LAVAL, QC (January 15, 2025) – As the Canadian National Skating Championships got underway on Wednesday, the junior athletes wowed the spectators at Place Bell in Laval.
In the junior men’s short program on Wednesday morning, Manitoba’s David Howes shrugged off the stress of competing at the national championships to top the standings with a score of 70.41 points.
“I’m so happy! I train really hard, so pulling off a performance like this at the Canadian Championships is really satisfying. Skating in front of such a big crowd is really motivating. It’s stressful too, but I feed off the spectators’ energy when I’m on the ice,” he said.
Quebec’s Edward Nicholas Vasii (65.69 points) and Ontario’s David Bondar (61.79 points) held the second and third spots following the short program.
Chloe Nguyen and Brendan Giang of British Columbia kicked off their quest for a first Canadian championship title in fine style, finishing the rhythm dance program in first place with 69.45 points.
“We’re happy with our performance. We want to show that with each competition, we keep getting better,” said Nguyen.
“Obviously, our results are important, but what really matters right now is how we feel on the ice. When we feel good on the ice, we usually do well,” added Giang.
Sandrine Gauthier and Quentin Thieren of Quebec took second place with 67.35 points, while Ontario’s Layla Veillon and Alexander Brandys secured third with 64.23 points.
Last year, Nguyen and Giang finished sixth at the World Junior Championships. They hope to go back this year, this time as national champions.
“We absolutely want to go back to the World Championships this year. We were lucky enough to compete in them last year. This is our last chance to go, so we’re going to do everything we can to get there,” concluded Nguyen.
In the junior women’s short program, 12-year-old Alberta sensation Lia Cho dominated the competition, claiming first place with an impressive 64.19 points. She appeared very comfortable on the ice at Place Bell, despite the fact that it was her first time in such a large arena.
“I feel like I’m in a dream. Last year’s Canadian Championships were held in my hometown of Calgary, and I knew I wanted to compete in them this year. There are so many people here, it’s incredible! I hoped to achieve a personal best while here, and I did that in the short program. As for the rest of it, I just want to show everyone what I’m capable of,” said Cho.
Sandrine Blais of Sherbrooke placed second with 57.33 points, just ahead of Ontario’s Ksenia Krouzkevitch, who finished third with 57.28.
In this evening’s junior synchro short program, reigning world champions Les Suprêmes clinched first place with a performance that earned them 68.60 points.
“We had such a great time! We could feel the energy of the crowd as they cheered us on, which really made a difference. It was fun to be able to skate in front of our family and friends,” said Gabriella Musi, co-captain of Les Suprêmes.
“Even though we won the Junior World Championships last year, we don’t feel any extra pressure. We just want to focus on our goals, have fun, and keep improving. Of course, we would love to do as well as we did last year, but the most important thing is to enjoy ourselves,” added Jennifer Passarelli, also co-captain.
The NEXXICE team from Burlington, Ontario (67.15 points), and Nova from Saint-Hubert, Quebec (61.62 points), finished second and third, respectively.
For the complete results, click here.