Canadian figure skating team named for PyeongChang 2018
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VANCOUVER (January 14, 2018) — The Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) and Skate Canada officially announced the 17 athletes and 12 coaches nominated to represent Team Canada in figure skating at the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018.
Skaters qualified for the team based on their performances during the 2016-17 and 2017-18 seasons as well as their results at the 2018 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships.
The skaters nominated are:
Name Event Hometown
Patrick Chan Men's singles Toronto, ON
Keegan Messing Men's singles Sherwood Park, AB/ Brampton, ON
Gabrielle Daleman Women's singles Newmarket, ON
Kaetlyn Osmond Women's singles Sherwood Park, AB/ Marystown, NL
Larkyn Austman Women's singles Coquitlam, BC
Meagan Duhamel Pairs Lively, ON
Eric Radford Pairs Balmertown, ON
Julianne Séguin Pairs Longueuil, QC
Charlie Bilodeau Pairs Trois-Pistoles, QC
Kirsten Moore-Towers Pairs St. Catharines, ON
Michael Marinaro Pairs Sarnia, ON
Tessa Virtue Ice dance London, ON
Scott Moir Ice dance Ilderton, ON
Piper Gilles Ice dance Toronto, ON
Paul Poirier Ice dance Unionville, ON
Kaitlyn Weaver Ice dance Toronto, ON
Andrew Poje Ice dance Waterloo, ON
The coaches nominated are:
Name Position Hometown
Lee Barkell Coach Kirkland Lake, ON
Ralph Burghart Coach Vienna, Austria
Marie-France Dubreuil Coach Sainte-Catherine, QC
Oleg Epstein Coach Chicago, Illinois, USA
Richard Gauthier Coach Mont Tremblant, QC
Patrice Lauzon Coach Boisbriand, QC
Bruno Marcotte Coach Beloeil, QC
Nikolai Morozov Coach Edgewater, New Jersey, USA
Zdenek Pazdirek Coach Coquitlam, BC
Josée Picard Coach Hull, QC
Juris Razgulajevs Coach Riga, Latvia
Ravi Walia Coach Vancouver, BC
Figure skating is one of Canada's most successful sports at the Olympic Winter Games. Since 1924, Canada has won 25 Olympic medals, including four golds.
The team heading to PyeongChang has been hugely successful in recent years. Vancouver 2010 gold medallists Virtue and Moir returned from a two-year hiatus last season to win their third world title. While they were away, Weaver and Poje won two world medals. Osmond and Daleman became the first Canadian women to share a world championship podium in 2017, winning silver and bronze. Duhamel and Radford captured back-to-back world titles in 2015 and 2016. Three-time world champion Chan is coming off winning his record-setting 10th national title.
With 17 skaters, Canada has qualified the largest figure skating team of any country for PyeongChang 2018. Figure skating will take place February 9-23 (Days 0-14) at the Gangneung Ice Arena.
"I'm impressed by the depth of this team. There are so many strong contenders and we have tremendous hope for them heading into the Games. Congratulations to all athletes nominated. Best of luck to them as they enter the final stage of their preparation."
– Isabelle Charest, PyeongChang 2018 Team Canada Chef de Mission
"Tessa and I are honoured to be representing Canada at our third Olympic Games. It is especially a privilege to be named to the team with this group of skaters. We have grown up together and its going to be a special moment to take the ice with them and go for gold. We are looking forward to embracing the Olympic spirit and proudly cheering on our teammates in PyeongChang."
– Scott Moir, PyeongChang 2018 nominated athlete
"I am thrilled to be named to the Olympic team for the second time. It is always a source of pride to wear the red-and-white and to do it on the biggest sporting stage in the world will be truly an honour. Our entire team has worked hard to be the best and I know Canadians from coast-to-coast-to-coast will be cheering on our journey as we take on the world."
– Gabrielle Daleman, PyeongChang 2018 nominated athlete
"Figure Skating is one of the most watched Olympic events, and for good reason. These new team members are looking to earn their spot in PyeongChang amongst previous champions. As they dance, spin and jump, the Canadian fans back home will be supporting them in their quest for the podium. Let's go Canada!"
– The Honourable Kent Hehr, Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities
Prior to being named to Team Canada, all nominations are subject to approval by the COC's Team Selection Committee following its receipt of nominations by all National Sport Federations in late January 2018.