KWSC - Press Release Archives

Press Release Archives

Below are archived press releases from the Kitchener-Waterloo Skating Club. Click here for more recent press releases.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Local contest winner to perform with Elvis Stojko and other skating stars

Waterloo, ON, Dec-29-2009 – An 11-year-old Waterloo figure skater has been chosen to skate in an upcoming figure skating show entitled "You Rock the Ice With Elvis Stojko and Friends". Kitchener-Waterloo Skating Club member Emily Wright won the opportunity to perform in Peterborough with three-time World Champion and two-time Olympic silver medalist Stojko in a contest.

Emily was selected by Stojko as the winner from a pool of video auditions submitted earlier. Other skating stars scheduled to perform include 2008 World Champion and Olympic bronze medalist Jeffrey Buttle, five-time Canadian Champion and Olympic medal hopeful Joannie Rochette, five-time Canadian Champion ice dancers Marie-France Dubreuil and Patrice Lauzon, and French Champion Surya Bonaly.

Emily says she is excited about the opportunity to skate alongside some of her skating heroes. "When my mom told me that I won, the first thing that I thought was 'Wow!'", says Emily. She is looking forward to meeting Elvis Stojko and other famous skaters including one of her favourite skaters, Joannie Rochette. "I hope I get to see Surya Bonaly do a back flip", says Emily.

"You Rock the Ice With Elvis Stojko and Friends" takes place at the Peterborough Memorial Centre on January 3rd at 7:00 pm. Tickets are available at www.MemorialCentre.ca or at the Memorial Centre box office.

Photographs - High resolution photographs of Emily Wright are available for download at: http://www.kwsc.org/images/dec2909a.jpg, and http://www.kwsc.org/images/dec2909b.jpg.

Kitchener-Waterloo Skating Club - The Kitchener-Waterloo Skating Club (KWSC) is one of the largest figure skating clubs in Canada. The club--which has existed for over 70 years--is based in the twin cities of Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario, 100 km west of Toronto. The club operates competitive programs that have sent singles skaters, dance pairs, freeskate pairs, and synchronized teams to compete in the Canadian Championships, as well as International Competitions.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

K-W figure skaters to showcase Canada's training methods

Waterloo, ON, Nov-13-2009 – While some of the world’s elite figure skaters put finishing touches on their programs in preparation for the 2009 HomeSense Skate Canada International figure skating competition, a group of skaters from Kitchener-Waterloo are rehearsing a routine of their own. The select group of skaters will demonstrate Skate Canada’s figure skating training methods at the Aud in Kitchener, during the Exhibition Gala of the 2009 HomeSense Skate Canada International figure skating competition.

STARSkate, which stands for Skills, Tests, Achievement, and Recognition, is Skate Canada’s fundamental figure skating training program. For over 40 years the unique Canadian program has offered opportunities for skaters of all ages to develop figure skating skills in the areas of ice dance, skating skills, free skate, synchronized skating, and interpretive skating. Skaters have the opportunity to take Skate Canada Tests through a nationally standardized testing system.

On Sunday November 22, over 30 skaters of all ages from the Kitchener-Waterloo Skating Club will take to the ice and demonstrate to an international audience the fundamentals of STARSkate. Following the demonstration, medal winners from the competition will entertain the crowd in a relaxed and non-competitive setting at the Exhibition Gala, which will be televised on CBC. Also performing in the Exhibition Gala is the reigning Canadian and World Champion synchronized skating team NEXXICE, who train at both the Kitchener-Waterloo and Burlington skating clubs.

Skaters scheduled to compete at Skate Canada International include local pair skaters Kirsten Moore-Towers and Dylan Moscovitch, along with fellow Canadians Jessica Dubé and Bryce Davison, Anabelle Langlois and Cody Hay. Andrew Poje of the Kitchener-Waterloo Skating Club with partner Kaitlyn Weaver and World Bronze medalists Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir will be competing in the dance event. Other top-level skaters scheduled to compete at the prestigious event include World Silver medalists and Canadian Olympic medal hopefuls Joannie Rochette and Patrick Chan.

Tickets for HomeSense Skate Canada International are available now at 1-800-265-8977, www.centre-square.com, The Aud or Centre In The Square box offices.

Skate Canada International is the sixth stop in a series of annual competitions that make up the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating. It is the last event leading up to the Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final, to be held later in Tokyo, Japan.

Photographs - Photographs of the Kitchener-Waterloo Skating Club STARSkaters rehearsing for the exhibition are available for download at: http://www.kwsc.org/images/nov1309a.jpg, http://www.kwsc.org/images/nov1309b.jpg, and http://www.kwsc.org/images/nov1309c.jpg. Photographs were taken during an early morning rehearsal at the Aud.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Figure skaters Jessica Dubé and Scott Moir give pep talk to local skaters

Waterloo, ON, Nov-9-2009 – Reigning Canadian pair figure skating champion Jessica Dubé, and reigning Canadian ice dance champion Scott Moir visited the Kitchener-Waterloo Skating Club on Saturday to share some words of encouragement with local skaters. During their informal weekend visit, Dubé and Moir answered questions and provided pre-competition advice in the closing days before skaters from the Kitchener-Waterloo Skating Club make their way to Sarnia to compete at the BMO Skate Canada Western Ontario Sectional Championships, to be held November 13-15.

Moir, who was invited to visit the club by former coach Paul MacIntosh, and Dubé watched pair skaters perform at RIM Park on Saturday evening. Moir spoke of his experiences from his early days competing at the sectional level. Although figure skating competitions are primarily focused on the performance of individual athletes or pairs, Moir also spoke to the audience about the critical role of the skating team, and of team support.

Moir began his ice dance career with London native partner Tessa Virtue at the Kitchener-Waterloo Skating Club, where he trained from the age of 9 to 16. Virtue and Moir are the 2008 and 2009 Canadian national champions in ice dance. The pair also won silver at the 2007-2008 World Championships of Figure Skating, and bronze at the 2008-2009 World Championships of Figure Skating.

This year, 62 skaters will represent the Kitchener-Waterloo Skating Club at the BMO Skate Canada Western Ontario Sectional Championships. Skaters from the club will compete against other Western Ontario skaters at the pre-juvenile, juvenile, pre-novice, novice, junior, and senior levels. The top 4 skaters at the pre-novice, novice, junior, and senior levels will advance to the BMO Skate Canada Challenge Championships, which is the final qualifier for either the Junior Nationals or BMO Canadian Figure Skating Championships to be held in London, Ontario January 11-17, 2009.

The BMO Skate Canada Western Ontario Sectional Championships serves to identify top skaters in each province (Ontario having four sections) for advancement to the next round of qualifying events, ultimately leading to Junior Nationals and the Canadian Figure Skating Championships. In all there are 13 sections across Canada. The Sectional Championships is a skater's first exposure to competitive stream competition, and follows the same rules as the Canadian Championships.

Photograph – A high resolution photograph of Jessica Dubé and Scott Moir during their visit to the Kitchener-Waterloo Skating Club is available for download at: http://www.kwsc.org/images/nov909.jpg. The photo was taken at RIM Park on Saturday November 7, 2009. Please credit Danielle Earl for reprinted photos.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Waterloo pair prepare for debut on world figure skating stage

Waterloo, ON, Nov-7-2009 – Pair figure skaters Kirsten Moore-Towers and Dylan Moscovitch are putting the finishing touches on their programs as they prepare for their Grand Prix of Figure Skating debut. The skaters are members of the Kitchener-Waterloo Skating Club and will represent Canada at the 2009 HomeSense Skate Canada International figure skating competition, to be held November 19-22 at the Aud in Kitchener.

Moore-Towers and Moscovitch, who typically train 10-14 hours on-ice and 10-15 hours off-ice every week, have been working with a sports psychologist to improve their focus. “Physically, we've been focusing on staying healthy, keeping our cardio up and maintaining our overall fitness”, says Moscovitch. “We've also been working with our dance instructor on our programs to help us create a connection and a polished look.”

The pair has faced many challenges since they began skating together only 8 months ago. “Some things came pretty quickly for Dylan and I, like side by side jumps and spins”, says Moore-Towers, “and others presented a challenge, such as our different techniques with throws, and the twist especially. It takes time to develop unison with a partner, and to know how your partner is going to react in a situation that you have not rehearsed or encountered before.”

Moscovitch, whose former long-time skating partner is his younger sister Kyra, also had to cope with change. “I had to adjust at first to skating with someone much shorter than my previous partner”, says Moscovitch. “As well, a brother-sister relationship can be quite different from that of a regular partnership, so I had to adjust to playing a bit of a different role.”

Moore-Towers attended Skate Canada International as a spectator the last time the competition was held in Kitchener. “At that time, the thought of skating in an event like Skate Canada was a distant dream for me”, she says. “I am really excited to be skating in front of a hometown crowd.” Moscovitch is equally excited that his first Grand Prix event will be held in Kitchener. “It’s where I train and live, and my family and friends are all near-by, so they’ll be coming out to watch and support us.”

The decision by Skate Canada to include Moore-Towers and Moscovitch as the third entry of Canadian pairs at Skate Canada International is evidence that the couple’s dedication and hard work are paying off, and people are starting to notice. “Kirsten has grown leaps and bounds in just the last 8 months”, says Moscovitch. “She's really maturing into a strong senior competitor.” Moore-Towers is equally impressed by her new partner’s discipline. “Dylan is probably the most dedicated athlete I will ever meet”, she says. “He demands perfection from himself.”

Moore-Towers and Moscovitch train at RIM Park in Waterloo, and are coached by Kris Wirtz and Kristy Sargeant-Wirtz. The coaching duo have taken notice of the pair’s ability to work hard and quickly overcome obstacles, and they have hopes for further developments of their skaters’ talents. “As any pair starts off their career, typically we try to get all of the elements in control. We've done that. Now, the next step is refinement and finding who they are as a team.”

The veteran coaches, who twice represented Canada at the Olympics, have sound advice for Kirsten and Dylan. “After competing at so many internationals, the one thing we took away was there's never time to look at the whole event and worry about results. Go out skate as hard as you can and give it 100%, and don't worry about what other people will do.”

The pair hopes to deliver two clean, strong performances at Skate Canada International, and to gain international experience. “It's also a good chance for us to get ourselves recognized as a potential team for the next 4 years”, says Moscovitch.

Looking to the future, Moore-Towers and Moscovitch hope to represent Canada at the Four Continents Figure Skating Championships and earn a spot on Canada’s National Team. Eventually, they would like to compete at World’s, and earn a spot on the 2014 Olympic team.

HomeSense Skate Canada International is the sixth stop in a series of annual competitions that make up the International Skating Union (ISU) Grand Prix of Figure Skating. It is the last event leading up to the Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final, to be held later in Tokyo, Japan.

In addition to Moore-Towers and Moscovitch, skaters scheduled to compete at the event include fellow Canadians Jessica Dubé and Bryce Davison, Anabelle Langlois and Cody Hay. Andrew Poje of the Kitchener Waterloo Skating Club with partner Kaitlyn Weaver and World Bronze medalists Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir will be competing in the dance event. World Silver medalists and Canadian Olympic medal hopefuls Joannie Rochette and Patrick Chan are also scheduled to compete.

Canadian and World Champion synchronized skating team NEXXICE, who train at both the Kitchener-Waterloo and Burlington skating clubs, are scheduled to perform in the Exhibition Gala.

Tickets for HomeSense Skate Canada International are available now at 1-800-265-8977, www.centre-square.com, The Aud or Centre In The Square box offices.

Photographs - High resolution photographs of Kirsten Moore-Towers and Dylan Moscovitch are available for download at: http://www.kwsc.org/images/nov609a.jpg and http://www.kwsc.org/images/nov609b.jpg. Please credit Danielle Earl for reprinted photos.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Local pair skaters to compete at 2009 HomeSense Skate Canada International

Waterloo, ON, Sep-17-2009 - Senior pair figure skaters from the Kitchener-Waterloo Skating Club have been named the third entry of Canadian pairs to compete at the 2009 HomeSense Skate Canada International figure skating competition, to be held in Kitchener, Ontario. Pair skaters Kirsten Moore-Towers and Dylan Moscovitch will compete alongside fellow Canadians Jessica Dubé and Bryce Davison, Anabelle Langlois and Cody Hay, and five other pairs from the United States, Germany, and Russia. Andrew Poje of the Kitchener-Waterloo Skating Club with partner Kaitlyn Weaver and World Bronze medalists Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir will be competing in the dance event. Other skaters scheduled to compete at the prestigious event include Canadians Joannie Rochette and Patrick Chan.

Moore-Towers and Moscovitch train at RIM Park in Waterloo, and are coached by former Olympians Kris Wirtz and Kristy Sargeant-Wirtz. The pair team was a new partnership formed in Spring 2009. Dylan placed fourth in the senior pair event at the 2008 Canadian Championship with his sister Kyra.

Skate Canada International is the final of six annual competitions that make up the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating series. Competitions take place in Canada, China, France, Japan, Russia, and the United States. This year, Skate Canada International will be held November 19-22 at the Kitchener Auditorium. Tickets are available at centre-square.com, 1-800-265-8977, The Aud, or Centre In The Square box office.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

K-W skaters take bronze at ISU Junior Grand Prix

Waterloo, ON, Sep-16-2009 - Thirteen-year-old Brittany Jones and partner Kurtis Gaskell completed their international pairs skating debut on Saturday with a bronze medal performance at the third stop of the ISU Junior Grand Prix circuit in Torun, Poland.

Jones and Gaskell were in fifth place after Thursday’s short program, but the addition of a strong freeskate performance netted a combined total of 129.45 points, earning the pair a podium spot and the right to complete in a second Junior Grand Prix event held in Germany later this month.

Reigning Canadian junior champions Jones and Gaskell are members of the Kitchener-Waterloo Skating Club. They train at RIM Park in Waterloo, and are coached by two-time Olympians Kris Wirtz and Kristy Sargeant-Wirtz. The husband and wife team also coach Katherine Bobak and Matthew Penasse, who competed at the second stop of the ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating held in Lake Placid earlier this month. The 2009 Canadian novice pairs’ champions Bobak and Penasse placed 8th in Lake Placid, with a combined short and long program score of 107.98.

The ISU Junior Grand Prix is a series of international junior level competitions organized by the International Skating Union. Skaters earn points towards qualification in the disciplines of men's singles, ladies singes, pair skating, and ice dancing, at each of eight Junior Grand Prix events. The top eight skaters or teams from each discipline will later compete at the Junior Grand Prix Final, held in December.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Local synchronized skating team crowned World Champions

Waterloo, ON, Apr-06-2009 - The senior synchronized skating team NEXXICE were crowned world champions as they represented Canada at the ISU World Synchronized Skating Championships in Zagreb, Croatia. The team scored 80.12 points in their short program, which they skated on Friday, April 3rd. That performance left them 2.24 points behind the team from Finland as they headed into the free program. NEXXICE dominated the free program on Saturday with a total of 143.46 points, a significant margin over the second place skate by the Finland 2 team, who scored 137.92 points. The outstanding free program propelled the Canadian team to victory with an overall score of 223.58.

NEXXICE represents both the Kitchener-Waterloo Skating Club, and the Burlington Skating Club. They train at Waterloo’s RIM Park, and in Burlington.

Kitchener-Waterloo Skating Club - The Kitchener-Waterloo Skating Club (KWSC) is one of the largest figure skating clubs in Canada. The club--which has existed for over 70 years--is based in the twin cities of Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario, 100 km (60 miles) west of Toronto. The club operates competitive programs that have sent singles skaters, dance pairs, freeskate pairs, and synchronized teams to compete in the Canadian Championships, as well as International Competitions. Website: http://www.kwsc.org

NEXXICE
Photo caption: NEXXICE - The 2009 World Synchronized Skating Gold Medalists

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Guelph skaters figure skating Canadian Champions

Waterloo, ON, Feb-18-2009 - Guelph skaters Katie Bobak and her partner Matthew Penasse won the 2009 Canadian Novice Pairs championship at the 2009 BMO Skate Canada Junior Nationals which took place February 11-14, 2009 in Calgary. Guelph skater Kurtis Gaskell and his partner Brittany Jones won the 2009 Canadian Junior Pairs championships at the 2009 BMO Canadian Skating Championships held in January. All are members of the Kitchener-Waterloo Skating Club and train at RIM Park in Waterloo.

Kitchener-Waterloo Skating Club - The Kitchener-Waterloo Skating Club (KWSC) is one of the largest figure skating clubs in Canada. The club--which has existed for over 70 years--is based in the twin cities of Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario, 100 km (60 miles) west of Toronto. The club operates competitive programs that have sent singles skaters, dance pairs, freeskate pairs, and synchronized teams to compete in the Canadian Championships, as well as International Competitions. Website: http://www.kwsc.org

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

KWSC skaters claim figure skating Canadian Championships

Waterloo, ON, Feb-18-2009 - The Kitchener-Waterloo Skating Club has claimed 3 more Canadian Championships following the 2009 BMO Skate Canada Junior Nationals which took place February 11-14, 2009. Katie Bobak and her partner Matthew Penasse won the 2009 Canadian Novice Pairs championship, Shalena Rau and her partner Phelan Simpson captured the 2009 Canadian Juvenile Pairs championship and Phelan Simpson earned the 2009 Canadian Juvenile Men’s title. They, along with the Club’s 2009 Canadian Junior Pairs Champions Brittany Jones and Kurtis Gaskell who won their title at the 2009 BMO Canadian Figure Skating Championships in January 2009, train at the Carolyn Fedy Rink, at RIM Park in Waterloo.

Kitchener-Waterloo Skating Club - The Kitchener-Waterloo Skating Club (KWSC) is one of the largest figure skating clubs in Canada. The club--which has existed for over 70 years--is based in the twin cities of Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario, 100 km (60 miles) west of Toronto. The club operates competitive programs that have sent singles skaters, dance pairs, freeskate pairs, and synchronized teams to compete in the Canadian Championships, as well as International Competitions. Website: http://www.kwsc.org

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Kitchener-Waterloo Skating Club skaters advance to 2009 Junior Nationals

Waterloo, ON, Feb-05-2009 - The Kitchener-Waterloo Skating Club (KWSC) will be represented by several skaters at the 2009 BMO Skate Canada Junior Nationals taking place February 11-14, 2009 in Calgary, Alberta. Approximately 250 skaters will be competing for national titles at the juvenile, pre-novice and novice levels in all skating disciplines. Advancing to this event as a result of qualifying through the 2009 Western Ontario Sectionals and/or 2009 BMO Skate Canada Western Challenge are KWSC skaters Phelan Simpson in Juvenile Men, Brittany Jones in Pre-Novice Women, Shalena Rau and partner Phelan Simpson in Juvenile Pairs, Katie Bobak and partner Matthew Penasse and Andrea Tou and partner Dustin Cohen in Novice Pairs, Jayden Rau and partner Tyler Grunt and Carleigh MacDonald and partner Matthew Mills in Pre-Novice Dance, Brittany Doleman and partner Dylan Simpson, Michaela Botsford and partner Scott Botsford and Kylie Knight and partner Benjumin Mulder in Novice Dance. Competitive skaters with the KWSC train at RIM Park located in Waterloo.

Kitchener-Waterloo Skating Club - The Kitchener-Waterloo Skating Club (KWSC) is one of the largest figure skating clubs in Canada. The club--which has existed for over 70 years--is based in the twin cities of Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario, 100 km (60 miles) west of Toronto. The club operates competitive programs that have sent singles skaters, dance pairs, freeskate pairs, and synchronized teams to compete in the Canadian Championships, as well as International Competitions. Website: http://www.kwsc.org

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Kitchener-Waterloo Skating Club sends 2 skaters to the upcoming International Children’s Winter Games

Waterloo, ON, Jan-26-2009 - The Kitchener-Waterloo Skating Club (KWSC) is joining the City of Kitchener`s delegation of athletes to the 4th Winter International Children`s Games February 18-22, 2009 in Switzerland with their selection of 2 figure skaters from their membership. Caitlyn Hodgkinson and Maddie Germann, both KWSC skaters and residents of Kitchener-Waterloo, will be accompanied by KWSC coach Kim Biddiscombe to the friendly games in Vevey-Montreux, Switzerland. The skaters will compete their Short and Free programs in the figure skating event. The Games welcome young athletes between 12 and 15 years of age selected by cities who are members of the International Children’s Games Association. These Games promote opportunities for all young participants and their attendants to meet and know each other in the spirit of fair play and intercultural discovery. Cultural visits and activities will be organized by the Games during the time there. The host city provides all accommodations and meals for the athletes during the Games and the athletes are currently participating in fundraising to defray the costs of transportation to/from the host country. Caitlyn and Maddie will be among 10 athletes representing the City of Kitchener at these Games.

Kitchener-Waterloo Skating Club - The Kitchener-Waterloo Skating Club (KWSC) is one of the largest figure skating clubs in Canada. The club--which has existed for over 70 years--is based in the twin cities of Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario, 100 km (60 miles) west of Toronto. The club operates competitive programs that have sent singles skaters, dance pairs, freeskate pairs, and synchronized teams to compete in the Canadian Championships, as well as International Competitions. Website: http://www.kwsc.org

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Kitchener-Waterloo Skating Club skaters advance to Canadians

Waterloo, ON, Jan-09-2009 - The Kitchener-Waterloo Skating Club has several skaters representing the Western Ontario Section at the upcoming 2009 BMO Canadian Figure Skating Championships taking place in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan from January 14-18, 2009. Performances at this event will dictate who will represent Canada at the next ISU World Figure Skating Championships, ISU Four Continents Championships and ISU World Junior Championships. Led by Skate Canada 2008-09 National Team members Kaitlyn Weaver and Andrew Poje in Senior Dance, KWSC skaters who will be competing at the Canadian Championships are: Matthew Penasse in Senior Men, Erin Scherrer in Senior Women, Brook Paulin and partner Brian Shales in Senior Pairs, Brittany Jones and partner Kurtis Gaskell as well as Kirsten Moore-Towers and partner Andrew Evans in Junior Pairs, Patricia Stuckey and partner Christopher Mior in Senior Dance, and Maja Vermeulen and partner Andrew Doleman, Emily Stoll and partner Allan Stoll as well as Olga Lioudvinevitch and partner Thomas Williams in Junior Dance. The CBC will be providing coverage for this event. For their complete broadcasting schedule, visit www.cbc.ca/sports/figureskating.

Kitchener-Waterloo Skating Club - The Kitchener-Waterloo Skating Club (KWSC) is one of the largest figure skating clubs in Canada. The club--which has existed for over 70 years--is based in the twin cities of Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario, 100 km (60 miles) west of Toronto. The club operates competitive programs that have sent singles skaters, dance pairs, freeskate pairs, and synchronized teams to compete in the Canadian Championships, as well as International Competitions. Website: http://www.kwsc.org

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