SUBMITTED PHOTO/Chanel Cabak Chanel Cabak's figure skating season was almost thrown for a loop. Luckily, the ambidextrous skater can perform a double in either direction. "I can write with both hands," said Cabak, via an email interview, "and I can do an Axel, a double Salchow, and a double loop the other way." The global... Continue Reading →
On the heels of the 2020 World Figure Skating Championships in Montreal, Quebec, Skate Canada has announced further skating competition cancellations and restrictions in the midst of COVID-19 pandemic. From the coast to coast, over 20 competitions have been cancelled, including Skate BC/YT's STAR Competition in Burnaby, BC from March 21 to 22, 2020. Skate... Continue Reading →
This weekend marks a changing of the guard. Or skate guards, so to speak. From March 6th to 8th, Tundra Oil and Gas Place in Virden will host the 2020 Manitoba Open. The three-day competition welcomes skaters from Manitoba and Saskatchewan at the STARSkate, AdultSkate, and Competitive levels. It's in competitive stream where senior women... Continue Reading →
It's 2018. And we still can't fix figure skating. No pun intended. Today, I was watching the free dance from the 2018 Canadian Tire Nationals via live stream. With Ted Barton and Debbie Wilkes. It was going swimmingly until it was announced the final six ice dance teams could be seen on TSN. So, flip... Continue Reading →
Ice Intrepid lived up to their name tonight. The University of Manitoba team were fearlessness at the Skate Canada Synchronized Skating Championships on Friday, February 24th. They skated the first portion of the competition, Free Program I, with endurance and poise, garnering a score of 52.30. They skate their Free Program II on Saturday, February... Continue Reading →
It seems some skaters had their ticket pre-punched to the 2014 Sochi Olympics, courtesy of their friendly figure skating federation. Which begs the question: why bother to hold a national championship when the federation has already determined who they want on their Olympic team? For the sake of ruining mascara and innocent Kleenex, skating federations... Continue Reading →
Even 20 years later, there’s still an appetite for the Tonya Harding/Nancy Kerrigan saga. On Jan. 6, 1994, it seemed only the lives of Kerrigan and Harding where changed. It’s a lesson to never underestimate Tonya Harding. Harding was well-documented train-wreck. Her wardrobe malfunction at the 1993 U.S. Nationals and her skate issues at 1993... Continue Reading →
Figure skating has lost a legend. Johnny Esaw, the dynamic commentator with CTV from the 1970s to 1989 died on April 6, 2013. He was 87 years old. Esaw was already an established football and hockey reporter when he brought figure skating to the forefront. At a time when skating was all glitz and glamour,... Continue Reading →
Lisa Sargeant strikes a pose at the Royal Glenora Club - Credit/Edmonton Journal The first Canadian championship I ever watched was the 1989 Canadians from Chicoutimi, Quebec. My older sister and I were at my grandparents' for the weekend, and we nibbled on Baba’s puffed wheat cake as we watched CKY’s endless hours of coverage.... Continue Reading →
What makes a good skating movie? From the vast catalogue of titles out there: just about anything. And you would think with the vast catalogue of titles to research, a screenwriter might say, “Hmm, maybe this should be accurate.” Don’t get me wrong. I enjoy an unbelievable and unrealistic skating movie, because unless it’s a... Continue Reading →
Call it the future members of the Stars on Ice cast. Or you can call it by its real name: Holiday Spectacular. On December 15th, skaters from the Ice Palace Figure Skating Club will display their talents in an ice show at West Edmonton Mall for an anticipated audience of 450. Shoppers are invited to... Continue Reading →
Move over pucks and hockey sticks, you’re being replaced by toe picks and triple jumps. Tomorrow and over the weekend at the Terwillegar Recreation Centre, Edmonton figure skaters will duel with skaters from around the region at the 2013 Skate Canada Alberta-NWT/Nunavut Sectionals. Skaters from various ranks – Juvenile to Senior – as well as... Continue Reading →
This morning my heart literally skipped a beat.As I watched the morning news, I put my head down for a mere second to scoop up some cereal, only to hear my husband ask, did you see that? I snapped my head up just as the headline ticker passed with enough information to comprehend: Barbara Ann... Continue Reading →
When I was younger, our rink didn't have an official Zamboni. We had a tractor that dragged an orange, rectangular hot water tank over the ice. The air was left a little hazy, but none the less, the ice was smooth and shiny. With our home rinks, my Dad would fill barrels of water and... Continue Reading →
On a clear day in Arborg, Manitoba, I’d have my pick of CBC, CTV, CKND (Global), and MTN. However, most days, it was CBC programming, which explains my love for Degrassi Junior High. CBC showed memorable movies back then, such as Love and Hate - The Story of Colin and Joanne Thatcher and Loyalties. And for... Continue Reading →
Skating Scene 