Canadian team headed to Japan for final stop on ISU Grand Prix circuit

OTTAWA, ON: Skate Canada will send five entries, for a total of seven skaters to the sixth and final stop of the 2016-2017 ISU Grand Prix circuit, the 2016 NHK Trophy. Canada will have one entry per discipline in ladies, pairs and ice dance, and two entries in the men’s discipline. The event takes place from November 25-27, 2016, at the Makomanai Sekisui Heim Ice Arena in Sapporo, Japan.

Nam Nguyen, 18, Toronto, Ont., is the first of two Canadian men entries. This will be his first time competing at this event. This season, Nguyen placed fifth at the 2016 U.S. International Figure Skating Classic and sixth at Skate America. He is coached by David Glynn in San Jose, CA, USA.

Elladj Baldé, 26, Montreal, Que., is the second Canadian men entry. Baldé has previously placed sixth at this event in 2014 and 11^th in 2015. This season, he placed eighth at his first event, the U.S. International Figure Skating Classic, followed by a sixth place finish at his first ISU Grand Prix of the season, the Rostelecom Cup. Baldé trains in Montreal, Que., with his coach Bruno Marcotte.

Canadian champion Alaine Chartrand, 20, Prescott, Ont., is the Canadian entry in the ladies category. This will be her first time competing at this event. She started this season winning the silver medal at the 2016 Autumn Classic International, and earned a fifth place finish at the 2016 Skate Canada International. Chartrand is coached by Michelle Leigh and Brian Orser.

Two-time World Champions and Olympic silver medallists (team) Meagan Duhamel, 30, Lively, Ont., and Eric Radford, 31, Balmertown, Ont., are the Canadian pair entry. They are two-time defending champions at this event. Duhamel and Radford won their first two competitions this season, the Finlandia Trophy and Skate Canada International. The five-time consecutive Canadian champions are coached by Richard Gauthier, Bruno Marcotte, and Sylvie Fullum in Saint-Léonard, Que.

Olympic and World champions Tessa Virtue, 27, London, Ont., and Scott Moir, 29, Ilderton, Ont., are the Canadian entry in ice dance. They previously competed at this event in 2007 and won the silver medal. In their return to competition this season, they won the gold medal at both the 2016 Autumn Classic International and the 2016 Skate Canada International. Virtue and Moir are coached by Marie-France Dubreuil and Patrice Lauzon in Montreal, Que.

Mike Slipchuk, Skate Canada High Performance Director, will travel with the team as team leader. Dr. Ed Pilat of Winnipeg, Man., and physiotherapist Mike McMurray of Oak Bluff, Man., will be the Canadian medial staff onsite. Leanna Caron of Timmins, Ont., and Reaghan Fawcett-Fortin of Aurora, Ont., will be the Canadian officials at the event.

For results and full entries please visit www.isu.org. For photos of Canadian entries, please contact media@skatecanada.ca.

For broadcast and live streaming schedules, click here.

CANADIAN ENTRIES AT 2016 NHK TROPHY

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Skate Canada is the nation’s governing body for competitive figure skating and is dedicated to creating a nation of skaters, both recreationally and competitively. Over 125 years old, Skate Canada is the world’s oldest skating organization and Canada’s preeminent leader in skating instruction and education. Over 170,000 Canadians participate in Skate Canada educational programs each year, including our flagship CanSkate program that teaches beginners of every age the basic skills of skating and fundamental movements.

As one of Canada’s most successful sport governing bodies, Skate Canada athletes have won 25 Olympic medals and 35 world championship titles. Today’s Canadian world and Olympic medallists all began at one of our 1,200 local Skate Canada clubs or skating schools. Through our programs, more than 5,500 certified professional coaches encourage Canadians of all ages to skate together as a family, pursue competitive ice sports and enjoy an active lifestyle.

Skate Canada has National Service Centres in Ottawa and Toronto and high performance facilities in Toronto and Calgary.

For Information:

Emma Bowie
Communications Manager
+1 (613) 747-1007 ext. 2547
ebowie@skatecanada.ca