- 7 weeks ago
Competition Information:
https://skatecanada.ca/event/2026-canadian-national-skating-championships/
https://skatecanada.ca/event/2026-canadian-national-skating-championships/
Category
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SportsTranscript
00:00:00Thank you very much.
00:00:30Thank you very much.
00:01:00Thank you very much.
00:01:30Thank you very much.
00:03:06Let's get going.
00:03:08This event is coming up in just a few moments.
00:03:09We're going to talk a lot about synchronized skating in Canada, but I've got to mention,
00:03:13Synchro 9.
00:03:14Tell us about it for those people around the world that don't know much about it.
00:03:17Go ahead.
00:03:17Of course.
00:03:18Of course.
00:03:19So the ISU announced a few weeks ago that there was going to be a new sort of division of synchronized skating called Synchro 9 with nine skaters on the ice instead of the traditional 12 to 16.
00:03:28It was met with a lot of confusion.
00:03:30It was met with a lot of confusion.
00:03:30What does that mean for the sport?
00:03:32And I have to say, I've had some conversations with Philippe Maitreau on the ISU technical commission and kind of leading this charge for Synchro 9.
00:03:39And he shared information that really put my mind at ease and I think will put the whole Synchro community's mind at ease just knowing that this is a new division of Synchro.
00:03:48It is going to be included in the 2028 Winter Youth Olympic Games, which is a huge win for Synchro.
00:03:55Currently, there are three teams in the world.
00:03:58There's one in Canada, one in Finland, one in the USA.
00:04:00They're being led by Marilyn Langlois, Anu Oksanen, and also Danielle of Team's Elite.
00:04:06And I think just knowing that these are three visionaries and pioneers in synchronized skating, they're doing amazing work currently in the sport.
00:04:14And to know that these three coaches are leading the charge of this development of Synchro 9 is so exciting and reassuring.
00:04:21And they will be debuting at Worlds later this season in both the Czech Republic and also in Austria.
00:04:29So we'll all get to see this launching of Synchro 9 very soon.
00:04:32And it's such an exciting time for the sport.
00:04:34And just to be perfectly clear, the other disciplines or the other 16 and 20, that doesn't go away.
00:04:39This is just a new division.
00:04:41You mentioned that, but I want to be absolutely clear.
00:04:43Synchro 9 stays very much like it is, but with a new division of 9 skaters.
00:04:49And it will indeed be exciting.
00:04:51The effort by the ISU, and I think many federations around the world, everybody's in agreement with this, Vision 2030,
00:04:56is to bring more people inside the building, to bring the interest of skating worldwide.
00:05:01Well, that also requires production and television, and the interest of the television and internet fans as well.
00:05:07So I think some of the ideas that you've been talking about and coming up with are so incredibly exciting.
00:05:13The sport will not change that much.
00:05:16It's ice, it's blades, it's passion, it's music, it's skills, it's all those things.
00:05:21But it will be presented in a different way with some new twists.
00:05:25Yeah, I think change is always a little bit scary and intimidating.
00:05:28You know, we've had Synchro as 30 and 24 and 20 and 16.
00:05:32And every time there's a change, there's always a little bit of resistance.
00:05:35But, you know, it's always worked in the favor of synchronized skating when these changes are accepted and applied.
00:05:42And I think just the fact that synchronized skating has an opportunity to be on the Olympic platform is just so exciting.
00:05:49It's such a win for the sport.
00:05:51And we knew that it wouldn't get in with 12 and 16.
00:05:54And so I feel that, you know, getting the sport in with nine is a step in the right direction.
00:05:59And like you said, we're not going to lose the essence of Synchro.
00:06:0216 will still exist.
00:06:04But it's just an exciting opportunity.
00:06:06Exactly.
00:06:07Well, let's talk a little bit about this event coming up.
00:06:09We see the first team taking to the ice as we get going right away.
00:06:12We always forget no six-minute warm-up here.
00:06:14So we get into this event.
00:06:16Let's talk a little bit about this event and our first team there.
00:06:18Yeah, so our first team is from Lower Mainland.
00:06:23They are the only team that's going to be competing at the junior or senior level from Western Canada.
00:06:29So very exciting to have representation from the Western coast there.
00:06:33And their music is infused with Lebanese, Arab, and Middle Eastern influences.
00:06:39Their program delivers a mysterious, fun, yet energetic experience driven by vibrant Middle Eastern accents.
00:06:45The music was actually a mix made by Hugo Schwenard.
00:06:50The costumes, as you can see, very fitting for the theme you just revealed.
00:06:54And they're made by Elite Expression.
00:06:57What I want to draw attention to before we even get this event started is, I mean, it's amazing that we can watch the live feed.
00:07:04If anyone has the opportunity to watch this event in person, it just brings you in so much more.
00:07:11You're able to see so many more nuances and little things.
00:07:15I was able to watch their practices earlier today.
00:07:17And I was amazed by the improvement in this team's skating skills and the improvements that they've made from previous years.
00:07:24I don't know if that reads as well over the screen, but in person, you can certainly tell the difference.
00:07:28Well, with every single team, and we'll talk about that a little bit later, when there's a turnover,
00:07:33there's new skaters coming on to a team who have not ever done synchro.
00:07:38And then there can be synchro skaters that have stayed on for a number of years.
00:07:43So getting used to new teammates and new routines always a challenge.
00:07:48Yes, and half of this team is actually brand new to synchro.
00:07:51So you factor in the fact that they have a lot of new skaters to this team,
00:07:55but also new skaters that have never done synchronized skating before.
00:07:59Earlier this week, I heard Kirsten Moore Towers talking about new skaters in the junior division
00:08:03just starting pairs for three months and then having to compete at a national championship.
00:08:07And just the learning curve that is so steep when you start a new discipline.
00:08:12And it goes the same way for synchronized skating.
00:08:15They're not just refining their skating skills, but having to do so with 15 other teammates
00:08:19and learn new elements.
00:08:21And so difficult for the coaches as well because they have to get, you know,
00:08:26meet the new skaters and get a feel for who they are as a person and as a skater
00:08:30and then help them mold the team all together.
00:08:33It's a very, very complex discipline and complex job for the coaches
00:08:39as we will watch our first team from British Columbia, Yukon,
00:08:44the Lower Mainland Junior.
00:08:45The Lower Mainland Junior
00:09:15The Lower Mainland Junior
00:09:45The Lower Mainland Junior
00:10:15The Lower Mainland Junior
00:10:45So move.
00:10:49So move.
00:10:49The Lower Mainland Junior
00:10:51The Lower Mainland Junior
00:10:54The Lower Mainland Junior
00:10:56The Lower Mainland Junior
00:11:00The Lower Mainland Junior
00:11:02The Lower Mainland Junior
00:11:06The Lower Mainland Junior
00:11:08The Lower Mainland Junior
00:11:12The Lower Mainland Junior
00:11:14The Lower Mainland Junior
00:11:16The Lower Mainland Junior
00:11:18The Lower Mainland Junior
00:11:20The Lower Mainland Junior
00:11:24The Lower Mainland Junior
00:11:25The Lower Mainland Junior
00:11:30The Lower Mainland Junior
00:11:32that was lower mainland jr from british columbia
00:11:47fantastic skate for the program ted you and i were talking off air and the music
00:11:52was so fitting for this team the strong beat the fun pickup in the middle you could really see that
00:11:58their energy changed throughout the program as the music changed and i gotta say that's the very
00:12:03first time i've ever seen a whole team try the axle jump one went down but the rest landed it
00:12:08that's quite extraordinary it is and it's brave they're the only team in junior and senior in
00:12:13canada where the whole team is doing axles that is a new difficult feature in the no hold element
00:12:18this season where teams have to have at least four skaters do an axle and this team they they were so
00:12:25brave in choosing to do 16 they did it super well obviously the fall uh will affect their mark with
00:12:31minus one and the goe but the rest of the skaters did a great axle and really exciting to see that
00:12:37in synchro take us through some of these replays here this is the beginning of the program again
00:12:43just getting right into the theme you could tell there was buy-in from all 16 skaters which is what
00:12:48we want to see the first element oh let's just go into the twizzle element there uh looked like
00:12:54their twizzle element was called a level two they were going for a level four so they lost some
00:13:00marks there just the features not being counted this is their whip intersection it looks like they
00:13:04got full marks on that so they choose to do a two foot turn instead of a one foot turn which is a
00:13:09lower difficulty level but they'll get a higher goe for that pivot block here really difficult to do
00:13:17correct edges for those turns but that is what the panel needs to see in order to give them the top
00:13:22marks which would be the pivot block four no hold element here this is the open block configuration
00:13:26so they have to make the outline of the shape without having skaters in the middle you can see
00:13:31the square shape there and then they go into a triangle for the change of shape and here's their
00:13:35axle so for this year they don't need to see perfect axles if they're under rotated or land on two feet
00:13:43they're still being given full credit because it is a new feature and the isu wants to encourage teams
00:13:48to try these new features even if they're difficult and they can't be done perfectly so
00:13:52the rules around the axle might get a little bit stricter down the road but for now they're liberal
00:13:57to encourage teams to try it well they look pretty happy as they always do in the kiss and cry before
00:14:03the scores come up of course and this is as you mentioned quite a new team there's at least half
00:14:08this team is new and new to the sport new to the discipline of synchronized skating so i thought they
00:14:12did a great job they did and and like i said it seemed like they had a great time on the ice
00:14:17uh you know they they train a lot on the ice they're four days a week two to three hours every
00:14:22time they're training so this is a big commitment for these skaters um their coach shared that the
00:14:27program was choreographed by angela malorny they also have pascal denis come and work with the team
00:14:32so they have some laser prem influence there uh and then they also are fortunate to work with ice
00:14:37dancers megan wing and aaron low on skating skills well let's take a look at the scores
00:14:41there it is 42.64 for lower mainland junior they are the first team out in this event that's almost
00:14:49that's almost six and a half point improvement from their last time out at sinker series one so
00:14:54they should be happy with that that jump in their mark well our next team represents quebec
00:15:00prima jr now this season's short program is set to why don't you
00:15:05and it transport audiences into the roaring 20s the time of social transformation and a crucial step
00:15:11in the women's fight for emancipation their coach vanessa said the program was inspired by her athletes
00:15:17their strong opinions their voices and the way they stand confidently in who they are prima jr from quebec
00:15:35you had a plan in 1922 you let other women make a fool of you why don't you do right
00:15:48like some of the men do
00:15:51get out of here and get me some money too
00:15:59get out of here and get me some money too
00:16:27i fell for you driving and i took you in
00:16:55and i took you in now all you got to offer me is a drink of gin why don't you do right
00:17:02like some of the men do
00:17:05get out of here and get me some money too
00:17:12you
00:17:15are you
00:17:19you
00:17:21you
00:18:23Prima Junior from Quebec, a beautiful program for that team.
00:18:26They had so much attitude and really brought the roaring 20s onto the ice.
00:18:31So, as we mentioned, off-air, Ted, there are three teams in the Quebec region that are in the province of Quebec that compete in the junior category.
00:18:43Layser Prem is sort of the central Montreal area.
00:18:47Nova, which we'll see later, is for South Shore skaters.
00:18:50And here we are with Prima.
00:18:51They're based out of the North Shore.
00:18:53But all within, I'd say, an hour radius of each other, those three teams.
00:18:57And interesting enough, it's not always easy to make these teams.
00:19:00You know, you have to try out.
00:19:01So there's a lot of skaters wanting to move from one discipline to the other.
00:19:05But you've got to make it.
00:19:06Take us through the program here.
00:19:08Sorry.
00:19:09Yes.
00:19:10So I just thought they did a great job.
00:19:12I love their costuming, their hair.
00:19:14They came out on the ice today for official practice.
00:19:16And I thought, wow, they are right into this theme.
00:19:19And I thought they delivered that program from top to bottom, really committed to their theme.
00:19:25There they are with their smiles.
00:19:27It looks like a number of elements were under review.
00:19:30So their pivot block was marked a level three.
00:19:34They were going for a four.
00:19:35Move element was also downgraded to a three.
00:19:38And their no-hold three step base.
00:19:40So for those of you at home, a base is typically a bad thing.
00:19:45In the short program, every team will have a step base called.
00:19:48So that just means that the panel is looking for the features to be executed within the no-hold shape,
00:19:53but not the specific steps.
00:19:55The series of turns will count in the free program.
00:19:58But today, it's the features of the element.
00:20:00So things like doing the axle jump that we saw earlier,
00:20:03having teams change shape from, say, a square shape to a triangle,
00:20:07or teams maybe changing position or doing turns on a diagonal or pivoting.
00:20:12So there's different features.
00:20:14But that is why on the screen, the highest you'll see is a no-hold four step base.
00:20:20But it will be a base for everyone.
00:20:23I remember in past years, adult skaters saw that,
00:20:25and they said, step base, what did they do wrong?
00:20:27So I just wanted to clarify.
00:20:29Nothing wrong.
00:20:30It's the rules.
00:20:30No, no, no.
00:20:31Good.
00:20:31There's a lot of rules, of course, in synchronized skating.
00:20:34It's hard to see.
00:20:35We're sorry about we didn't have a set of replays for this,
00:20:37but we will for the other teams.
00:20:38Coming up, there's so much information.
00:20:41And it's so fun to watch these teams, not only on the ice,
00:20:45but in the kiss and cry, who really sort of, it's a real team,
00:20:48a real camaraderie, real family, if you will,
00:20:50sort of live the ups and downs together.
00:20:52And I think that's what makes participation in that sport.
00:20:55And they're so loyal.
00:20:56Synchronized skaters are so loyal to their teams.
00:20:58You were talking about that off air,
00:20:59about the loyalty of the region that you're in or the club that you're on,
00:21:04starting in novice and then up to junior, maybe up to senior,
00:21:07sort of, you know, through all your school years.
00:21:10It's very special.
00:21:11Yeah, there are a lot of skaters that will join a club,
00:21:14maybe at the beginner level or juvenile.
00:21:16And so they move up the ranks with their teammates who become their friends
00:21:20and, you know, their adopted sisters, if you will.
00:21:23But, of course, there's the ability to change teams and change organizations.
00:21:27But a lot of skaters do end up staying with their organization
00:21:30and kind of taking it as far as they can.
00:21:33And we'll see what their marks are.
00:21:34Well, let's take a look at the short program scores for Prima, 45.94.
00:21:41And that will put them into first place early on in the competition.
00:21:45Prima is currently in first place.
00:21:51There is our next team representing Ontario, Gold Ice Jr.
00:21:56Now, running is the short program that explores reflection and resilience,
00:22:00acknowledging how past experiences shape who we become.
00:22:04Their short program will focus on the freedom that comes with moving forward,
00:22:08embracing change, and stepping into one's authentic self
00:22:12with choreography from Alex Krenian and the Gold Ice coaching staff.
00:22:16I'm tired of holding on to you.
00:22:44And I'm tired of holding on to you, it's time to lay.
00:22:48I don't want to wait enough.
00:22:52They have waited long enough.
00:22:54I'm ready.
00:22:56I can see the sun.
00:22:58It's coming.
00:22:59Oh.
00:23:00I'm done running
00:23:03From you
00:23:07Spent my whole life in your shadow
00:23:11Scared
00:23:13Of who I'd
00:23:16Be if I
00:23:19Yeah
00:23:21Said goodbye and I didn't have you here
00:23:26I wish you well
00:23:29But I
00:23:30Can't no longer set aside
00:23:33Can't watch you sabotage
00:23:37The two of us
00:23:39I love you again
00:23:42But I
00:23:43Can't spend the rest of my
00:23:46Life in this darkness
00:23:49I'm done
00:23:52I'm done
00:23:55I wish you the best but
00:23:56I'm not interested
00:23:58And giving you more of my life
00:24:00I've already given you too much
00:24:01I don't want to lose you
00:24:03I don't want to keep you
00:24:05Enough to allow you to
00:24:06Continue to drown
00:24:07The both of us
00:24:08You're holding me back
00:24:09You're pulling me down
00:24:10You're making me hate myself
00:24:11I don't want to leave
00:24:12But that's what I need
00:24:13I ain't got a choice
00:24:14I can't just
00:24:15Let you deceive
00:24:16And make me believe
00:24:16That I don't deserve to be loved
00:24:18I'm not gonna stand aside
00:24:19And watch you attempt to rob
00:24:20It's still
00:24:21Sabotage
00:24:22A little faith
00:24:22I have left
00:24:23You're having a sacrifice
00:24:24Enough for you
00:24:25I hate seeing you cry
00:24:26But I think it's time
00:24:27To let go and sacrifice
00:24:27I'm gonna miss you
00:24:29But I am not gonna spend
00:24:30The rest of my life running
00:24:31I wish you well
00:24:34But I
00:24:35Can't no longer stand this side
00:24:38I can't watch you sabotage
00:24:41Life in this darkness
00:24:54I love you
00:24:59I can't spend
00:25:02The rest of my life
00:25:06Life in this darkness
00:25:07I'm done
00:25:13Well that was Gold Ice Junior
00:25:22From Brampton, Cincoozy, Ontario
00:25:24A beautiful program
00:25:27So much emotion
00:25:28And a really strong piece
00:25:30To skate to
00:25:30Yeah, interesting enough
00:25:32Lisa, that music
00:25:33Was used by Ilya Malin
00:25:35Two years ago
00:25:36Or not last season
00:25:37Not this season
00:25:38But last season
00:25:39As he won the world championship
00:25:41So
00:25:42It sort of was out there
00:25:44And it's a beautiful piece
00:25:45And a demanding piece as well
00:25:46And always nice to see
00:25:49How Synchronized Skating
00:25:50Interprets songs
00:25:51That may have been done
00:25:52By individual skaters
00:25:53Because there's different things
00:25:54That Synchro can bring into it
00:25:55Especially with the visual impact
00:25:57Of having a group on the ice
00:25:58And really bringing the
00:26:00Visual
00:26:01Onto
00:26:02What they
00:26:03What they present for us
00:26:05It was just
00:26:05It was so nicely done
00:26:06I loved it
00:26:07I really felt
00:26:08That the team was grounded
00:26:09They skated comfortably
00:26:10They didn't look up
00:26:12In their knees
00:26:13Which we can often see
00:26:14In junior skaters
00:26:15Because keeping in mind
00:26:16Yes, it's a junior team
00:26:17But a lot of these skaters
00:26:18Are new to the team
00:26:19And haven't skated junior before
00:26:21This is a brilliant beginning
00:26:23Choreographed by Alex Kranian
00:26:25Of course
00:26:25But I love how teams
00:26:27Are bringing in
00:26:28More dance choreographers
00:26:30To work with Synchro
00:26:31Because there's two elements
00:26:33Of choreography in Synchro
00:26:34There's the technical elements
00:26:35But then there's the artistry
00:26:36And that's where having
00:26:38A dance choreographer
00:26:39Can really come in handy
00:26:40Beautiful field moves here
00:26:43It looks like they got
00:26:44Top marks for their moves element
00:26:46Which means they were able
00:26:47To identify the great flexibility
00:26:48The different edges
00:26:49The different grasp and re-grasp
00:26:52Nicely done
00:26:53This is the interaction
00:26:55In their twizzle element
00:26:56For a difficult feature
00:26:57Going into
00:26:59Their pivoting block here
00:27:01Unfortunately
00:27:02Looks like it was called
00:27:03A pivot block one
00:27:04Which means that they
00:27:05Were not able to identify
00:27:06The difficult turns
00:27:08Being done on the correct edges
00:27:09By the team
00:27:10Here we're looking at
00:27:12Their whip intersection
00:27:13Beautifully done
00:27:16I3 PI4
00:27:17So lots of marks there
00:27:18And here we are
00:27:19Into their no hold element
00:27:21Called a no hold four
00:27:22Which means four difficult features
00:27:24Were identified by the panel
00:27:25As they skated that element
00:27:27The skaters are age 13 to 17
00:27:31There are eight returning skaters
00:27:34Last season and 11 new
00:27:35So more than half of this team
00:27:37Is brand new to the junior division
00:27:38What an awesome national debut
00:27:40Congratulations skaters
00:27:41Yeah that was great
00:27:44And you can see just the fun
00:27:45That they're having together
00:27:46And the camaraderie for the team
00:27:49And check out those sparkles
00:27:52So the team manager Amy
00:27:53Actually beaded all of those dresses
00:27:55By hand
00:27:56Talk about commitment
00:27:58And love
00:27:59And how long that took
00:28:01Let's take a look at the
00:28:02Short program score
00:28:04And there it is
00:28:0554.07 for Gold Ice Jr
00:28:09That will put them currently
00:28:10Into first place
00:28:11I'm not sure if they're happy with that
00:28:13They were hoping for a little bit more
00:28:16You can see that on their face
00:28:17Yeah it's not an improvement
00:28:19From their last score
00:28:20And every team just wants
00:28:21To get better every time
00:28:22But again you have a fall
00:28:23There's an automatic minus one
00:28:25Plus the effect on the GOE
00:28:27So there's room for improvement
00:28:30And they're on the right track
00:28:31Before we take a brief break
00:28:33Let's talk a little bit more
00:28:34About what the people
00:28:35Will be watching or looking for
00:28:37In the short program
00:28:38Lisa for those
00:28:38That are online
00:28:40Around the world
00:28:41And don't know much
00:28:42About synchro skating
00:28:42You know give us a hint
00:28:44Of what we can expect
00:28:45Or what we're looking for
00:28:46Yeah so in the short program
00:28:49For the juniors
00:28:50There are five elements
00:28:51That are required
00:28:52They each have their own
00:28:53Difficult features
00:28:54To look out for
00:28:55There's the move element
00:28:56Which is you know
00:28:56Your spirals and billments
00:28:57The twizzle element
00:28:59The pivoting block
00:29:00The intersection
00:29:01Which teams are doing a whip
00:29:02And then the no hold element
00:29:04So those are sort of
00:29:04The elements to look out for
00:29:06As far as trying to decipher
00:29:08Who might win
00:29:09Or who might score higher
00:29:11Than another team
00:29:11It is really difficult
00:29:13To know because
00:29:14There's so many
00:29:14Technical features
00:29:15To look for in each element
00:29:17But some easy things
00:29:19To look out for
00:29:20Are you know
00:29:20Things like straight lines
00:29:22If they drop their arms
00:29:23And reattach
00:29:24Are they on right away
00:29:25Of course the turns
00:29:27That they're doing
00:29:28Are they on accurate edges
00:29:29The field moves
00:29:30Are they in those
00:29:31Flexible positions
00:29:33But looking for
00:29:35The unison of the team
00:29:36The musicality of the team
00:29:37How committed they are
00:29:40To the theme
00:29:40That they're skating to
00:29:41And if the music changes
00:29:43Does their energy change
00:29:44With the music
00:29:45That all comes into
00:29:46The program component
00:29:47And artistry scores
00:29:48But really just sit back
00:29:50And enjoy the artistry
00:29:51It is such a beautiful sport
00:29:52And getting too caught up
00:29:54In the technical
00:29:55Can really take away
00:29:56From the enjoyment
00:29:57So just enjoy the delivery
00:29:58I was listening to your technical
00:30:00I said no no
00:30:01I'm just going to listen
00:30:02To the music
00:30:02And I'm going to watch
00:30:03The skaters
00:30:03And I'm going to enjoy
00:30:03The choreography
00:30:04That's the hint
00:30:05For those people
00:30:06That don't know much
00:30:07About singles
00:30:07So enjoy
00:30:08We're going to take a short break
00:30:09We'll be back
00:30:10With group number two
00:30:11In the Junior Synchronized Short Program
00:30:13Stay with us
00:30:14Jump
00:30:18Spin
00:30:19Repeat
00:30:21Jump
00:30:22Spin
00:30:24Repeat
00:30:26Jump
00:30:28Spin
00:30:29Eat
00:30:31Eating chicken
00:30:34Is as much a part
00:30:35Of my routine
00:30:35As jumps
00:30:36And spins
00:30:37Always raised
00:30:38By a Canadian farmer
00:30:39Always raised right
00:30:40Chicken Farmers of Canada
00:30:42Proud national partner
00:30:43Of Skate Canada
00:31:01Done
00:31:14To clOh
00:31:15To clOh
00:31:16The
00:31:30To clOh
00:31:30Jump. Spin. Repeat. Jump. Spin. Repeat. Jump. Spin. Eat. Eating chicken is as much a part of my
00:31:55routine as jumps and spins. Always raised by a Canadian farmer. Always raised right. Chicken
00:32:01Farmers of Canada. Proud national partner of Skate Canada.
00:32:25Sauter. Tourner. Répéter. Sauter. Tourner. Répéter. Sauter. Tourner. Manger. Manger du poulet,
00:32:53ça fait autant partie de ma routine que sauter et tourner. Toujours élevé par un producteur
00:32:57canadien, toujours bien élevé. Les producteurs de poulet du Canada. Fier partenaire
00:33:02national de Patinage Canada.
00:33:23The greatest skaters in the world turn ice into gold. And you have one chance to see them live.
00:33:42Stars on Ice 2026 tour. Elvis Stoico. Piper Gillis and Paul Poirier. Deanna Stilato-Dudick
00:33:51and Maxime Deschamps. Keegan Messing. And more. Live. Canada's champions are coming this spring.
00:34:00Get your tickets at starsonice.ca.
00:34:30Get your tickets.
00:52:44that was nexus jr from burlington ontario with a beautiful emotion filled program
00:53:06beautifully skated such confidence in the way they held themselves on the ice
00:53:13great extensions and a lot of beautiful skating the the power of numbers is you know when you
00:53:20have wonderful music and wonderful choreography all choreographed and delivered in the same
00:53:26fashion by a team it's so incredibly powerful and emotional as well and as you mentioned a little
00:53:31earlier you don't pick that up on the screen like you do live in the event it's a completely
00:53:36different event as we are watching both of us on the screen and those around the world as well
00:53:40than it is in the building yes it is and the way that they're able to throw themselves into the
00:53:47program and really buy into the theme it's from all of the off ice that they do so they talk about how
00:53:54they're supposed to hold themselves and and what emotion they're portraying in different parts of
00:53:58the program but it's so much work to make it look as good as it did tonight here they are with their
00:54:03moves element you see the drop and regrass the little delayed in one of the lines so they might
00:54:07have taken a hit on timing but technically a strong element for them okay there with the pivot block
00:54:13looks like it was downgraded so that means they probably didn't identify one of their turns done
00:54:18on the correct edges but it could be something else that's the complexity of the tech that we were
00:54:22talking about really nice elements here going into the twizzle i believe that was or was this
00:54:30the thing with synchro now is there's so much complexity built into the program so not only
00:54:35are we looking at the elements but the connections between the elements that are so intricate
00:54:40this was going into their intersection the whip intersection which was scored top marks
00:54:47intersection level four which is the highest they can get point of intersection four with the
00:54:51hands above head and on one foot doing two rotations incredibly hard to do their last element
00:54:57the no hold we saw some flip jumps some loop jumps some axles really nice timing and cohesion through
00:55:04that element again all of their difficult features were identified and given credit in that no hold
00:55:10block i'm kind of sad that we didn't get to see a replay of the pivot block because we both watched
00:55:15that and between ourselves commented on how fast they were how much speed they brought through that
00:55:20element which we haven't seen yet in this competition tonight yeah they have really good skating skills and great acceleration
00:55:26as a team some individual skaters might have acceleration but this whole team did that was great let's take a look at
00:55:32the short program scores for nexus 71.38 that's a big score and they seem pretty happy with that that puts them in first place
00:55:43it was a minor 17 point improvement from the last score yeah pretty awesome with two teams to come that was great and they deserved it
00:55:53they look like they can't believe it but believe it it was a beautiful escape
00:55:57yeah absolutely our next team on the ice is nova jr representing colbeck now the short program is set to home by emilia piano featuring lucy this program is a gentle heartfelt journey about the meaning of home
00:56:10it will explore the places and moments that remind us who we are even in the absence of loved ones
00:56:17it celebrates memories and people that give life comfort and warmth
00:56:20it brings up to what we are even in the Cubcan's centre and the
00:56:33Let's go to the U.S.
00:56:36to the help.
00:56:50Où va-t-on quand on n'a plus de maison ?
00:57:13Les fleurs sous le béton m'a menti le moins.
00:57:18Où va-t-on au-delà de l'origine ?
00:57:32De l'amour, de l'amour, de l'amour, quand le ciel s'ouvre, tout redevient calme et tout va bien.
00:57:43Où va-t-il, le bonheur se file fragile ?
00:57:55Quand il vacille et se brise, maman, dis-le-moi où va-t-il ?
00:58:05Pourquoi le monde semble si grand quand on devient encore plus grand ?
00:58:10Qu'avoir que de l'air qui s'enfuient et les souvenirs qu'on oublie ?
00:58:15Est-ce que j'aurai toujours des questions ?
00:58:20Peut-être que j'en ferai des chansons, maman, dis-le-moi.
00:58:26Peut-être que j'aurai des chansons, maman, dis-le-moi.
00:58:36Peut-être que j'aurai des chansons, maman, dis-le-moi.
00:58:49Peut-être que j'aurai des chansons, maman, dis-le-moi.
00:58:53Peut-être que j'aurai des chansons, maman, dis-le-moi.
00:59:11that was nova jr from saint hubert quebec with a beautiful heartfelt program they showed so much
00:59:32connection to each other to the music such a soft yet strong program for them
00:59:39well it's and they look happy yeah it's such beautiful music in which i think adds to the
00:59:46emotion of their performance not just to the audience and the judges but internally for
00:59:51themselves when they love the program they love the music that much so it adds to the experience
00:59:57of the athlete yes whenever you can skate to a song that makes you want to dance to me that's
01:00:04you know the ultimate motivation because you love the music so much that skating to it is
01:00:09just a joy they are getting off the ice the program was choreographed by their coach joanie brazo
01:00:16nadine two guys one of their other coaches so they kind of did a flip-flop this year
01:00:21joanie choreographed the short program and then nadine choreographed the free program
01:00:26and joanie said it was her first time choreographing a full program so kudos it's not an easy feat
01:00:34putting these elements together i loved this pattern for the twizzles so creative the pattern
01:00:40that they skated on the ice and the way that they executed their features absolutely beautiful and
01:00:46very impactful
01:00:47here they are in their pivoting block it's so hard to do those edges correctly it looks like they
01:00:55got a pivot block two instead of a four which is so difficult to nail those turns
01:01:02looking at their no hold element here beautiful box shape there are the axles
01:01:07and the one rotation jumps the loops really nice spacing good clear shape moving on to the moves
01:01:14element you see a good freeze frame of their bielman there but the judges will be looking to see if
01:01:21the bielmans are in the right position if the spirals are at least 135 degree angle so they need
01:01:26to see that flexibility whip intersection i3 pi4 it looks like it's under review so i'm not sure
01:01:33if they're reviewing the intersection shape or that point of intersection it's so hard to do the whip
01:01:40and get the timing right where everyone goes through at the same time you haven't done more than one
01:01:45rotation before going through the intersection it is so tricky and takes so much time to perfect
01:01:51that element but they look happy here as they are in the kiss and cry
01:01:55yeah we'll see what the scores are in just a few moments but i always just love the facial expressions
01:02:05and the team together not knowing what the scores are of course that will change or could change the
01:02:11mood one way or the other but at least the feeling at least the feeling coming off the ice is great go
01:02:19ahead lisa yeah well it's important to remember this team nova junior went to the world championships
01:02:24last year representing canada but there's 10 new skaters on this team so it is still a very fresh
01:02:30group maybe 10 of them have that world experience under their belts which lends itself to the maturity
01:02:36and the confidence that they can have on the ice but half of the team is new and they're welcoming
01:02:40this new blend of skaters and they did a great job today skating and they're having fun that is the
01:02:46most important thing ultimately how long would a coach want to have a team together
01:02:51at the junior level it's tricky because of age restrictions so they do age out and they have
01:02:57to move on to senior or a different category but if you can have a good group of your skaters that
01:03:02have been together for two three seasons that really helps with the uniformity of the team the unison
01:03:08of how they skate not just how they do the elements but their actual skating style
01:03:13yeah so two to three years is sort of the perfect scenario and of course a lot of these teams have
01:03:21you know maybe a third to a half of the team new every year and so start again and i just want to
01:03:27talk about the coaching of this i've watched coaching obviously on the ice with singles and pairs
01:03:30and then i went to synchro sessions and watched the coaching on synchro session and i'm telling you i do
01:03:36not know how the one coach or perhaps two on the ice can control you know 16 skaters and they're
01:03:42padded to the choreography and their understanding of what the coach is actually asking them to do
01:03:47it's an incredibly difficult job if you ever get a chance to watch a session do it let's take a look
01:03:52the short program scores for nova 59.01 that puts them into second place and you can see the reaction
01:04:01on their face that's not what they hoped for or perhaps expected and now they'll have to regroup a
01:04:07bit as they prepare for the free program tomorrow please welcome disappointment our next team on the
01:04:15ice from quebec they supreme another short program music is identity the season's short program traces the
01:04:22journey of identity and liberation set to a powerful blend of dark winter and the music of vivaldi
01:04:28the program will begin with the skaters constrained by societal expectations you'll see sort of a mask
01:04:36movement and then as inner conflict emerges the performance will build for transformation
01:04:58the
01:05:07the
01:05:10the
01:05:12the
01:05:14the
01:05:16the
01:05:18the
01:05:20Try to let it slide, but you're testing all my limits
01:05:27Real nice guy, don't mistake you for a weakness
01:05:32You, you, you, talk, talking recklessly, having your fun
01:05:39You'll feel the consequences when they come
01:05:44Oh, now you want to tell me that I've changed
01:05:48You wonder why I moved you out of the way
01:05:51I know you want the violence to play
01:05:54Oh, no, oh, no
01:05:56Now you're about to get this dark winter
01:05:59Lost my composure cause you've got me triggered
01:06:19Should be more careful, you might get the shivers
01:06:24That you just had to provoke it, bring the worst out of me
01:06:30You don't know what you're walking, say hello to the beast
01:06:33Next thing you know, going toe to toe, never thought you'd see this out of me
01:06:37Oh, now you want to tell me that I've changed
01:06:41You wonder why I moved you out of the way
01:06:44I know you want the violence to play
01:06:46Oh, no, oh, no
01:06:48Calling me cold even though I've been trying to be cool
01:06:52Want me to be nice for the members I'm here with you
01:06:59Now you're about to get this dark winter
01:07:07Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
01:07:19A great skate from Les Supremes Jr. out of Saint-Leonard, Quebec.
01:07:43This is a team, Ted, when they step on the ice, they command the attention of the audience.
01:07:51They take the ice like senior skaters, and I think that's one of the biggest benefits of having a pipeline in your club where you have a senior team that you can watch.
01:07:59You have something in-house to aspire to, and I think it really makes a big difference in the development of skaters.
01:08:06One of the things that I notice in watching synchronized skating is that you not only have to work within a small area in which you're skating to be in unison.
01:08:15If someone falls, you have to have a great set of eyes to see where they are so that you don't fall over them.
01:08:21It's very complicated.
01:08:22We just look at it and enjoy it and watch it.
01:08:24Isn't that amazing?
01:08:25But it's so intricate and so difficult and very risky.
01:08:28And the level of focus it requires to not just see the fall, but then to not let it affect your own skating.
01:08:36That's another skill in itself.
01:08:38And sometimes the only way to learn is to practice.
01:08:41And so there are these falls in competitions.
01:08:42This is still so early in the season, but better to get the falls out now than on international ice, which is coming for these skaters.
01:08:49This is a beautiful moves element, really nice flexibility.
01:08:52These twizzles were sublime, absolutely amazing.
01:08:56Great positioning, great unison, love the musicality throughout.
01:09:03Here we are looking at their whip intersection.
01:09:04They did have a collision, so that's an automatic minus two, I believe, for the collision there as far as their GOE goes.
01:09:13Great of execution.
01:09:14Here they are.
01:09:14You see double sals, axles, lots of variety of jumps there.
01:09:18Very difficult to do.
01:09:20The pivot block was scored a level three, and it looks like it's under review, probably for those edges.
01:09:26And ensuring that once the pivoting end changes, they have to rotate or pivot another 90 degrees.
01:09:33They look happy.
01:09:35We'll wait and see what the scores look like.
01:09:37Again, reminding ourselves, there's 12 new skaters on this team this year.
01:09:42You know, eight returning from last year, 12 new.
01:09:44That's a big turnover, a very new group of skaters.
01:09:47And this is early in their season, so they'll continue to gel and improve as the season goes on.
01:09:54Yeah, really early for synchronized skating.
01:09:57And I know that when Skate Canada put them into the national championships combined with singles, pairs, dance, men's and women's,
01:10:03that, you know, people were thrilled with it.
01:10:06But they were also saying, wow, this is pretty early for us to be ready.
01:10:09Probably not a bad thing, because they're going to be super ready for the world championships or for any other international competitions they may attend.
01:10:18But still, it was very early in the season, considering what synchro season is a little bit different than the other disciplines.
01:10:27Yes, and like you said, it was met with resistance at first.
01:10:30And then a few Canadian teams went on to, you know, win junior worlds and senior worlds.
01:10:33And so I think the coaches are seeing that it pays off to be ready a little bit earlier and to force yourselves to perform under this pressure in January.
01:10:42Imagine where the teams will get to once they're competing at a world in March or for seniors in April.
01:10:47There's so much time to grow between now and then, and they're at such a great place for this point in the season.
01:10:53And as you said, you know, better that you fall here, not that you ever planned that, but early on, getting, you know, your program run-throughs and your first time you go out,
01:11:01if there's going to be a mistake, better in the earlier part of the season than later.
01:11:05And, of course, that's all part of the learning process.
01:11:07It is.
01:11:08And it forces you to maybe do some work with the team sports psychologist and figure out what maybe led to that fall personally.
01:11:14And it makes you improve and grow more as an individual skater.
01:11:18We always learn from our mistakes.
01:11:19Whatever they are in synchro, it's no exception.
01:11:22The scores, please.
01:11:23Well, here we go.
01:11:24The short program scores for Les Supremes.
01:11:28And it is a 64.78.
01:11:30And that is actually a second-place score for this team.
01:11:34You can see them a little bit surprised but relatively happy.
01:11:37Nexus is in first with 71.38.
01:11:39So they're a good seven points out of the lead.
01:11:45When the scores come up, all you know is where your placement is.
01:11:49And maybe you know your score from the previous competition.
01:11:51So that is a lower score than they had last time.
01:11:54But you don't necessarily know if there were bumps in your program.
01:11:57You're so focused on yourself in that team.
01:12:00And it's only when you look back at the video that you can see the errors that were made and then improve on them for next time.
01:12:05The synchronized short program, which will commence at 7.45 p.m.
01:12:07So that concludes our coverage.
01:12:09We'll see the results in just a moment.
01:12:10It concludes our coverage of the junior synchronized skating short program.
01:12:15There it is.
01:12:15There's the results.
01:12:16Nexus is in first.
01:12:17Les Supremes in second.
01:12:18Nova in third.
01:12:19And a look at the rest of the field as we get prepared for the senior synchronized short program.
01:12:25Coming up in just a little bit.
01:12:26Stay with us.
01:12:26We'll be back in about 15 minutes.
01:12:35We'll be back in about 15 minutes.
01:13:35Nova in third.
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