A total of 27 athletes, comprised of six men, three ladies, four pairs and five ice dance teams have been selected for Team Canada for the 2019-2020 season — an increase of four athletes from the 2018-2019 team.
With the retirements of Kaetlyn Osmond and Larkyn Austman, the ladies national contingent is down to three. For the first time in many years, Alaine Chartrand was not named to the team. Véronik Mallet, who did not make the cut last season, earned a place this year.
Stephen Gogolev, 14, has been named to the men′s squad for the first time. Gogolev is not yet age eligible for senior internationals and will return to the junior circuit for one final season. The Toronto native changed coaches at the end of last season and is now training in Irvine, California, with Rafael Arutyunyan. Conrad Orzel, who turns 19 on July 11, also makes his debut on the senior team. He also made a coaching change and is now working with Brian Orser and Tracy Wilson at the Toronto Cricket Club.
Pairs skaters Lubov Ilyushechkina and Charlie Bilodeau, who announced their partnership earlier this year, were also named to the team.
Kaitlyn Weaver and Andrew Poje announced they would not be competing on the Grand Prix or Challenger Series circuit this season, but the Canadian ice dance squad is strong, nonetheless. Reigning World junior champions Marjorie Lajoie and Zachary Lagha, who will make the leap into the senior ranks this season, round out the ice dance contingent.
To earn a place on the national team, skaters must place top three in each of the four disciplines at the national championships, and/or be assigned to a Grand Prix event in the current season.
MEN:
Nam Nguyen, Stephen Gogolev, Keegan Messing, Nicolas Nadeau, Roman Sadovsky, Conrad Orzel
LADIES:
Gabrielle Daleman, Aurora Cotop, Véronik Mallet
PAIRS:
Kirsten Moore-Towers/Michael Marinaro, Evelyn Walsh/Trennt Michaud, Camille Ruest/Andrew Wolfe, Lubov Ilyushechkina/Charlie Bilodeau
ICE DANCE
Piper Gilles/Paul Poirier, Laurence Fournier Beaudry/Nikolaj Sørensen, Carolane Soucisse/Shane Firus, Marjorie Lajoie/Zachary Lagha, Haley Sales/Nikolas Wamsteeker
SYNCHRONIZED SKATING
Nova, Nexxice, Les Suprêmes
RELATED CONTENT:
Interviews: 2019 High Performance Camp
2019 Grand Prix Assignments
