Skate Ontario is pleased to introduce the members of the 2011 Canada Winter Games Figure Skating Team. This team brings great potential to Team Ontario and is looking forward to carrying on the tradition of strong performances at Canada Winter Games. These athletes represent the highest level of skating in the Province; and, in addition to their enthusiasm are bringing impressive results from recent provincial and national level competitions. We are very proud of the strong team of athletes and coaches and wish them all the best a they compete at the 2011 Canada Winter Games which will be held in Halifax, Nova Scotia, from February 20th to February 27th.

Competing in the Pre Novice Men’s event will be Antony Cheng from Richmond Hill. Antony represents the York Region Skating Academy and is coached by Katarina Papafotiou. Antony won the Juvenile Men’s event at the 2010 Ontario Winter Games, recently won the 2011 Central Ontario Pre Novice Men’s Sectional Championships and placed 5th in Pre Novice at the 2011 Skate Canada Challenge. Competing in the Pre Novice Women’s event will be Lisa Nasu-Yu. Lisa lives in Ottawa and trains at the Minto Skating Club with coaches Derek Schmidt and Shelley Kettles. Lisa is the 2011 Eastern Ontario Pre Novice Champion as well as the 2011 Skate Canada Pre Novice Women’s Silver medalist.

Hayleigh Bell and Alistair Sylvester will be representing Ontario in the Pre Novice Pair’s event. Hayleigh belongs to the Milton Skating Club and Alistair is from Stratford and represents the Mariposa Skating Club where the team trains with coach, Lee Barkell. They are the 2011 Central Ontario Pre Novice Pairs Champions as well as the 2011 Skate Canada Pre Novice Pair Champions. Alistair was 2010 Ontario Winter Games Novice Men’s Silver medalist.

Samantha Glavine from Manotick Ontario is a member of the Rideau Skating Club. Her partner Jeff Hough is from Russell and represents the Minto Skating Club in Ottawa where the team trains with their coach Darryl Van Luven. Samantha and Jeff are the 2011 Skate Canada Challenge Bronze medalists. Jeff also won the Bronze medal at the 2010 Ontario Winter Games in the Pre Novice Men’s event.

Brianna Clarkson from Essex, will be representing Ontario in the Novice Women’s event. Brianna trains at the Riverside Skating Club in Windsor with her coach Jennifer Jackson. Brianna is the 2011 Western Ontario Section Novice Women’s Champion.

Denis Margalik from Mississauga, represents the Woodbine Winter Club and trains with coach Robert O’Toole.  Denis is the 2011 Central Ontario Novice Men’s Silver medalist and the 2010 Ontario Winter Games Pre-Novice Champion.

Shalena Rau and Phelan Simpson from Waterloo and Kitchener respectively will be competing in the Novice Pair’s category. Shalena and Phelan represent the Kitchener Waterloo Skating Club where they train with their coaches Kris and Kristy Wirtz. They are the 2011 Western Eastern Challenge Novice Pairs gold medalists as well as the 2011 Western Ontario Novice Pairs Champions and the 2010 Canadian Novice Pair Bronze medalists.

Mackenzie Bent, Uxbridge, and Garrett MacKeen, Oshawa, will be representing Ontario in the Novice Dance event. Garrett represents the Bowmanville Skating Club and the team trains at Mackenzie’s Scarboro Skating Club with their coaches Carol Lane and Juris Razgulajevs. They are the 2011 Western Eastern Challenge Bronze medalists and the 2011 Eastern Ontario Novice Dance Champions.

Carlea Wilkie Ellis will be competing in the Special Olympics Level 3 Singles event.
She is from Orillia and trains at the Orillia Skating Club with her coach Brett Dunlop. Carlea won the Bonze medal at the 2007 Canada Winter Games and was also the Bronze medalist at the 2008 National Special Olympics Games in Quebec City. In addition, she has won six Regional titles and one Provincial title.

Megan Morse lives in Cookstown, and belongs to the New Tecumseth and District Skating Club where she trains with her coach Jenn MacPhee. Megan will be competing in the Level 2 Special Olympics singles event. Thomas Babcock is from Kingston and will be competing in the Level 2 Special Olympics Singles event. Thomas belongs to the Silver Blades and the Kingston Skating Clubs and represented Canada at the Special Olympics World Games in Idaho in 2009 where he won a Silver medal in the Level 1 competition. As a lead-up to the World Games, he won the Gold medal at the National Games in Quebec City in 2008.

Jonathan Edwards lives in Ajax and belongs to the Ajax Rising Stars and Ajax Skating Club where he trains with his coach Nancy Harding Eastman. Jonathan competed in the 2007 Ontario Special Olympics Winter Games and has qualified for the 2011 Provincial Games. He also won the Gold medal in Level 4 Singles and the Gold in the Level 2 Solo Dance at the 2010 Regional qualifier. Jonathan is the recipient of the Central Ontario Section Skate Extreme Bronze Spin and Bronze Spiral Awards for 2009-2010. Jonathan will be competing in Level 2 Solo Dance.

Skate Ontario is very excited about the experience and expertise of the coaching staff that will be with the team in Halifax. The Team Manager is John Briscoe from Waterloo. As well as being the Technical Director for Western Ontario, John has over 37 years of coaching experience, and is Level 4 NCCP certified. John has been a team manager for several Ontario Winter Games as well as a being a coach at 10 World Figure Skating Championships and the 1988 Winter Olympic Games.

Darlene Joseph, from Navan, is Level 4 NCCP certified,  has over 23 years coaching experience and has coached skaters at national and international events. Darlene is presently the Director of Skating at the Gloucester Skating Club in Ottawa, and has had experience as a team coach at several Ontario Winter Games.

Scott Rachuk from Strathroy, is the Director of, the Competitive Skating Centre of Strathroy. Scott has over 20 years coaching experience, is Level 3 NCCP certified and has coached National Team members as well as many skaters at national and international events.

Julie Dunlop is level 3 NCCP certified and has had 26 years of coaching experience including experience with Special Olympics skaters. She was a Team Canada coach for the 2009 Special Olympics World Games, as well as for the 2008 Special Olympics Nationals Games in Quebec City.

Joining the team as a chaperone for the Special Olympics athletes will be Dave Edwards from Ajax, Ontario.

Representing the Team Ontario Mission Staff will be Christine Craig from Acton, Ontario. Christine has been instrumental during the team development and registration process  – ensuring that our athletes fulfill the requirements and meet the expectations as members of Team Ontario.

The team will attend a two-day staging camp in Waterloo on January 28th and 29th to help with their preparation for the Games. The camp has been developed under the expert direction of Glenn Fortin, Skate Ontario Skating Programs Chair.

Skate Ontario is the recognized Provincial Sport Organization that represents figure skating in Ontario.  Through its four Skate Canada member Sections, Skate Ontario provides developmental and competitive opportunities for its over 75,000 members.

Skate Ontario is very grateful to the Quest for Gold Team Ontario Development Grant Program, the Sport Alliance of Ontario as well as the Ontario Ministry of Health Promotion and Sport for their financial assistance with the camp and the preparation of our team for the Games.

For further information please contact:

Glenn Fortin    [email protected]

or

Janet Balkwill   [email protected]