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Charisma, passion, elegance, technique, and a whole lot of fun: the 2014 Skate Canada International competition is sure to turn some heads this weekend as Canadian medalists and international champions take to the ice right here in Kelowna.
Athletes arrived in Kelowna late last night and took to the ice Thursday afternoon in preparation of the Skate Canada event taking place this weekend at Prosper Place. The three day event will exhibit the hard work and dedication of skaters from Canada and around the world in a series of programs including, Men Short and Free program, Pair Short/Free, Ice Dance/Short Dance, and Ladies Short/Free. The Exhibition Gala and closing ceremonies will take place on Sunday, November 3rd.
Skating duos, Meagan Duhamel and Eric Radford and Kaitlyn Weaver along with Andrew Poje, are looking forward to getting back on the ice for the first competition of the season. It's the first time the four champion skaters have been to Kelowna and they're eager to rally support and passion from our community.
Photo Credit: KelownaNow
“I think competing in Canada is always great because they have such great audiences. Even all the skaters from around the world, they really appreciate the audience because they're warm,” said Duhamel.
“Skate Canada for us always brings great memories, it feels like home,” commented Weaver. “We just love the audience,” added Poje.
Photo Credit: KelownaNow
As a team, Duhamel and Radford lay claim to Olympic silver medals and World bronze medals for Canada.
Representing Canada at the World Championships, Weaver and Poje landed silver for their phenomenal Ice Dance performance.
Building upon a great season last year, the four skaters will be striving to top their personal bests.
“We put so much work into this off season and we've really taken our skating to the next level, so I'm looking forward to seeing how that adds up,” said Weaver.
Craig Buntin, Olympian and National Team Member, Athlete Ambassador, and Kelowna's own champion skater is excited to be back in Kelowna to show his support for the skaters this weekend.
Participating in the excitement and the passion of the 2014 Skate Canada International is expected to be an amazing experience for everyone involved and Buntin reminds athletes and those in our community to embrace everything skating has to offer.
Photo Credit: KelownaNow
Skate Canada has made it's way to the province on several occasions in the past however, the 2014 event will mark the first time the event has been held in Kelowna. The world-class event is expected to not only bring in revenue for our community, but a tremendous level of recognition for the city on both an international and national scale.
“Skate Canada International is great for both sport and community. We estimate that this event will generate approximately $4 million in economic impact,” said Dan Thompson, Skate Canada CEO.
“We're very proud to have this event in Kelowna and it's very fitting that it would come to our city and here at Prosper Place, which is the heart of our arts district,” commented Walter Grey, Mayor of Kelowna.
Click here for more photos from the practice sessions on Thursday.
For ticket and programming information, visit Tourism Kelowna.
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