Osmond sparkles in short program
HALIFAX • Figure skater Kaetlyn Osmond took the first step toward reclaiming her Canadian crown, laying down the strongest program since a gruesome broken leg sidelined her for all of last season.
The skate was good enough to give her the lead after the short program at the Canadian Figure Skating Championships.
Afterward, the 20- yearold from Marystown, N. L., said it was the first she’d felt like herself since her injury. “It’s been a long time,” Osmond said.
The two- time Canadian c hampion s c ored 7 0. 63 points for her performance to Cyndi Lauper’s lyrical La Vie en Rose, her one misstep coming on a combination, she doubled the planned triple toe-loop.
And when she t urned her final spin, the Scotiabank Centre crowd rose in a standing ovation. “It felt really good, it gave me the feeling that I am back,” she said. “And no matter how many other competitions I’ve done this year, this is the first competition that I’ve truly felt back.
“And having that standing ovation was even better.”
Osmond broke her right fibula in two places in the fall of 2014, an injury that required two surgeries to repair. She virtually had to learn to skate all over again — it was two weeks into her return before she could even change directions on the ice.
Alaine Chartrand of Prescott, Ont., was second with a score of 68.81. Defending champion Gabrielle Daleman of Newmarket, Ont., fell on her triple Lutz and finished third ( 64.44). “For me, it’s just more important that I make the world team, whether it’s first or second, I’m not really focused on winning exactly,” Chartrand said. “Of course, winning would be amazing.”
Meanwhile, Patrick Chan is poised to win his eighth Canadian title.
The 25- year- old from Toronto, who took last season off the competitive ice, had a spectacular short program on Friday, taking a lead of more than 20 points into Saturday’s long program.
Skating to Michael Buble’s Mack t he Knife, Chan opened with a huge quad toe loop, then followed it up with triple Axel to score 103.58 points. Liam Firus of North Vancouver, B.C., was second with 78.87, while Kevin Reynolds of Coquitlam, B. C., took third with 77.65.
Last year’s winner Nam Nguyen, a 17- year- old from Toronto, fell on his quad and finished back in fifth.
Later on Friday, Kaitlyn Weaver and Andrew Poje easily won the ice dance short program.
Weaver and Poje, world silver and bronze medallists, take a sizable lead into Saturday’s long program. The Waterloo, Ont., skaters scored 76.20 for their elegant skate to The Blue Danube.
Piper Gilles of Toronto and Paul Poirier of Unionville, Ont., were second with 70.63 points, while Alexandra Paul of Midhurst, Ont., and Mitchell Islam of Barrie, Ont., were third with 68.30. Weaver and Poje are one victory from being undefeated through two seasons — their bronze at last year’s world championships is their only “loss” since the fall of 2014.
The Canadian championships determine the team for the world championships in Boston in March. Canada can send two skaters each in men’s and women’s singles, plus three ice dance teams and three pairs teams.