Browning, Stojko and Stars On Ice finally back

Madeline Schizas recalls coming to Hamilton from her hometown of Oakville when she was 11 years old to watch Stars on Ice.

Eight years later, she’s returning for the prestigious skating tour’s stop Saturday night at FirstOntario Centre. But, this time, she’s performing in it.

“I remember watching Kaetlyn Osmond, Kurt (Browning) and Elvis (Stojko) in it,” says the 19-yearold Olympian who is the reigning Canadian women’s champion. “So, I’m pretty excited to skate with the people I’ve watched growing up.”

After winning her first senior national title in January, Schizas was the talk of the early part of the Beijing Games when her pressurepacked third-place finish in the short program of the team event moved Canada from sixth to fourth place, qualifying her and her teammates to advance to the free-skating portion.

She was third again in the free skate as Canada finished fourth overall, but may eventually receive bronze medals because of a doping infraction by the winning Russians.

Schizas is among the leaders of the next generation of Canadian skaters. She was 13th in her senior Worlds debut in 2021, was terrific in the team event, but then a disappointing 19th in women’s singles at the Olympics. She was then 12th at the world championships, but less than half a point out of ninth.

“It’s been an incredible season, and was really my first full year in international competition. The short program in the team event at Olympics was a high for me. When it worked out, it was a fantastic moment for me and my teammates,” she said.

“I want to be a more consistent competitor, and keep working on my speed and technical skills. The big thing is the performance aspect and being more engaging with the audience, which comes back to Stars On Ice, which should really help with that.”

More than 5,000 tickets have already been sold for Saturday.

The show is choreographed by 2008 world champion Jeffrey Buttle and marks 30 years since Browning officially joined the tour and became synonymous with it.

“I enjoy the fact that people think there’s a real link between Stars and me,” Browning told The Spectator. “I’m hoping my relationship in some way continues when I’m not at centre ice any more.”

Browning, a four-time world champion, had retired from performance skating a few years ago, but a back injury suffered in a “noncontact” hockey game got him back on figure skates in 2018 as part of his recovery physical therapy.

“It’s a super diverse cast,” Browning says. “With Elvis, Jeff and I coming from totally different generations, (world silver-medallist) Satoko Miyahara skating on the Canadian tour for the first time, the expressiveness of Elladj Baldé. And Keegan Messing is so firecrackerhot with his jumps. He’s going to do a back flip right over me.”

Stars on Ice and a back flip with Browning front and centre? Feels right.

Stars On Ice

FirstOntario Centre, Hamilton Saturday, May 7, 7:30 p.m.

Tickets $22-$104 at ticketmaster.ca

Cast Kurt Browning, Elvis Stojko, Kaetlyn Osmond, Jeffrey Buttle, Satoko Miyahara, ice dancers Kaitlyn Weaver and Andrew Poje, Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier, pairs Kirsten Moore-Towers and Michael Marinaro, Keegan Messing, Alissa Czisny, Elladj Baldé, Madeline Schizas.

Of note As usual, the Hamilton show will be recorded to be shown on TV during the winter months.