National STARSkate Festival Championships (test stream nationals)

[roogu]

Should be an exciting event as it's the first nationals for test stream freeskaters, granted they have to skate 2 or 3 times in the biathlon and triathlon events, lol. Congrats to all the skaters who qualified there, and fulfilling their dream of competing at a national championship. More information up here:

http://www.skatecanada.ca/english/events/index.html


The entry list for the festival synchro teams are up. Anyone know the reason why the entry list for the triathlon and biathlon events arent up yet?

[rinsk]

Probably just a question of time and whether all the provinces have had their qualifying events yet (qualifyings for Quebec were this past weekend at Michel Proulx). And then there's always a time lag for Skate Canada to receive all the names of entries and post them.

[Lee]

Alberta held theirs just over a week ago and the results (http://www.skateabnwtnun.com/Starskate%20Results/index.htm) are on the AB Section website.

[trains]

Ontario has the Trillium Starskate Championship this coming weekend in Whitby at the 6 rink complex. Only the higher levels and the triathlon events go on to a national competition.

[roogu]

Actually, the 4 Ontario sections have their own sectional championships to decide who the representatives for the two triathlon and biathlon events are. All 4 have been held already. The Trillium Provincials won't have the triathlon or biathlon events ... not this year anyway.

[thumbyskates]

BC had theirs January 24th-26th!!!
I know their qualifying list, sort of ;)

Gold Triathalon: Eva (I'm sorry I don't know her last name, but she's amazing)
Silver Triathalon: Michelle Antoniak

Silver Biathalon: Stephanie Stroppa and Rachel Kotler
--> (they actually might be Gold...I can't remember)


Anyone else know their qualifying people?

Kortney

[roogu]

I think it'l be available on the individual section websites .......

Team Alberta:
Gold Triathlon - Lea Scott
Silver Triathlon - Kara Dawidowski
Gold Biathlon - Sara Spate/Paeton Cameron
No Silver Biathlon entry

Saskatechwan Section:
Unknown for the moment ... their section doesn't have the results up for their section championship

Manitoba Section:
Ditto

Nothern Ontario:
Silver Triathlon - Kimberly Melbourne
Gold Triathon - Mirelle Robertson or Alexandra Schennach (full results aren't up yet)

Western Ontario:
Gold Triathlo - Leanne Moir
Silver Triathlon - Vanessa Seu
Gold Biathlon - Jenna Henderson/Cara Moir

Central Ontario:
Gold Triathlon Ladies - Arlene Paculan
Gold Triathlon Men - Rodolfo Guilherme
Silver Triathlon Ladies - Emma Hyatt
Gold Biathlon - Cindy Hatt/Kim Wilson
Silver Biathlon - Courtney Russell/Kyle Elliot

Eastern Ontario:
Gold Triathlon - Kately Evans
Silver Triathlon - Natasha Pankhurst


Quebec:
Results not up yet but they get 2 entries per event

Nova Scotia:
Gold Triathlon - Emma Smith
Silver Triathlon - Sarah Griffin

New Brunswick:
Results also not up yet BUT their GOld Triathlon Men's entry will be Sylvain Lavoie and they will also have a gold and silver triathlon ladies entry

Newfoundland and Labrador:
Gold Triathlon - Katie Malone
Silver Triathlon - Jillian Whiteway

PEI:
Probably no entries

[thumbyskates]

I think the Gold Triathalon event will be exciting.
Does anyone know what jumps they can land?

Eva (BC Section) is absolutely *amazing* to watch. I'm pretty sure she has up to a double lutz now, but the grace, speed and spins that could beat any Canadian Senior Skater. She's beautiful on the ice.

Does anyone know if these Nationals will eventually grow into a full Preliminary-Gold Freeskate, and Interpretive event? That would be so awesome. It'd be even better if each section could send more than one!

Kortney

[Lee]

When push comes to shove, the jumps are the least of the Triathlon. To do well in this event, a skater has to have it all -- good feet, artistic ability, strong skating skills, and yes, being able to land at least up to the 2-lutz helps. But since two of the 3 events have absolutely no jumps in them (or nothing more than singles as in the Interpretive), it's going to be the most consistent skater who will come out on top.

Good luck to all the skaters -- with an extra boost for Lea, Kara and Sara & Paeton!!!!

[roogu]

It's true that you have to be strong in all 3 events, especially if a field is really large, like the gold ladies triathlon. 1 full factored point is given for each placement in each portion. So let's say a skater places 6th in skills but wins the interpretive and freeskate, she'll get 8.0 points overall. That can really cost the gold ...... and it happened a lot in the sectional run offs.

[roogu]

The STARSkater's entry list is up ....... looks like there'll only be 2 Gold Triathlon Men (:( :( :( , I'm one of them and was hoping for a real competition like the ladies) .... and only 1 silver triathlon men and 1 silver biathlon dance team. But should be reeeeeally exciting for the ladies!!!! EEEK! SO looking forward to the whole experience!!!!

[rjblue]

roogu- can you post some reports of the event? I'm trying to convince my daughter that she would enjoy this, and enter it next year.

[Lee]

rj...my daughter did compete in Triathlon this year (after being the only entry in the entire section a year ago; no competition) and she had a blast. She didn't perform as well as she wanted to at sectionals, but given that she has no coach and only has about 2 hours a week of her own to train, *I* think she did alright.

Tell your daughter it IS a great deal of fun. Most of the ladies at our sectional competition already knew each other to some degree, and even if they didn't, they still had fun.

I think the StarSkate Nationals is one of the best ideas SC has come up with in a long time. I also can't wait until there is enough adult participation across the country to include them as well.

roogu -- that's too bad that there are only the two of you in the Men's Triathlon -- good luck! I think it's great that there are guys out there actually pushing the Skills and Interpretive! Good for you!!! :D

[rjblue]

:) Great for your daughter Lee. How old are the ladies in this? Mine will be starting university this fall. She has all her gold levels, but the triples never arrived. She'll probably have 4-5 hours a week and no coach.

I'd love to see the varsity skating program expanded to all the provinces. The one in Ontario sounds like great fun.

With 100,000 + skaters, the StarSkate competition is a great idea. :)

[Lee]

BD is 19...the youngest looked to be about 14 or 15. BD was NOT the youngest; there were at least 2 others older than she is. Like your daughter, she has all the Gold tests (Diamond dances), and no triples (no 2-axel either although it *has* been landed in a 'past life'...:P)

She's also off to university next year and would really like to see the varsity program take off. She's been coaching this year and would like to continue that when she gets to Calgary. From what I hear there has been a movement to get the varsity program going in Alberta -- hopefully, it will continue to spread.

[roogu]

It's funny the varsity program is brought up because I just wrote a whole feature about the stream and the lack of a national league ... any kind of a league for that matter outside Ontario. And in Ontario, it only exists within universities. I spoke with a few officials at the Skate Canada, Ontario University Athletics and the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association ...... right now, the Covenor of Skating in the OUA told me that they are very interested in expanding the league into a national system. The biggest hurdles they're going to face are interest and of course, the ever important funding. But Mr. Martinelli said that it's been a major point of discussion in meetings the last couple of years. Ms. King-Gallant from Skate Canada also said they're looking at working with CIS (Canadian Inter-university Sport) in the future. Basically, things will happen but don't expect them too soon. Hehehe. I know that my article is being published and once it is, I'll post a link to the online version so that maybe you guys will have more information than I've provided.

Lee - thank you for your support. Belieeeeeeve me, I've been waiting for this to happen for several years now. In fact, it's the only reason why I've kept skating the last two or three years because they kept on saying it's gonna happen, it's gonna happen. Now it finally has. Sure, it's a lil disappointing that there are only two entries ... but to be part of the first one ... just to go to nationals alone, albeit starskate and not competitive (HAHAHA) .. it's really all I've ever wanted. The only real bummer ..... all we got was a knapsack as the 'team' wear .... we all really wanted jackets ... in fact, we're kinda upset about the whole thing. My skates barely fit in mine so I can't even use it. :roll:

Rjblue - I'll try my best to post reports. I think the only thing I'll really miss the Gold Triathlon Interpretive because it's at 8:30 in the morning. LOL. I'll expect to see a lot of double axels ... at least attempts in the Gold Triathlon ladies. I know that Arlene Paculan (My teammate :) ) has one planned. I wouldn't be surprised if the WOS rep. will try one as well as I believe she's a former competitive skater. Those Moirs...there' s so many of them that you can't go anywhere without running into one of them, LoL. If you're not far from Brampton, you should go watch with your daughter ... I'm sure both of you will enjoy it a lot ... the most interesting thing I find from the triathlon is the amount of different styles that come out in each part of the competition.

What will be the most interesting I think is that it will be an open marking event .... hehehe. I wonder if they'll have like a whole kiss n cry area set up, LOL.

A lot of the competitors in the triathlon are in their mid teens to even early twenties ... and the joy to skate is really evident.

[thumbyskates]

I only wish I could be going...if only they had Interpretive events there!
I competed Bronze Triathalon once...it was so much fun. I won the event, but quit Freeskate for a little bit, before competing this year. Who knows!!! There was only four people in Silver Triathalon *kicks myself for not competing in it*

Eva Mortesen (from G.T. BC Section) won the entire event hands down, all three events. It was clear she was the best skater. I promise she'll medal. She's the most amazing skater, I've never seen on TV!!

Kortney


Edited to add: I was under the impression that the Men competed against the Ladies in Triathalon and Interpretive events? It was this way at the BC Sections!!!

[roogu]

Thumbyskates - you should definitely enter it next year! Although I have a feeling the number of entries is going to expand in each section, hehehe. But who knows, maybe they'll expand the number of entries each section gets to send ... or even expand the events to include separate freeskate or interpretive events. the possibilities are endless and I think a lot of what happens next year will depend on how the even goes this year. I have a feeling it'll be a lot of success.

Chances are, they'll probably expand it but probably keep it among the higher levels (Jr. Silver Sr. Silver and Gold) because it doesn't seem feasible for skaters at the prelim or jr. bronze level to fork out the cash to travel and all that stuff at the national level. I knwo if I were a parent, the idea of a national competition for preliminary skaters would seem ridiculous ...... but definitely a necessity for higher levels.

I think the best idea would be to allow each section to send 2 competitors, but that'll mean that there would be a max. entrant of 28 skaters at nationals. That's a lot of skaters! hehe. Oh well I'm sure Skate Canada will fine tune the event ..... too bad I won't be competing in the years to come so see how it grows .... gettin old here, heheh, time to move on ... plus the body can't take all the pounding anymore, haha. Who knows, maybe I'll come back in biathlon dance events.... or they might include adult events at nationals in several years. Now THAT would be exciting. It's about time we had an adult nats. like the U.S.

[Lee]

roogu...will likely be open marking...Whitecourt (AB) even had a kiss'n'cry set up! BD sat in it for all three events and said it was probably gonna be the only time in her life she'd get to so she was gonna do it!

I don't blame you for being excited...all BD's talked about for the past couple years was StarSkate Nationals.

As for double axels, Lea Scott, from Alberta, has landed several in the past in competion, so I wouldn't rule her out. She's a strong freeskater who's really come into her own in Skills and Interpretive in the past year. It was really nice to see her do so well in the AB Sectionals. She was one of the 'old ladies' who don't have time to skate 10 hours or more a week because of college or work -- and she pulled it all together when the time came. I hope she does well in Brampton!

I'll be looking forward to reading your varsity article, roogu...:)

We'll be away during the SSN (our spring break), but I will expect to come back to reports and reviews...:P

[arena_gal]

Varsity skating is amazing, I'd never been to one before and since it was being held at the same time as WOS provincial qualifying in Strathroy a few weeks ago I got to experience it!

(I thought I was in the wrong arena, that I'd walked into a hockey game instead)

The cheering and team spirit, very much like synchro but the events - ie similar pairs - makes it easy for even small school skating teams to compete.

[roogu]

Lee - I'll be sure to keep an eye out for Lea and put in an extra detailed report on how she skates for you :) I noticed that she won the entire event without winning either of the 3 portions ..... and jsut goes to show your point earlier ... the most consistent SKATER, and not jumper, has the greatest advantage. I'll be looking forward to seeing her skate.

Wouldn't be surprised if the Quebec girls have a double axel or two up their sleeve either. i bet you the girls will out jump the guys for sure!

BD was right up there too! I hope she'll still keep training part time and perhaps do the triathlon event again as well!!! I noticed you mentioned that Lea is in college and a job and still skating ....... like myself ...... and goes to show that just because you're in college and maybe a year or two older than many of the skaters (LOL) doesn't mean you can't compete anymore!!! Woudl she be interested in doing the biathlon next year? HAHA Maybe her and I should partner up! HAHAHAHAHHAHA. j/k Tell her *I* am encouraging her to keep skating in STARSkate :)

LOL @ the kiss'n'cry at Whitecourt .... I know EOS had open marking too ..... if there is a kiss'n'cry at Nationals, I'll gonna do the same thing as BD!!! LOL!! The only time I'll probably get to do it, so I'm gonna take it ALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL in.

I'm actually surprised at the numbe of entries ... or the little that there is, in the silver triathlon among the sections. All you need is any of the silver freeskates or skills or interpretive, junior or senior silver ... yet the entries per section were less than the gold triathlons. With the 'easier' qualifications, I figured skaters would jump at the chance to do it. Very interesting.