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Dreams begin on Kanata ice
And home again, they hope and dream, for the sport's ultimate grail in our land -- the Bank of Montreal Canadian championships, slated for Jan. 27-31 at the Ottawa Civic Centre.
Yes, it's going to be quite a season in these parts.
"It's very special, to be able to compete at a Canadian championship in your home arena," Gerry Clarke, chairman of this weekend's EO sectionals, said of the opportunity for the local double dip staring area skaters in the face. "And the skaters gathering this weekend (in Kanata) have the chance to fulfil their dream of moving ahead (to the Ottawa nationals)."
This weekend marks Step One. Finish in the top four in a senior, junior, novice or pre-novice event (singles, pairs or dance), and you're off to next month's divisional championships -- either Eastern, Dec. 10-13 in Thornhill, or Atlantic, Dec. 3-7 in Corner Brook, Nfld.
From there, all but the pre-novices have a shot at making it to the big show on Bank St. The show that, for the second time in three years, lands at the Civic Centre.
The show that will be in the hearts and minds of many hopeful youngsters this weekend at the KRC.
It all begins tomorrow about 4 p.m., and runs through to 9:40 p.m. Competition also runs Friday, 12:45-10 p.m.; Saturday, 12:45-11:20 p.m., and Sunday, 9:50 a.m.-5:35 p.m.
GETTING THE ITCH: It isn't Skate Canada, but Canadian ladies champion Angela Derochie might hit the ice this weekend anyway. The Ottawa resident, who turns 25 today, is itching to return to the ice and is thinking hard about taking part in this weekend's EO Sectionals. It's not a required event for Derochie who, as Canadian champ, has a bye right through to the nationals. But she's eager to get back in front of the judges after a severe bout of strep throat wiped out her chance to compete this weekend at Kamloops, B.C., in Skate Canada. "I'm skating well right now," said Derochie, who will decide in the next few days whether to compete in Kanata. One thing is for sure -- her result at sectionals wouldn't affect the chances of another skater making it to divisionals, because of her 'bye' status. "If (entering) would affect anyone else, I wouldn't think about doing it," she said.
TAKING ON THE WORLD: The Minto Skating Club's Fedor Andreev learned yesterday he's received a plum assignment from the Canadian Figure Skating Association. Andreev, 16, of Ottawa, was among nine skaters selected to represent Canada at the world junior championships Nov. 22-29 in Zagreb, Croatia. It's the top international assignment yet for Andreev, who wound up 12th overall in the International Skating Union's Junior Grand Prix Series this season. It also means a busy two weeks for his coach and mother, Marina Zoueva, who will head straight from Zagreb to Moscow for the Cup of Russia Grand Prix event, where she'll work with Derochie.
GOLDEN GIRLS: Chantal Benoit of Orleans and Ottawa's Linda Kutrowski received a warm, well-deserved welcome at Macdonald-Cartier International Airport on Sunday night after returning home from the world wheelchair basketball championships in Australia. Benoit and Kutrowski helped Canada to the women's gold medal, with the 38-year-old Benoit also being named the tourney MVP. Canada whipped the U.S. 54-38 for the gold medal. Arriving home the same night, as well, was Gatineau's Jim Enright, who was part of the men's team which beat Australia for the bronze medal.
STEP TOWARD SYDNEY: Orleans triathlete Sharon Donnelly posted a strong 11th-place finish at an International Triathlon Union World Cup event held in Auckland, New Zealand, and also achieved one of the Canadian Olympic Association's qualification criteria for the 2000 Sydney Games in the process. Since four Aussies finished ahead of Donnelly, the result counts as a top-10 finish in the COA's eyes. That's because no more than three competitors from any country will be in the 2000 event. Donnelly wraps up her World Cup season this weekend in Noosa, Australia.