Kitchener Record
7 November 1996
What's wrong with this picture? There are some 190,000 amatuer female figure skaters in Canada - and there's not a single serious contender for the ladies singles world championship among them.
While Cnanada's list for potential world champions in skating's other three disciplines is long and getting longer, the Canadian ladies' misfortunes on the world stage continue to defy logic.
David Dore, the Canadian Figure Skating Association's director general, says there's no simple solution for what ails the Canadian women.
"Believe me, we'd sure like to have an answer," said Dore, in Kitchener this week to preside over Sun Life Skate Canada International, which kicks off tonight at the Dom Cardillo Arena.
"Numbers (of girls involved in skating) should tell you that something good should come out the other end."
Despite having the largest pool of female skaters in the world, Canada has not produced a world singels champion since Karen Magnussen stepped onto the podium in 1973.
The Canadian men, meanwhile, have snapped up seven of the last 10 world titles, led by Brian Orser(once), Kurt Browning(four times) and most recently Elvis Stokjo(twice).
Journalist Beverley Smith, who has written two book devoted to figure skating, said the paradox for Canadian female hopefuls is that our nation's coaches are confronted with too many talented girls to keep track of.
"As a result, some really good skaters slip bewteen the cracks."
And because there as [sic] so few male skaters, they stick out like a sore thumb, explained Canadian junior men's silver medalist Jayson Dénommée of Asbestos, Que.
"It's easy to spot a guy because there are so few of us. You can isolate him and make him as good as he can be," said Dénommée, who will compete during Skate Canada's short program tonight.
"With the girls, there's so much potential out there that maybe some coaches don't know where to put all their energy."
Dénommée, 19, also noted that the Canadian men's success has snowballed.
"In Canada there is a tradition. I started skating under the influence of Brian Orser, then Kurt Browning. He was my model. Then not so long ago when I decided that I wanted to compete as a career. Elvis arrived.
"I've had many role models. What more can I ask? This is the perfect country to learn to skate in."
Canadian skater Susan Humphries, 21, of Edmonton, developed her singles career without the benefit of a female role model. She cites fellow Albertan Kurt Browning as the major influence in her skating.
Humphries - who skates here Friday night - achieved her best showing at the 1994 worlds when she finished ninth.
An optimistic Dénommée said Canadian women are on the verge of greatness.
"We have a certain potential in Canada," he said.
"It's just that we have to wait for it to be ready. Canada has strong (female) figure skaters. It's just a matter of time until they are ready."
The CFSA has not taken a wait-and-see approach to female excellence.
Kurt Browning's former coach, Louis Strong[sic], has been appointed to a new position, the CFSA's director of skating development.
Strong[sic] will be working in conjunction with talent scouts to identify and track future elite skaters, so they don't slip through the cracks any more.