Category: Competitions

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Mini Update from Calalta

Just a quick update before Calalta starts our Spring Break!!

Calalta’s Spring Break starts Friday April 19 and ends on Sunday May 5 – no classes (ice or off ice) will be running during this period at JC or COP.  Enjoy the time off and see you back at the rink on Monday May 6, 2019.  For those competing in Edmonton this weekend at Sunsational, Good luck to everyone!

Calalta honours all skaters that have achieved one or more of their gold tests in the period from April 30, 2018 to April 18, 2019 with a free banquet ticket and individual plaque that will be presented at Calalta’s Annual Celebration of Skating banquet. We have compiled a list of the known skaters that have completed this milestone – please check the list for your skater and confirm spelling of their name. If it is incorrect, please email the office by Monday April 22.

If your skater passed a full gold test in this time period and is not on the attached list, please email the office by Monday April 22. We will confirm results with Skate Canada to ensure your skater receives recognition for this important skating milestone.

Even though the ticket is free for the gold test skater, they must be ordered at no charge in Uplifter.  Additional tickets are $30.00 each and can be purchased here:

http://calalta.uplifterinc.com/registration/products/

Saturday May 25, 2019

Hillhurst Sunnyside Community Association

1320 5th Ave NW

Calgary AB

Business Casual Attire

6:00 pm    Cocktails

6:30 pm    Dinner

7:00 pm    Awards Presentation

8:00 pm    Dancing and Photo Booth

Calling all Skaters! The best time for new beginnings is now!


Solstice Synchronized Skating is hosting their Annual Spring Skills & Auditions for the upcoming season here at Jimmie Condon on April 25, 27, May 2 and 4th!

Check out the poster attached for more info. If you have questions, please contact [email protected]

Click on the link provided to sign up! No previous experience necessary!

https://forms.gle/m19C4gyXGpMV7h1j8

All skaters – CanSkate Stage 5 all the way to Gold/Diamond tests, competitive stream as well as all Adult skaters are invited to come out!

Come on out and join our Solstice family! We’re excited to meet you!

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Heading to Slovakia!

Looking Good Natasha and Davin!!

Guess who got their new team wear today? Natasha Purich and Davin Portz are heading to Slovakia Tuesday September 19 to represent Canada in their first Senior International Pairs assignment!

Natasha and Davin represent Calalta Figure Skating Club and skate out of Winsport’s Markin MacPhail Arena!

Wish them luck on their first big international assignment!

Calalta is the only skating club in Calgary with senior international competitors.

Davin and Natasha in their new teamwear!

So proud!! Love the Canada flag in the background!

 

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Athlete Profiles: Sadie Nicholson/ Kobi Chant

Calalta is proud to feature our athletes who have achieved distinction in our sport. As part of our Athlete Profiles feature, we are spotlighting our athletes who fall within either or both these categories:

  1. Podium winners at Skate Canada Sectionals, Challenge and/or National competitions
  2. Attained a spot on the Select or Junior Development Team at the provincial level.

See the full list of athletes featured for 2016

Athlete Profiles: Sadie Nicholson/ Kobi Chant

kobiSadie and Kobi are members of the Ice Dance Junior Development Team. They competed at Sectionals in November 2015. Well done and congratulations for making the JD Team!

Age
Sadie – 10, Kobi – 13

School
Sadie – Edge School, Kobi – Holy Trinity School, Olds, AB

Years at Calalta
Sadie – 5.5 years, Kobi – 3rd year

Favorite elements
Sadie – Rotational Lifts, Kobi – Paso Doble dance, Double loops and lifts!

Skating Achievements for 2015/16 season
Sadie – Competed at Juvenile Canmore Invitational & placed 3rd, Placed 4th at Sectionals. Also a dual discipline skater, Sadie competed in Pre-Juvenile U11.

Kobi – Placed 3rd in Juvenile Dance at Wild Rose Skating Competition and Canmore Invitational with my partner Sadie. Also got personal best on my singles in Juvenile U14 at Wild Rose and Canmore Invitational. Came in 4th place in Juvenile Dance at the 2016 Alberta Sectionals and earned a place on the Skate Canada Jr Development team. Passed all my Jr Silver Dances and just have one left to pass on my Sr Silver dances. Learned to do lifts and pairs spins and Twizzles!

How do you feel about your achievements?
Sadie – Proud for my first year competing in Ice Dance. Excited to learn more at Pre-Novice level and to continue to improve.

Kobi – I feel good because I like to keep improving every year and put a lot of work into doing my best and getting better each year.

What do you hope to achieve this/next season?
Sadie – Level 4 lift(s), clean twizzles & spins.

Kobi – I hope to move up to Pre Novice in dance and compete at the summer championships in Montreal as well as qualify to compete at Challenge in Montreal. I hope to work and succeed on harder lifts, spins and twizzles with my partner Sadie. In Singles I hope to land all of my double jumps in freeskate and master my mortal enemy the Camel Spin as well as have a personal best score at sectionals.

Activities besides figure skating?
Sadie – Skiing lots, biking, swimming.

Kobi – At school I am on the basketball, cross country and badminton teams. I enjoy playing the violin and taking ballroom dance classes.

What do you do to chill out/unwind?
Sadie – Hanging out with my friends, hot tub, meditate, listen to music, skiing with my family.

Kobi – Ripping across the field on my quad is my favorite way to unwind! I also enjoy playing farming simulator and hanging out with my friends at the pool.

Who is your figure skating inspiration? Why?
Sadie – Tessa Virtue & Scott Moir because they accomplished so much like Olympic Gold etc. They were so strong, graceful and fun to watch.

Kobi -I really admire Patrick Chan because he made it all the way to the Olympics winning medals along the way. He then took time off to go to University but now is back challenging himself to go the distance again. I am inspired by Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir, because not only are they great competitors but they also are awesome performers and give back to the younger skaters through their workshops.

Who is/are your role model(s)/favorite person/people? Why?
Sadie – My sister because she treats me so nice, teaches me things and is athletic. My Mom because she bakes yummy food. My whole family because they support my figure skating because they know I love it!

Kobi – Paul Ayer is definitely my role model and favorite person on the ice because he works so hard, has accomplished so much and is always helping out the younger ice dancers. Also, all my coaches because they encourage me to do better and reach my goals. Last but not least, my family because they support me in my skating journey and help me to do something I love so much.

Anything else to add?
Sadie – Please follow me on Instagram – sadienicholson2

Kobi – If you are lucky you might catch me smiling!! LOL!!!

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Athlete Profile: Jayden Johnson

Calalta is proud to feature our athletes who have achieved distinction in our sport. As part of our Athlete Profiles feature, we are spotlighting our athletes who fall within either or both these categories:

  1. Podium winners at Skate Canada Sectionals, Challenge and/or National competitions
  2. Attained a spot on the Select or Junior Development Team at the provincial level.

See the full list of athletes featured for 2016

Athlete Profile: Jayden Johnson

jayden

Age
9

School
Battalion Park School.

Years at Calalta
Skating at calalta since I was 3 1/2 years old.

Favorite jump/sequence
Favourite jump Lutz but favourite combo Axel+Loop

Skating Achievements for 2015/16 season
My skating achievements are winning a silver medal in Pre-Juvenile U11 at AB Sectionals. Also becoming a member of the Jr Development team.
Silver medal at Sask. invitationals Pre Juvenile U11
Canmore invitationals Bronze medal Pre Juvenile U11
Wild rose Bronze medal Star 4
Sunsational Bronze medal Star 3

How do you feel about your achievements?
I feel happy about my accomplishments because it makes me feel like if I work hard I can do anything.

What do you hope to achieve this/next season?
This season I want to land my double Jumps. Also I want to win sectionals.

Activities besides figure skating?
Snowboarding, Tae Kwondo, Piano are other activities I am passionate about and do every week.

What do you do to chill out/unwind?
Play video games and play with my sister.

Who is your figure skating inspiration? Why?
Sean Sawyer is my inspiration. He is entertaining and fun to watch. He can do amazing tricks Also most importantly he looks like he is having a lot fun skating and I want to have fun skating.

Who is/are your role model(s)/favorite person/people? Why?
I look up to Iron man. He is my role model because he is smart, a scientist, rich and an engineer. He can solve any problem and look cool doing it. I want to be like him.

Social media
My Instagram is superjaydy

Anything to add?
I love my coaches Scott and Danielle. They help me follow my passion and encourage me everyday. They believe in me and support me. I am very thankful to have them in my life.

I want to thank Kim for teaching me dance and skills. I appreciate how much that helps me to look good doing my program.

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Yukon’s Hoffman and partner skate to silver at nationals

Stephan Potopnyk/Skate Canada Whitehorse's Bryn Hoffman, right, and partner Bryce Chudak perform their free program at the 2016 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships in Halifax on Wednesday. Hoffman and Chudak won silver in junior pairs.
Stephan Potopnyk/Skate Canada
Whitehorse’s Bryn Hoffman, right, and partner Bryce Chudak perform their free program at the 2016 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships in Halifax on Wednesday. Hoffman and Chudak won silver in junior pairs.

Taken from Yukon News: written by Tom Patrick

See original news article here.

 

A year after Yukon got its first gold at the figure skating nationals, the territory got its first pairs medal at the championship this week.

Whitehorse’s Bryn Hoffman and her Alberta skating partner Bryce Chudak won silver in junior pairs at the 2016 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships in Halifax on Wednesday.

“It’s actually bitter-sweet,” said Hoffman. “We’re really happy to have placed well and won a silver, obviously. It feels amazing. But in our long program we didn’t skate as well as we could have and we did make some mistakes.”

Hoffman, 18, and Chudak, 20, placed second in both programs out of nine teams. They scored a personal best of 51.25 in the short Tuesday and an 87.90 in the free Wednesday for a combined 139.15.

“Although the (free) program wasn’t going how we wanted it to go … As the program went on we focused on all the details, our spins and choreography sequence – doing all the easier elements really, really well to try to get as many points as we could,” said Hoffman.

With their silver placing, Hoffman and Chudak are now waiting to learn if they will be selected to represent Canada at the World Junior Figure Skating Championships in Debrecen, Hungary this March.

It wouldn’t be the first time they skate for Canada at an international competition. The two placed fourth at International Skating Union Junior Grand Prix competitions in Colorado and Poland so far this season.

The Hoffman-Chudak team, who placed seventh at last year’s nationals, live and train in Calgary where Hoffman attends the University of Calgary.

Also competing in Halifax was Whitehorse’s Rachel Pettitt, the winner of Yukon’s first gold at last year’s championship in novice women.

The 16-year-old, who now competes in junior women, placed sixth out of 18 skaters on Thursday.

“I’m really very pleased with how I finished for my first junior nationals,” said Pettitt. “I didn’t have the best free program, but I’m proud of finishing seventh in the free with not my best skate.

“I’m walking away proud and ready to train and be ready for the next one.”

Like Hoffman and Chudak, Pettitt notched a personal best in her short with a 48.87 for third place on Wednesday. She then placed seventh in the free with a 79.08 on Thursday for a combined score of 124.95, about five points from her personal best.

“I just did everything the best I could,” said Pettitt of her short. “I just performed very well, got all my jumps done, and just enjoyed it a lot.”

Pettitt, who skates for Yukon’s Arctic Edge Skating Club and trains in Kelowna, also won Yukon’s first-ever gold in figure skating at the 2015 Canada Winter Games.

Both Hoffman and Pettitt skated for Yukon at the 2011 Canada Winter Games that, like this week’s nationals, took place in Halifax.

“I love it here in Halifax – I seriously do,” said Pettitt. “I’m not really a lobster fan, but I told myself I need to try lobster before I leave … I did try mussels, so I’m proud of that.

“It’s such a nice environment – being down at nationals is so much fun. We saw some of the senior competitors today. We saw Patrick Chan and all the ice dancers and pairs and everything.”

Contact Tom Patrick at [email protected]

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Athlete Profile: Maja Husain

Calalta is proud to feature our athletes who have achieved distinction in our sport. As part of our Athlete Profiles feature, we are spotlighting our athletes who fall within either or both these categories:

  1. Podium winners at Skate Canada Sectionals, Challenge and/or National competitions
  2. Attained a spot on the Select or Junior Development Team at the provincial level.

See the full list of athletes featured for 2016

Athlete Profile: Maja Husain

maja

Maja debuted at the Skate Canada AB/NWT/Nunavut Sectionals competition in November 2015 and won gold.

How old are you? 

10

Where do you go to school?
Calgary French & International School (CFIS)

How long have you trained at Calalta?

Since Fall 2012

What is your favorite jump/sequence?

I love jumping, they are all fun and all my favourites

How did you feel winning the Sectionals Champion for your group?

It was amazing, I was so happy and overjoyed. I felt very proud.

What do you hope to achieve this next season?

To be the 1st Juvenile girl to land a double axel in competition.

What other activities do you do, besides figure skating?

I still competitively dance (Ballet & Jazz); take gymnastics and play the piano and the tenor saxophone.

What do you do to chill out/unwind? sectionals2015

I like to play with and cuddle my dog Winnie.

Who is your figure skating inspiration? Why?

There are many skaters that inspire me such as Gracie Gold, Ashley Wagner, and Kaetlyn Osmond because they have all had to push through their individual challenges and still perform well.

Who is/are your role model(s)/favorite person/people? Why?  

My Mom and Dad because they are both really encouraging and supportive.
Also, all of my Calalta coaches as each one has helped coach and support me in different ways.

Have you got anything else to add?
This has been an amazing season!!!!

 

 

 

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Calalta Spring Event 2016 Announcement

Spring Event 2016 – Performance Evaluation Day
Saturday March 5, 2016
Jimmie Condon Arena
502 Heritage Drive SW
Calgary, AB
T2V 2W2

Registration for the Calalta 2016 Spring Event is now open. Please make sure that your submissions are in by February 1, 2016.

Calalta Spring Event Announcement 2016

Online Registration for Calalta Spring Event 2016

Planned Program Form for Calalta Spring Event 2016

Please contact us if you have any questions.

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Message from Scott Davis, Director of Skating

It’s hard to believe that another year is gone! 2015 flew by and it’s now a great time to reflect on the past 12 months and also where we want to go in the next year.

I am extremely proud of the continued growth within the club in all areas including Canskate, StarSkate, Jr Prep and HP, developmental competitive skaters including dance and pairs, and our elite athletes representing Calalta and training with the National Performance Center (NPC).

We are well on our way to reaching our goal of being the premier skating club in Western Canada!

With this growth, it is imperative that everyone in the club works together effectively.

A huge ‘thank you’ goes out to the many volunteers who make everything run so smoothly, to the Board of Directors who guide our club, to the amazing coaching staff that show up daily, motivated to teach, and to the office staff who make it all come together.

A special ‘thank you’ goes out to Diana Peters, our amazing President who spends countless hours working for the betterment of the club and skaters.

For all our skaters, the focus is to improve and to reach their goals set with their respective coaches. The club offers quality programming to assist in this process. In the Spring of 2015, the dry land program was reworked by Stephanie Davis to incorporate a more well-rounded approach to making all skaters ‘fit’ athletes first. What prompted this was we found that skaters were missing the balance, focus, concentration and basic skating quality, which used to be ‘taught’ through school figures.

Skate Canada published the Long Term Athlete Development model, which we used to create our programs including Jr Prep, HP and our Group Star and Jr Star programs. In order to improve, the time and energy has to be put into the training. Nothing can take the place of the hours that need to be spent on basic skating and technique. The table below shows a guideline for the number of hours minimum needed to see improvement.

smhoursAs your skater progresses, more time and energy needs to be spent both on and off the ice. I can’t stress enough the importance of dry land training and seminars that will contribute to your skater’s overall fitness and mental training. For the senior and elite skaters, we offer sessions on nutrition and sports psychology as well as dry land training that includes meditation, dance, pilates, gymnastics and tai chi. With our children being increasingly stimulated with electronics and social media, we need to slow them down, get them to focus, and concentrate on the task at hand. Our meditation classes are becoming an extremely important tool being offered to our skaters and mindfulness training will benefit all skaters in any aspect of their lives.

Click here to see the latest information on children and meditation.

The New Year is a time to set a plan for the future and to execute on that plan. Work with your coach and identify your strengths and weaknesses and put in the time and effort to improve upon them.

I look forward to watching the continued improvement and growth in skating.

Happy Holidays!
Scott Davis
Director of Skating
[email protected]