Photo: Danielle Earl/Skate Canada
Vancouver hosts some of the best figure skaters from around the world for the 49th annual Skate Canada International (SCI) competition when it comes to the Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre on UBC’s campus from October 27 to 29.
Brooke McIntosh & Benjamin Mimar, Photo: Danielle Earl/Skate Canada
Grand Prix
SCI is the second event of the International Skating Union (ISU)’s Grand Prix of Figure Skating Series season, with medals to be awarded in four disciplines: men’s singles, ladies’ singles, pair skating, and ice dancing.
Each skater or team can be assigned to a maximum of two events. Skaters are awarded points based on their placements at their events. The top six from each discipline will qualify for the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final.
Madeline Schizas, Photo: Danielle Earl/Skate Canada
Team Canada
This year’s impressive lineup features a total of 18 Canadian skaters showcasing their skills, including 2023 ISU World Figure Skating Championships bronze medalists and defending ice dance champions Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier. They will be joined by Canadian Champions Deanna Stellato-Dudek, Maxime Deschamps and Madeline Schizas, as well as 2022 Grand Prix medalists Brooke McIntosh, Benjamin Mimar, Kelly Ann Laurin, and Loucas Éthier.
Piper Gilles & Paul Poirier, Photo: Danielle Earl/Skate Canada
The World
Team Canada will be joined by a stacked field of rival international competitors, most notably two-time ISU World Champion Kaori Sakamoto (Japan), 2023 ISU World silver medalist Junhwan Cha (South Korea), 2023 ISU Four Continents Champion Kao Miura (Japan), and ISU European silver medalists Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson (Great Britain).
Skate Canada International is a key competition on the world figure skating calendar leading up to competitions in the U.S. (Skate America), France (Grand Prix de France), China (Cup of China), Finland (Grand Prix Espoo), and Japan (NHK Trophy).
Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre, Photo: UBC Sport Facilities
Thunderbird Arena
The Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre (aka “Thunderbird Arena”) is located in the middle of the University of British Columbia. It’s easily accessible through public transit, including the 99 UBC B-Line bus. There are also various parking lots across campus.
Image: Skate Canada
The first Skate Canada International was held in 1973, with the 1987 competition in Calgary acting as a test event for the 1988 Winter Olympic Games. It was added to the Grand Prix in 1995, the same year the series began.
To browse the full schedule or purchase tickets, visit Skate Canada’s website.
