BLADES OF GLORY, OUA STYLE
February 16, 2010
HAMILTON - Figure skaters from across Ontario University Athletics (OUA) will meet at RIM Park in Waterloo, Ont. this Wednesday and Thursday for the 2010 OUA figure skating championship, hosted by Wilfrid Laurier University.
The Guelph Gryphons are the defending champions, and will have to contend with the Western Mustangs and Queen’s Gaels who are traditionally strong at this championship. Since 1992, either Guelph, Queen’s or Western has won the OUA title.
Leading the charge for the Gryphons will be last year’s OUA all-star Ariel Porty (Guelph, Ont.) who plans on repeating her stellar performances in the open invitational, senior dance pair and bronze rhythm fours events. Porty and partner Laura Barbison (Brampton, Ont.) won gold last year and have won gold and silver already this season in the senior dance pair event during regular season competitions at Queen’s and Toronto-Ryerson. The Gryphons finished second at these meets.
The Gaels won their home event in the fall. Melanie Graveline (Sharon, Mass.) and Jena Hall (Ottawa) captured gold in the junior silver similar dance at both OUA competitions leading into the championships. Emily Young (Calgary) won gold in gold solo dance at her home meet.
The Mustangs finished third in both regular season competitions. Sarah Burke (Markham, Ont.) in gold freeskate, Catherine McLean (London, Ont.) in senior silver solo dance and Julia Horan and Cara Horan of London, Ont. in senior silver similar dance all won gold at the Toronto-Ryerson meet.
The Waterloo Warriors impressed at the Toronto-Ryerson meet, earning top spot after two days of competition this past January. Adrienne Corbett (Toronto) finished first in senior silver freeskate, Tosha Medeiros (Kitchener, Ont.) and Adrienne Corbett (Toronto) were first in intermediate similar pairs as well as the pairs four freeskate along with Laura Beecraft (Breslau, Ont.) and Mercedes Grzenda (Ancaster, Ont.). Other Warriors with gold performances included Stephanie Dobson (Etobicoke, Ont.), Ali Greenhow (London, Ont.), Katherine Brown (Markham, Ont.) and Madeleine Wendland (Kitchener, Ont.) in bronze rhythm fours, and Kevin Dawe (Severn Bridge, Ont.) in men's open freeskate.
The host Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks will turn to rookie Brittany Maksymyk (Kitchener, Ont.) and second year veteran Alitsha Burden (Whitby, Ont.) who skated an impeccable program in the senior similar pairs event at Queen’s, earning gold.
The Ryerson Rams will look for a repeat performance by the duo of Tara Bartolini (Toronto) and Alex Dabkowski (Cambridge, Ont.) who won gold in the creative dance event at their home meet.
Figure skaters from eight OUA schools will take part in the competition, including Guelph, Laurier, McGill, Queen's, Ryerson, Toronto, Waterloo and Western. The meet begins Wednesday morning and concludes Thursday.
2010 OUA FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIP
RIM Park, 2001 University Avenue, Waterloo, Ont.
Wednesday, February 17
8:30 a.m. - Jr. Silver Similar Dance
9:30 a.m. - Gold Free Skate
10:45 a.m. - Sr. Silver Similar Dance
11:45 a.m. - Short Program
12:45 p.m. - Men's Open Free Skate
1:20 p.m. - Bronze Rhythm Dance Four's
2:25 p.m. - Sr. Silver Free Skate
3:20 p.m. - Starskate Gold Creative Dance
Thursday, February 18
8 a.m. - Open (Gold) Solo Dance
9 a.m. - Pairs Fours
10:15 a.m. - Sr. Silver Solo Dance
11:15 a.m. - Intermediate Similar Pairs
12:15 p.m. - Sr. Similar Pairs
1:15 p.m. - Synchro Teams 1-4
2 p.m. - Synchro Teams 5-8
2:30 p.m. - Awards
ABOUT ONTARIO UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS
Ontario University Athletics (OUA) and its 19 member institutions are developing Champions For Life. Giving 9,000 student-athletes the opportunity to excel academically and on the playing field, while preparing for life after university. For more information, visit OUA.ca.
The Guelph Gryphons are the defending champions, and will have to contend with the Western Mustangs and Queen’s Gaels who are traditionally strong at this championship. Since 1992, either Guelph, Queen’s or Western has won the OUA title.
Leading the charge for the Gryphons will be last year’s OUA all-star Ariel Porty (Guelph, Ont.) who plans on repeating her stellar performances in the open invitational, senior dance pair and bronze rhythm fours events. Porty and partner Laura Barbison (Brampton, Ont.) won gold last year and have won gold and silver already this season in the senior dance pair event during regular season competitions at Queen’s and Toronto-Ryerson. The Gryphons finished second at these meets.
The Gaels won their home event in the fall. Melanie Graveline (Sharon, Mass.) and Jena Hall (Ottawa) captured gold in the junior silver similar dance at both OUA competitions leading into the championships. Emily Young (Calgary) won gold in gold solo dance at her home meet.
The Mustangs finished third in both regular season competitions. Sarah Burke (Markham, Ont.) in gold freeskate, Catherine McLean (London, Ont.) in senior silver solo dance and Julia Horan and Cara Horan of London, Ont. in senior silver similar dance all won gold at the Toronto-Ryerson meet.
The Waterloo Warriors impressed at the Toronto-Ryerson meet, earning top spot after two days of competition this past January. Adrienne Corbett (Toronto) finished first in senior silver freeskate, Tosha Medeiros (Kitchener, Ont.) and Adrienne Corbett (Toronto) were first in intermediate similar pairs as well as the pairs four freeskate along with Laura Beecraft (Breslau, Ont.) and Mercedes Grzenda (Ancaster, Ont.). Other Warriors with gold performances included Stephanie Dobson (Etobicoke, Ont.), Ali Greenhow (London, Ont.), Katherine Brown (Markham, Ont.) and Madeleine Wendland (Kitchener, Ont.) in bronze rhythm fours, and Kevin Dawe (Severn Bridge, Ont.) in men's open freeskate.
The host Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks will turn to rookie Brittany Maksymyk (Kitchener, Ont.) and second year veteran Alitsha Burden (Whitby, Ont.) who skated an impeccable program in the senior similar pairs event at Queen’s, earning gold.
The Ryerson Rams will look for a repeat performance by the duo of Tara Bartolini (Toronto) and Alex Dabkowski (Cambridge, Ont.) who won gold in the creative dance event at their home meet.
Figure skaters from eight OUA schools will take part in the competition, including Guelph, Laurier, McGill, Queen's, Ryerson, Toronto, Waterloo and Western. The meet begins Wednesday morning and concludes Thursday.
2010 OUA FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIP
RIM Park, 2001 University Avenue, Waterloo, Ont.
Wednesday, February 17
8:30 a.m. - Jr. Silver Similar Dance
9:30 a.m. - Gold Free Skate
10:45 a.m. - Sr. Silver Similar Dance
11:45 a.m. - Short Program
12:45 p.m. - Men's Open Free Skate
1:20 p.m. - Bronze Rhythm Dance Four's
2:25 p.m. - Sr. Silver Free Skate
3:20 p.m. - Starskate Gold Creative Dance
Thursday, February 18
8 a.m. - Open (Gold) Solo Dance
9 a.m. - Pairs Fours
10:15 a.m. - Sr. Silver Solo Dance
11:15 a.m. - Intermediate Similar Pairs
12:15 p.m. - Sr. Similar Pairs
1:15 p.m. - Synchro Teams 1-4
2 p.m. - Synchro Teams 5-8
2:30 p.m. - Awards
– OUA –
ABOUT ONTARIO UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS
Ontario University Athletics (OUA) and its 19 member institutions are developing Champions For Life. Giving 9,000 student-athletes the opportunity to excel academically and on the playing field, while preparing for life after university. For more information, visit OUA.ca.