On a happier note, Skate Canada was ANYTHING but colorless. I thought going into it that it was going to be a bit of downer thanks to all of the withdrawls, but there were definitely some super-exciting parts! Now on to the winners (and the losers...because a lot of them skated well too)...
MENS: Watch out world, Patrick Chan is back this season and looking every bit the leader of Canadian figure skating that he has become. His long program was definitely not the best that we've seen him skate (for that, look up Canadian Nationals 2008 on youtube), but he already looks mature far beyond his eighteen years and has a wonderful skating style. I think that a lot of us have been worried about the state of the program components after Stephane and Jeff's retirements, but it looks like Patrick is more than ready to take up that mantel. The rest of the podium was one of those huge surprises that reminds you how unpredictable this sport can be. Ryan Bradley, with an absolutely gorgeous short and freeskate, came in second. He looked calm and confident, and his programs are always so much fun--I cannot wait to see more of him this season. The big surprise is that he beat his fellow countryman, Evan Lysacek, who just couldn't rebound after that short program score. Evan's going to be on pins and needles for the rest of the GP, since his chances of going to the final don't seem to be that great. 
LADIES: Patrick Chan proved that he was a force to be reckoned with in the mens, and fellow Canadian Joannie Rochette did the same thing in the ladies. Joannie has always been powerful, but her short and long programs showcased a polished, sophisticated side that we haven't seen from her yet. Both of her programs were clean, and I can only imagine that they'll get better as the season goes on. It's obvious that she worked really hard over the summer and it shows--she wants to be on the World podium this year, and I think that she'll definitely have a shot. Someone looking not so great was Carolina Kostner. She was getting negative GOEs and deductions everywhere and ended up in fourth place. Fumie Suguri proved that she shouldn't be forgotten in the world of Mao Asada and Miki Ando and that her new coaching situation with Morosov in New Jersey is working out pretty well. Alissa Czisny, has she has done on many occasions, came back after a rough short program to claim bronze with a wonderful long program--I LOVE her skating, but I'm always so nervous to put faith in her because of her inconsistancies. Hopefully she's cleaned that up this season, but, as always, her spins were superb.
PAIRS: I was a bit torn in this part of the competition. I love Jessica Dube and Bryce Davison, but I'm also starting to really back Keauna McLaughlin and Rockne Brubaker, so I wasn't sure who I was really rooting for--my country or my favorite team? Well, the long program did kind of help with that. After a great short, Keauna (who collided with Yuko Kawaguchi in the warm up) and Rockne had a rough long program that resulted in them falling to third place. On the other side of things, Dube and Davison had a rough short program, but skated brilliantly in the long. They made me really nervous with a mishap in their opening triple twist, but other than that, they were great--it was a really different program for them, set to Carmen (I know, I know...but, in their defense, they selected some of the lesser known sections), but it definitely worked and will get beter as the season goes on. They ended up with the silver behind a team they beat at last year's worlds, Russia's Yuko Kawaguchi and Alexander Smirnov. Their long program was clean except for a popped triple toe by Smirnov and kept them in first place. I'm not sure what it is, but I'm just not really a big fan of this team--I'm hoping that they'll prove me otherwise as the season wears on.
ICE DANCING: This was by far the highlight of this competition. As ice dancing always should be, it was super dramatic up to the very end. First place was basically set as soon as Meryl Davis and Charlie White stepped on the ice for the compuslory dance. I'm not quite sure what Shpilband and Zoueva did with them over the summer, but they were absolutely brilliant from the start to the finish. I don't know if they were getting more attention because Belbin and Agosto left Canton or if they just matured naturally, but they were outstanding, and I think that they're going to be serious contenders this year. If my name was Tanith Belbin, I'd be looking over my (sequined and feathered) shoulder a bit nervously come January. The battle for second and third was really intense. In the end, Canadians Vanessa Crone and Paul Poirier, World Junior silver medalists from last year, won out over favorites Nathalie Pechalat and Fabian Bourzat (and Nathalie Pechalet did not look happy about it at the medal ceremony). It looks like Canada might have produced another team to watch out for this year.And that's the wrap up from Skate Canada. I leave you with the highlight of the competition for me (and no, I don't know what's up with the music in the first half...I hope that they fix that!!!)...
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