Banner Season: Varsity Blues get off on right foot with medals in all seven day one events

Toronto (via Ryerson Rams) - The four-time defending OUA figure skating champion Toronto Varsity Blues are off to a strong start in their quest for a five-peat, having secured a medal in all seven events on the first day of competition at the 2020 OUA championship.

The Blues lead all teams with 59 points, 19 ahead of second place Western. The race for the final spot on the podium is tight as McMaster sits with 27 points and Guelph is right behind with 26.

The day began with a gold medal for the Western Mustangs in the Star 10 Similar Dance as Jazz Smyl Joly and Alexa Shelley topped the competition. Guelph’s River Christiano and Colleen Black turned in a silver medal performance while Toronto’s Emma Jianopoulos and Stephanie Carroll got the first points of the day for the Varsity Blues.

“We’ve been reigning champions in this event for some time now and this was our last competition together, so it was a bit of pressure because we wanted to keep our championship but still enjoy our last moments together,” said the winning duo of Smyl Joly and Shelley.

The host Ryerson Rams scored their only medal of the day in the Star 10 Freeskate as Kaitlyn Wilson struck gold on home ice. Toronto’s Katherine Mitchell gathered in the silver medal while Western’s Gratiana Chen took bronze.

“I just wanted to skate the best that I could possibly skate – it is my last skating competition ever,” said gold medalist Kaitlyn Wilson. “I wanted to go out with a bang…and it went even better than I possibly could have thought.”

The Open Rhythm Dance was the first of four straight events that Toronto won gold in, with Yohanna Broker and Jessica Reid besting the field. McMaster’s pair of Laura Emery and Isabella Mancini took silver and Mara Spence and Emma Bonfiglia teamed up for Queen’s only medal of the day with bronze.

Toronto’s Keiko Marshall and Melanie Zavitski teamed up for gold in the Senior Similar Pairs Freeskate while Western’s Madison Shaw and Clara Campbell took silver. Guelph returned to the podium with a bronze medal performance from Olivia Stallaert and Laura Dawson.

The Star 10 Solo Dance was a tight competition ultimately won by Toronto’s Chyna Hui. McMaster’s Belvina Mao turned in a silver medal performance and Western’s Anna Cappuccitti rounded out the podium in third place.

Keiko Marshall won her second gold medal of the day when she topped the Short Program field for the Varsity Blues. McMaster’s third silver medal of the day came from Isabella Mancini while Guelph’s Misaki Ojiro rounded out the podium.

The final event saw Western top the Dance Fours competition thanks to the combination of Denis Margalik, Tara Brandie, Kaitlin Lees, and Alyssa Evans. Toronto took home the silver medal while Carleton earned their first podium position with a bronze medal.

Day two of the competition starts on Tuesday morning at 9:00 a.m. from Ryerson’s Mattamy Athletic Centre.

Team Standings
1. Toronto (59 points)
2. Western (40)
3. McMaster (27)
4. Guelph (26)
T5. Carleton (12)
T5. Queen’s (12)
T5. Ryerson (12)
8. Waterloo (6)
9. Brock (2)

Star 10 Similar Dance
1. Western (Jazz Smyl Joly, Alexa Shelley)
2. Guelph (River Christiano, Colleen Black)
3. Toronto (Emma Jianopoulos, Stephanie Carroll)

Star 10 Freeskate
1. Ryerson (Kaitlyn Wilson)
2. Toronto (Katherine Mitchell)
3. Western (Gratiana Chen)

Open Rhythm Dance
1. Toronto (Yohanna Broker, Jessica Reid)
2. McMaster (Laura Emery, Isabella Mancini)
3. Queen’s (Mara Spence, Emma Bonfiglia)

Senior Similar Pairs Freeskate
1. Toronto (Keiko Marshall, Melanie Zavitski)
2. Western (Madison Shaw, Clara Campbell)
3. Guelph (Olivia Stallaert, Laura Dawson)

Star 10 Solo Dance
1. Toronto (Chyna Hui)
2. McMaster (Belvina Mao)
3. Western (Anna Cappuccitti)

Novice Short Program
1. Toronto (Keiko Marshall)
2. McMaster (Isabella Mancini)
3. Guelph (Misaki Ojiro)

Dance Fours
1. Western 
2. Toronto
3. Carleton