HAMILTON, Ont. – The top figure skaters from across Ontario University Athletics (OUA) will meet at the OUA Figure Skating Championships beginning Wednesday at Varsity Arena in Toronto, Ont.

The Western Mustangs are the two-time defending champions as they target a three-peat. Leading the charge is sophomore Sarah Burke (Markham, Ont.) who is competing in three events, including the women's short program which she won at the Fall Invitational hosted by Queen's.

Burke will also combine with junior Emmy Marinova (Mississauga, Ont.) to compete for the senior similar pairs gold which the duo won at the Winter Invitational hosted by Western. Burke and Marinova also combined with Kathryn Morgan (Novar, Ont.) and Kaila Morris (Ottawa, Ont.) to win the pairs four at the Winter Invitational.

Another Mustang to watch is Aivory Gaw (Toronto, Ont.) who is competing in the senior silver free skate and is pairing with Carmen Wong (Thornhill, Ont.) in the intermediate similar pairs. Gaw has medaled in the senior silver category at the OUA championships in each of the last three years.

The Queen’s Gaels have had a very successful season thus far. Placing second at the Fall Invitational and first at the Winter Invitational, the Gaels hope to have another great showing at this year’s OUA championships, where the Gaels captured bronze last season. Returning OUA All-Stars in the dance variation, Kimberly Hord (Stouffville, Ont.) and Katie Phillips (Toronto, Ont.), hope to excel in the new STARSkate gold creative dance event this year.

The Guelph Gryphons placed second at the Winter Invitational. Sandra McCubbin (Barrie, Ont.) led the Gryphons with a pair of gold medals in the senior silver solo dance and the junior silver dance event with her partner Caitlyn McCann (Barrie, Ont.). They were also golden earlier in the season at Queen’s. Josh Belletti (Fergus, Ont.) earned silver in the men's open free skate.

The Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks saw several medal performances at the Winter Invitational. Haley Tyers (Mississauga, Ont.) and Christina Vincent (Ayr, Ont.) competed in senior silver similar dance and placed second. Tyers also had a second-place finish in gold solo dance. Michelle Lamarche (Mississauga, Ont.) skated an excellent program in the senior silver freeskate and placed second. She continued her success with partner Andrea Green (Tavistock, Ont.) by placing second in the junior silver similar pairs event.

Adrienne Corbett (Toronto, Ont.) of the Waterloo Warriors is the two-time defending OUA champion in the senior silver ladies freeskate and was a winner at Western. Corbett and Tosha Medeiros (Kitchener, Ont.) teamed together to win the intermediate pairs category at both the Fall and Winter Invitationals. Dante Didomenicantonio (Ottawa, Ont.) in the men’s free skate and Caroline Myzyk (Richmond Hill, Ont.) in the gold ladies freeskate both placed second! at Queen’s, while Chelsea Lawson (Rothesay, N.B.) and Samantha Lai (Burnaby, B.C.) were third in the senior pairs at the Winter Invitational.

The Ryerson Rams creative dance pairing of third-year skater Alex Dabkowski (Cambridge, Ont.) and second-year skater Tara Bartolini (Toronto, Ont.) has head coach Robyn Doolittle optimistic of a podium finish. The pair has picked up a bronze and silver so far this year.

Craig Ruttan (New Hamburg, Ont.) and Lydia Schultz (Bradford, Ont.) of the host Toronto Varsity Blues picked up bronze medals in the men’s free skate and ladies short program, respectively, at the Fall Invitational.

The championship concludes Thursday with trophy, banner and medal presentations.

– OUA –

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