2020 Canadian Championships

The 2020 Canadian Championships take place Jan. 13-19, in Mississauga, Ontario. With berths at Four Continents, the 2020 World Junior Championships, and most importantly, the 2020 World Championships in Montréal, the battle for top honors will be a “take no prisoners” affair at this competition.

There is only one spot available for men at 2020 Worlds. With homeland pride on the line, expect a battle between two good friends, Nam Nguyen and Keegan Messing. Stephen Gogolev, 15, who would have presented the biggest challenge for the senior title, has withdrawn. 

Gabrielle Daleman, the only ladies medalist returning from the 2019 campaign, has not competed since Skate Canada in late October. With 2019 national champion Alaine Chartrand and 2018 Olympian Larkyn Austman out of the picture, Daleman is the leading lady in Canada and should have no problem securing one of the two berths available at Worlds. Who will join her is an open question.

New champions will be crowned in ice dance with the 2019 gold medalists no longer competing. Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier, the 2019 silver medalists, have had their best international season to date and will have no challenge ascending the top step of the national podium. Laurence Fournier-Beaudry and Nikolaj Sørensen, who would have been the top contenders for the second spot, will not be competing. Sørensen is recovering from knee surgery. Who will join Gilles and Poirier in Montréal is now anyone′s guess. Will Skate Canada hold a spot for this team or will they go with the results at nationals?

At the 2019 World Championships, reigning national pairs champions Kirsten Moore-Towers and Michael Marinaro earned two spots for Canada in Montréal. They will claim one but which team will join them? Liubov Ilyushechkina and Charlie Bilodeau seem the most likely bet.

Kaetlyn Osmond, the 2018 World champion, will be the athlete ambassador at this competition.

The novice and junior competitions will once again be live streamed globally. The first flights of the senior events will also be live-streamed. Ted Barton will once again host the online streams from Mon., Jan. 13, through Sat., Jan. 19. He will be joined by former Canadian ladies champions Elizabeth Manley and Josée Chouinard, and 1964 Olympic pairs silver medalist, Debbi Wilkes. You can email Barton at jgpbarton@gmail.com to ask questions or give him feedback on the competition.