Ottawa to host 100th anniversary national skating championships in 2014
December 24, 2012
It was recently announced that Ottawa will host the 2014 skating national championship with its Minto Skating Club at Scotiabank Place on January 9 to 15, 2014, according to the Ottawa Citizen. This competition holds more weight as well, since it is the 100th anniversary since the first national championship.
"We are absolutely thrilled that Ottawa will host these championships for the 14th time, and we can think of no better place to celebrate our 100th anniversary," president Benoît Lavoie of Quebec City said during a city hall news conference.
Veterans of the sport, including Elizabeth Manley, believe playing in your hometown gives you the advantage. Manley has won three senior women's crowns, a world championship and Olympic silver medals. Even though Manley feels this way, it doesn't mean the rest of the skaters from Ottawa will feel the same.
"Some skaters don't like it because it overwhelms them and makes them feel like there's more pressure," Manley told the news source. "But I'm guilty. I loved it. That's why I loved performing in Ottawa. I always knew that they loved me not matter what. It's always a good feeling."
Not only will this event in 2014 represent the 100th anniversary, but it will also determine which Canadians will be figure skating entries for the Winter Olympic Games at Sochi, Russia as well as the 2014 world championships in Japan, the publication reports.
Lynn Nightingale, another championship winner, spoke of how quickly a young figure skater goes from being excited for nationals and then to much bigger goals.
"... as your career progresses, the goals get loftier, and ultimately the world figure skating championships and the Olympics are the ultimate goal. I think that for somebody like Patrick Chan [two-time defending world men’s champion], it’s probably a given that he will go. But, if there are two or three people vying for that second or third spot, it becomes pretty interesting," Nightingale told the publication.
According to CBC News, Lavoie also announced a new partnership between Skate Canada and Canadian Tire as well as Mark's and L'Equipeur. This will come into effect after the 2013 championships are held in Mississauga next month.
Those who want to talk about the national championships being held in Ottawa can make calls to Canada using international calling cards.
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