Day one of the Skate Canada International event drew to a close tonight at the Enmax Centre after an action packed day of high intensity competition. On a day that saw not one but two comebacks from previous national champions, there was a lot for spectators to cheer about.
Three-time world champion Patrick Chan stepped onto the ice to a roaring reception of spectators welcoming him to the Lethbridge arena, where he skated his short program to the tune of fellow Canadian, Michael Buble. Chan successfully completed his quad toe loop-triple toe loop combination, but failed to land his triple Axel and then only completed two rotations of what was intended to be a triple Lutz. After 20 months away from competition, Chan still managed a top-tier finish with an 80.81 placing him second to Japan’s Daisuke Murakami with an 80.88. The men will battle it out tomorrow in their free skate portion which is promising to be just as tight of a competition with current Canadian national champion, Nam Nguyen hot on the heels of Chan and Murakami in fourth place.
The women also had an interesting day, when falling on the ice seemed to be more common than landing with Canadian two-time champion Kaetlyn Osmond making her comeback after taking a year off to rehabilitate a broken leg. Osmond, who suffered a sprain to her left ankle yesterday in rehearsals, appeared to be struggling with the injury during her program, falling on her double Axel and slipping in her flying camel spin. Osmond finished with a score of 59.21 placing her in fourth position behind Japanese skaters Murakami and Nagai. The stand out performer of the women’s competition today was American Ashley Wagner, who wowed the judges with her sassy short program which landed her the top spot after day one.
The pairs competition drew the night to a close with two Canadian couples making the podium. Meagan Duhamel and Eric Radford skated to victory with a score of 72.46 over the second placed Russians, Evgenia Tarasova and partner Vladimir Morozov who had a score of 64.00. The third placed Canadian team of Kirsten Moore-Towers and Michael Marinaro received their first standing ovation and their best score of recent times with a 63.17 from the judges.
Patrick Chan chats with reporter Sara Orlesky after day one in his second place skate in the short program at the Skate Canada International competition at the Enmax Centre on Oct. 30, 2015.
Meagan Duhamel and Eric Radford sit with their coaches after a successful skate at the Skate Canada International competition at the Enmax Centre on Oct. 30, 2015.
Kirsten Moore-Towers and Michael Marinaro all smiles with Sara Orlesky after their first standing ovation in competition and third place finish on day one of the Skate Canada International competition at the Enmax Centre on Oct. 30, 2015.
