life has changed since her last competitive performance.

Not all past champions have made a smooth transition into their life-after-skating quite like Cynthia.  She now puts family first, and with three young children Cynthia fully recognizes the enormous contributions that her own family made to help her live her skating dream. Which paths will her children take? She’ll be there to support them wherever those paths may lead.  Let’s join Cynthia and Alumni Chair Debbi Wilkes as they reconnect and bring us all up to date on Cynthia’s travels and successes.

Cynthia Phaneuf  is a Canadian former competitive single skater. She is a two-time (2004 and 2011) Canadian Champion, the 2004 Four Continents silver medalist, 2004 Skate Canada International champion, 2004 Skate America silver medalist. Cynthia also placed fifth at the 2010 World Championships and represented Canada at the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver, BC.

In 2014, Cynthia married NHL player Maxime Talbot and they have three beautiful children.  After living away from home and abroad, they are settled in Québec.

Featuring Donald Jackson

All champions contribute to the sport of figure skating, but only a few change the sport in significant ways. In this edition of the Alumni podcast, our greatest champion, Don Jackson describes his skating life before, during and after his historic triple Lutz back in 1962. From recognition at international skating hot spots… to the local arena… Don’s life has been dedicated to skating and to the people who have supported him in his quest to be the best at every level of involvement.  Enjoy listening to Don as he and Debbi Wilkes share some outstanding memories.

Skate Canada Hall of Fame – Athlete

A natural showman on ice, this Oshawa skater’s outstanding record of success includes the 1959-62 Canadian, 1959 and 1961 North American Senior Men’s titles, and the 1959 and 1960 World silver and 1960 Olympic bronze medals. In 1962 he earned Canada’s first Men’s World Figure Skating Championship title in what was acclaimed as the finest come-from-behind skating performance ever staged. Landing the first triple Lutz in international competition, he earned a record setting seven perfect marks and was named Canada’s Outstanding Athlete of the Year for 1962. Active as a professional for over 30 years he has been inducted into Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame and the United States Figure Skating Hall of Fame.

Featuring Kurt Browning

Fasten your seat belts because this month’s podcast with Norm Proft, Alumni and Skate Canada Competition Services Director, dives into the life and times of Kurt Browning and the friendship they continue to share through skating.  Listen as Norm reveals stories behind the success of one of skating’s greatest icons.

Skate Canada Hall of Fame – Athlete

Kurt Browning, the ‘Kid From Caroline’ developed his skills at Edmonton’s Royal Glenora Club, going on to revolutionize the sport of figure skating with his unique combination of strong, yet graceful jumps, creativity and charismatic appeal.

Following an impressive 8^th place showing at his first of three Olympics in 1988, he entered the record books that same year by becoming the first athlete ever to complete a quadruple jump in World competition, forever changing the face of men’s figure skating. The Canadian and World Senior Men’s Champion in 1989, 1990 and 1991, he became the first Canadian man to win three consecutive World titles. Performing his memorable ‘Casablanca’ routine, he added his fourth Canadian and World crowns in 1993, the most World titles won by a Canadian singles skater.

His unparalleled success and style earned him legions of fans around the world and many honours, including the prestigious Order of Canada in 1989. Joining the professional ranks in 1994, he continues to grace the ice with a presence like no other.

Featuring Sandra Bezic

This month, Debbi Wilkes visits with a champion, coach, choreographer and visionary, who many claim is the originator and architect for Canada’s worldwide reputation as a leader in choreography and artistic expression. Sandra Bezic began her love for the sport at her local rink learning to skate alongside her brother Val Bezic… the start of what would eventually become a Hall of Fame career which takes her around the world designing programs, shows and concepts that have changed the face of skating.

Skate Canada Hall of Fame – Professional

Long after she concluded her successful pair skating career, Sandra Bezic continues a brilliant multi-faceted approach to figure skating. An innovative choreographer, she developed signature pieces for world and Olympic champions that live on more than 20 years since they were first performed. In developing choreography, for both individuals, groups and television, she explored the world of theater, pop culture and movies to broaden the scope of skating and draw people into an emotional performance.

Her work in television evolved from designing choreography to developing concepts and producing programs. She has won an Emmy Award, and her Singin’ in the Rain number with Kurt Browning remains one of the most ambitious and inventive numbers ever created. As well, she has brought her knowledge and background to skillfully serve as a television commentator for several different broadcast networks in both Canada and the United States.

As an author, her book The Passion to Skate, provided a glimpse into the intricate and demanding world of figure skating. Recently, as one of the creative minds behind the successful television program, Battle of the Blades, she introduced a whole new audience to the sport she loves.

Inducted into the Skate Canada Hall of Fame 2010.

Featuring Jean Senft

Retired official Jean Senft has been front and centre in the sport with a judging career which spanned events at her local club all the way to the Olympic Games. Her daughter, Lauren, a competitive international level ice dancer, retired and now a technical specialist, leads the chat where they both share memories about their skating adventures and discuss the special bond they share as a result.

Featuring Bruno Marcotte – Part 2

Welcome to the Alumni podcast, this month featuring Part 2 and the continuation of last month’s conversation with Olympic Coach Bruno Marcotte as he chats with former national team member Nic Young. The two reflect on family, the future of skating, the positive impact of sport and how it has impacted their lives. Powerful, insightful and inspiring!

Featuring Bruno Marcotte – Part 1

This month’s podcast, we welcome two celebrated Alumni (in a two-part interview). In the driver’s seat and host this month is Nic Young, a former national team member, and his guest, national, international and Olympic Coach, Bruno Marcotte. With Nic having transitioned into coaching, the two chat about skating, their history and careers … and their competitive drive to motivate their athletes and in the process to advance the sport of figure skating.

Featuring Jan and Cynthia Ullmark

On this month’s alumni podcast, let’s welcome former national team member Norm Proft as he introduces, visits, laughs and reminisces with his former coaches, Olympic and World coaches Jan and Cynthia Ullmark. It’s an in-depth conversation with two of Canada’s most historic and celebrated coaches as they tell their stories and share their philosophies.

Benoît Lavoie – Part 2

Last month we had the opportunity to listen in on the conversation between Skate Canada’s past President, Benoît Lavoie, and Olympic silver medallist Debbi Wilkes as they discussed Benoît’s early years in skating. This month it’s part two of the conversation when Benoît talks frankly about skating, its joys and its challenges and his role on the ISU Council.

Benoît Lavoie – Part 1

Of all the individuals who have contributed to skating in Canada and around the world, few have the incredible experience of Benoît Lavoie. His skating career began as a competitor but it was his commitment as a volunteer which gave him the greatest satisfaction. National, international and Olympic judge, past President of Skate Canada and now a Council member of the International Skating Union, Benoît shares his adventures with Alumni Chair Debbi Wilkes in this first edition of a two-part conversation.

Debbi Wilkes, speaks with Saskatchewan’s Doug Steele, whose career in skating spans decades from learn-to-skate toddler to Skate Canada President. Along the way, Doug was tasked with developing the national and international competitive framework for what was to become Synchronized Skating.

Doug Steele was involved with figure skating as a skater, coach, judge, and administrator.  After skating and coaching for many years, he became a Saskatchewan skating and test judge in 1972.  He served the Canadian Figure Skating Association (CFSA) as a committee member in Saskatchewan, and as a national board member.  Doug was elected president of the CFSA from 1992 to 1994.

He was instrumental in developing precision team skating, and served from 1994 to 1998 on the first International Skating Union (ISU) precision team skating technical committee.  This was the first time that a Saskatchewan person was elected to and held office in the ISU.  He is an ISU level judge and referee for precision team skating, and is an author, and contributor to many figure skating publications.

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”.

 

Dylan Moscovitch

Dylan first stepped onto the ice at the age of 13 months, at an outdoor rink, and then took lessons at the West Toronto Skating Club; and early in his career he began to skate at the world renowned Toronto Cricket Skating and Curling Club.

In June 2003, Dylan began pair skating with his 9 year old sister, Kyra and also continued to compete in singles. The Moscovitches were under the tutelage of the Kristy and Kris Wirtz until January 2006, when the pair joined Lee Barkell. Unfortunately, Kyra retired in October 2008 from competition after being diagnosed with scoliosis.

In February 2009, Dylan formed a partnership with Kirsten Moore-Towers, who had trained at the same rink for several years. At their first ISU Grand Prix, in 2009, they placed 6th at Skate Canada International.  

In the 2010-2011 season, they won two silver medals and qualified for the ISU Grand Prix Finals which they finished 6th.  

That same season, they were Canadian Champions and earned a spot on the 2014 Canadian Figure Skating Olympic Team.  They competed their free skate in the Team Event and ultimately the Team won a silver Olympic medal.

The pair announced the end of their partnership on April 2014, stating they had different goals.  

Dylan formed a partnership with  Liubov Ilyushechkina, and had a very strong skating career from 2014-2018.  In their first season together, they finished second at the 2015 Canadian Championships and competed in Four Continents and World Championships.

They continued to be on the Canadian podium in 2016 and 2017 and also competed at the 2016, 2017 and 2018 Four Continents and also represented Canada at the World Championships in 2016.

In 2018, the pair decided to end their partnership.

“Skating was my first love and forever my passion. Representing Canada on both the world and Olympic stage has been an honour and a privilege. It has given me invaluable opportunities and experiences over the years, ones which have played a pivotal role in shaping me into the man that I am today. I look forward to taking the lessons learned and skills acquired into the chapters and adventures to come. I can’t thank my family, friends and fans enough for the endless support they’ve given me throughout the years, as well as the support received from COS, WOS, Skate Ontario, Skate Canada, Own the Podium, the Canadian Olympic Committee and both the provincial and federal governments,” expressed Moscovitch.

Elladj Baldé

Elladj was born in Moscow to a Russian mother and a Guinean father.  The family moved to Canada in 1992 and Elladj Baldé was introduced to skating at the age of seven by his mother.  Though at first he would hide his skates in an attempt to avoid practice, he began to love skating when he was ten.

Baldé won the Canadian junior title in 2008 and would go on to compete at nine senior Canadian championships, making the national team five times. 

From 2011 to 2017 Elladj competed in eight ISU Grand Prix competitions and had impressive 6th place finished in 2014 and 2016.

Elladj also competed at the 2014 ISU World Championships and was on the Four Continents Team in 2013, 2014 and 2018.

Baldé was an active member of the Canadian figure skating team since 2007 and has competed internationally for Canada 27 times as a junior and senior competitor.

In 2015, at an ISU Challenger series, Elladj captured a gold medal at the Nebelhorn Trophy in  Oberstdorf, Germany.

At age, 27, he retired from competitive competition in 2018. 

“I can’t express the amount of gratitude I have for all of my peers and fans who have given me such endless support throughout the years. Finishing my career the way I did at Canadian Nationals (2018) was one of the most fulfilling moments of my life and I am so thrilled to forge ahead with the exciting opportunities that lie in my professional career,” said Baldé.

“Elladj’s innovative style of skating combined with his powerful technical abilities left a lasting impression on all those that saw him skate. His drive and dedication to skating made him a long-time fan favourite who has been exciting to watch over the years and will be dearly missed on the competitive scene,” said Mike Slipchuk, High Performance Director, Skate Canada. “Skate Canada would like to thank Elladj for inspiring Canadians to embrace the joy of skating and wish him the best of luck with his future plans.”

Baldé will continue to stay involved in skating through professional shows, where he is already entertaining crowds around the world.  Elladj is also the new face behind Skate Canada’s Facebook Live at events.  Alongside his new career as a choreographer, he is also keeping busy inspiring the next generation of athletes with his new company, Skate Global. Founded with friend and fellow figure skater Liam Firus. Skate Global is a multi-faceted platform that provides insight, assistance and training methods to coaches and young figure skaters all around the world.

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.

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.

Joyce Hisey

The 1952 Canadian Silver Dance medallist from Toronto went on to become a long serving and effective volunteer and official, leaving her mark on the sport of figure skating from the club to the world level. A judge for more than 40 years, she evaluated thousands of young Canadian skaters at tests and competitions. First elected to the CFSA Board of Directors in 1977, Joyce served as the Chairman of the Officials Development Committee for many years, and contributed to the revision of ice dancing technical manuals for judges and coaches.

Named an International Skating Union referee in Ice Dancing in 1978, her assignments included officiating at many Canadian, International and World events. Her latest contribution was serving as the ISU Technical Delegate for the highly successful 1996 World’s in Edmonton. She was appointed to the ISU Dance Committee from 1984-1992.

She has served on the ISU Council since 1992. A volunteer on many CFSA committees, Joyce was a team leader at numerous competitions, including the 1984 Olympics in Sarajevo. Figure skating chairman of the 1988 Olympic Winter Games in Calgary, she received the Alberta Achievement Award for her outstanding contribution.

Joyce is a Skate Canada Hall of Fame Member and is an ISU Honorary Member since 2002.

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.

Emery has been at Skate Canada for 12 yrs and is also the lead of the Skate Canada Hall of Fame & Heritage Committee.

NEXXICE Senior

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

NEXXICE Senior is a team known world-wide in synchronized skating. Representing the Burlington Skating Centre, the two-time world champions (2009, 2015) have amassed a total of eight world medals. The team also strung together a record nine consecutive Canadian titles from 2007-2015, and recently regained their title in 2017. Known for their skillful artistry, Nexxice’s smoothness flows freely throughout their programs and brings out spectators’ emotions.

In 2009, NEXXICE Senior, based in Burlington, Ont., became the first Canadian team to claim gold at the ISU World Synchronized Skating Championships, defeating Finland’s Team Unique and Sweden’s Team Surprise in Zagreb, Croatia.

Seven years after that memorable triumph, the 2009 NEXXICE senior team makes history again as the first synchronized team inducted into the Skate Canada Hall of Fame.

Entering the Skate Canada Hall of Fame are team members Jennifer Beauchamp (captain), Carla Coveart, Amy Cebulak, Tiffany Elliot, Ashley Greenhalgh, Morgan Harper, Cara Horan, Julia Horan, Taylor Kemp, Kristen Loritz, Nichole Manahan, Taryn Milne, Cara Moir, Sheri Moir, Michele Moore, Emily Penrose, Allison Proudfoot, Madeleine Wendland, Danyel Wright-Dykstra and Lauren Zbucki.

Also being inducted are coaches Shelley Simonton Barnett and Anne Schelter along with team managers Debbie Beauchamp, Frances McLellan and Kathy Psutka.

To follow this team and to take a look their impressive results over the years please visit their website at www.nexxice.ca

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.

Faustino and Larivière began their partnership in 1997, and in 1998 were Canadian Junior bronze medalists.

This pair team represented Canada and had extensive international experience and won 3 medals including a gold in 2001 at the Nebelhorn Trophy in Germany.

With a silver medal at the 2001 Canadian National Championships and with their sites on the 2002 Winter Games, Lenny and Jacinthe posted their best ever result at the Canadian National Championships in January 2002 and earned a berth on the 2002 Olympic Figure Skating Team that was headed to Salt Lake City for the Winter Games.

Lenny retired from competition in 2004 and is a graduate of York Univeristy  with a Bachelor of Administration Studies, Marketing Honours and has a Diploma from Georgian College in Business – Marketing.

He married Jennifer Ruppel in 2005, and has two beautiful children, Oscar and Matilda.  He currently works as a Certified Financial Planner (CFP) and Chartered Life Underwiter (CLU) with Trudy Butt & Associates Private Wealth Management.

Michael Slipchuk

In this episode, Debbi Wilkes chats with Mike Slipchuk, 1992 Olympian & Canadian Champion, Skate Canada’s High Performance Director and Alberta Sports Hall of Fame & Museum member.

Edmonton native Michael Slipchuk has been involved in the development of skating champions for the past 20 years. He brought his considerable experience as a competitor and coach to the role of High Performance Director when he joined Skate Canada in 2007.

One of Slipchuk’s first priorities was to create a strong support network for Canadian skaters.  He has assembled a team of physical therapists, sport psychologists, nutritional specialists, and strength and conditioning experts to provide their individual expertise to the elite level skaters.  He has also re-ignited the strong Canadian team concept when groups of skaters assemble to represent the country at international events.

Since he began in this position, Canadian athletes have won 25 world medals and nine Olympic medals, including 10 world titles and three Olympic gold medals.

Slipchuk was Canadian men’s senior champion in 1992 and represented Canada at the 1992 Winter Olympic Games, where he placed ninth.  He retired from competitive skating after the 1992 Olympics to focus on coaching young skaters. Certified as an NCCP (National Coaching Certificate Program) Level Four coach he trained skaters who competed at national and international levels while also leading coaching seminars across the country. He was named head coach at the Glencoe Club in Calgary, Alberta in 1995, a position he held until he joined Skate Canada.

An early proponent of figure skating’s revamped judging system, in 2004 Slipchuk began serving at Grand Prix events as an ISU (International Skating Union) Technical Specialist. In 2006 he was assigned to the first Olympic Winter Games where the system was used in Torino, Italy. That same year he was also on the technical panel for the women’s event at the ISU World Championships in Calgary.  His final event as a Technical Specialist before joining Skate Canada was the 2007 ISU Junior World Championships (Men’s) in Oberstdorf, Germany.

The City of Edmonton honoured Slipchuk with the Salute to Excellence (1983), Award of Excellence (1992).  He was inducted into the city’s Sports Hall of Fame in 2001. In 2012, he was recognized by the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame, inducted as both an athlete and a builder.

A native of Toronto, Elizabeth Putnam began training with Sean Wirtz in July 2002, and the pair won bronze at the 2003 Canadian Championships and placed ninth at their first ISU Four Continents Championships in Beijing.

The pair made their Grand Prix debut in the 2003–04 season, placing sixth at the 2003 Skate America and fifth at the 2003 Skate Canada International.  In the same season, Putnam and Wirtz, captured a bronze at the 2003 Bofrost Cup on Ice and another bronze at the 2004 Canadian Championships.

Throughout the years, they continued to compete in the ISU Grand Prix series, international events and Canadian Championships and at the 2006 ISU Four Continents Championships in Colorado Springs, they won a bronze medal.

In 2007, Putnam and Wirtz announced their retirement after withdrawing from their Grand Prix assignments due to Wirtz’s injuries.

Elizabeth decided to return to single skating, training in Vancouver under Jill Marie Harvey and Joanne McLeod, she later pursued a career skating on cruise ships.  In 2015, she appeared in a video skating on Widgeon Lake, near Coquitlam, at an altitude of 2,500 feet.

Find out what Elizabeth is up to and her rewarding experience at the 2018 Olympic Winter Games in PyeongChang, South Korea by listening to the podcast!

In this inaugural episode of the new Skate Canada Alumni podcast, Debbi chats with three-time Canadian Pair champion, Craig Buntin.

Craig Buntin

Buntin is a three-time Canadian Pair Champion, first finding success with partner Valérie Marcoux. Together they won three Canadian pair titles from 2004-2006 and competed at the 2006 Olympic Winter Games in Torino, Italy.

In 2007 he teamed up with Meagan Duhamel.  At their first world championships in 2008 they placed 6th and landed on the podium three times at the national championships.  They also captured a bronze medal at the 2010 ISU Four Continents Championships.

Since retiring from competitive skating in 2010 Buntin has completed an MBA at McGill University.  Craig has been on TEDx Talks and is a successful entrepeneur.

VeriSkate, a software app that is used to analyze the movements of figure skaters: how high they jump or throw, the distance the move travels, the speed at which it travels, the flow, the ice coverage.

• SCI 2014 OUR ATHLETE AMBASSADOR: CRAIG BUNTIN
• Craig Buntin turns to technology to advance sport
• TEDx Talks
• Amazing Race Audition

Key Links:

• SPORTLOGiQ

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• Game Plan: mygameplan.ca
• AthletesCAN: athletescan.com