February 20, 2008
WESTERN LOOKS TO REPEAT AT OUA FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIP
HAMILTON, Ont. - The Queen's Golden Gaels look to regain the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) Figure Skating Championship banner this week. The dominant Gaels begin the quest to bring back the OQWCIA Trophy to Kingston the next two days as the University of Guelph hosts the event February 20-21. Queen's has been the main power in the sport over the past decade, winning ten of the past 13 championships Eight teams including the host Guelph Gryphons will compete in the two day event which will take place at the Gryphon Centre.
The Gryphons enter the contest in a good position to make a run at the title after finishing second in their competition at the Western Invitational. Watch for the duo of Meaghan MacLachlan and Caitlyn McCann to reach the podium. The pair captured the Gold in the Junior Similar Dance event at the Western Invitational and was named Gryphon athletes of the week in January. Also finishing first at the Western event and looking to continue their success will be Sarina Tsai in the Gold Open Dance event and Sandra McCubbin in the Senior Silver Solo Dance event.
Western has great depth in their team this year, as they look to retain the OUA banner as defending champions. Danielle Brick (Platteville, ON) and Sarah Burke (Markham, ON) each won the short program at the two invitationals this year held at McGill and Western. At the OUA Championship, Burke will skate the short program, while Brick will team up with Caroline McKeen (Townsend, ON) to compete in the Sr. Similar Pairs. The pairs four events will feature Brick, Burke, McKeen as well as Emmy Marinova (Mississauga, ON) who will also be competing in the ladies gold. Together they will try to repeat their gold medal performance from the Winter Invitation.
The Toronto Varsity Blues have been improving throughout the season, and look to peak over the next two days. Signe Ronka has done well in the short program this season at the invitationals and is expected to finish strong at the championship. In intermediate pairs, Kayla Costonguay and Julie Hommik have only been together for two and a half weeks but have pulled their program together quickly and will look to make an immediate impact on the competition.
The Laurier Golden Hawks saw top three finishes in six events at this season's Western Winter Invitational, to finish third overall. The dance events were particularly a success with Britanny Sonnenburg and Michelle Lamarche who started the Invitational strong with a silver medal in the junior silver similar dance event. Kristin Brewer and Haley Tyers will also be looked at as favourites at the championships as they skated two beautiful dances at Western which gave them a second place finish.
The OUA Championships run from 9am to 3pm on February 20th and 9am to 3:30 pm on February 21st.
CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE:
Wednesday, February 20
9:00 AM - Jr. Silver Similar Dance
9:50 AM - Gold Free Skate
11:00 AM - Sr. Silver Similar Dance
11:50 AM - Short Program
12:50 PM - Men Open Free Skate
1:20 PM - Bronze Rhythm Dance Fours
2:35 PM - Open Solo Dance
3:15 PM - Sr. Silver Free Skate
Thursday, February 21
9:00 AM - Sr. Silver Solo Dance
9:50 AM - Int. Similar Pairs
10:50 AM - Pairs Fours
12:05 PM - Dance Variation
1:00 PM - Sr. Similar Pairs
2:00 PM - Synchro teams 1 - 4
2:50 PM - Synchro teams 5 - 8
3:25 PM - Awards
- OUA -
Michelle Church
Communications & Media Relations Coordinator
Ontario University Athletics
Tel: (905) 540-5156
Fax: (905) 574-2840
E-mail: michelle.church@oua.ca
Web: www.oua.ca
The Gryphons enter the contest in a good position to make a run at the title after finishing second in their competition at the Western Invitational. Watch for the duo of Meaghan MacLachlan and Caitlyn McCann to reach the podium. The pair captured the Gold in the Junior Similar Dance event at the Western Invitational and was named Gryphon athletes of the week in January. Also finishing first at the Western event and looking to continue their success will be Sarina Tsai in the Gold Open Dance event and Sandra McCubbin in the Senior Silver Solo Dance event.
Western has great depth in their team this year, as they look to retain the OUA banner as defending champions. Danielle Brick (Platteville, ON) and Sarah Burke (Markham, ON) each won the short program at the two invitationals this year held at McGill and Western. At the OUA Championship, Burke will skate the short program, while Brick will team up with Caroline McKeen (Townsend, ON) to compete in the Sr. Similar Pairs. The pairs four events will feature Brick, Burke, McKeen as well as Emmy Marinova (Mississauga, ON) who will also be competing in the ladies gold. Together they will try to repeat their gold medal performance from the Winter Invitation.
The Toronto Varsity Blues have been improving throughout the season, and look to peak over the next two days. Signe Ronka has done well in the short program this season at the invitationals and is expected to finish strong at the championship. In intermediate pairs, Kayla Costonguay and Julie Hommik have only been together for two and a half weeks but have pulled their program together quickly and will look to make an immediate impact on the competition.
The Laurier Golden Hawks saw top three finishes in six events at this season's Western Winter Invitational, to finish third overall. The dance events were particularly a success with Britanny Sonnenburg and Michelle Lamarche who started the Invitational strong with a silver medal in the junior silver similar dance event. Kristin Brewer and Haley Tyers will also be looked at as favourites at the championships as they skated two beautiful dances at Western which gave them a second place finish.
The OUA Championships run from 9am to 3pm on February 20th and 9am to 3:30 pm on February 21st.
CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE:
Wednesday, February 20
9:00 AM - Jr. Silver Similar Dance
9:50 AM - Gold Free Skate
11:00 AM - Sr. Silver Similar Dance
11:50 AM - Short Program
12:50 PM - Men Open Free Skate
1:20 PM - Bronze Rhythm Dance Fours
2:35 PM - Open Solo Dance
3:15 PM - Sr. Silver Free Skate
Thursday, February 21
9:00 AM - Sr. Silver Solo Dance
9:50 AM - Int. Similar Pairs
10:50 AM - Pairs Fours
12:05 PM - Dance Variation
1:00 PM - Sr. Similar Pairs
2:00 PM - Synchro teams 1 - 4
2:50 PM - Synchro teams 5 - 8
3:25 PM - Awards
- OUA -
Michelle Church
Communications & Media Relations Coordinator
Ontario University Athletics
Tel: (905) 540-5156
Fax: (905) 574-2840
E-mail: michelle.church@oua.ca
Web: www.oua.ca