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Browning, Stojko, Buttle and Stars On Ice finally back in Hamilton
Canadian champ Madeline Schizas of Oakville will make special appearance Saturday, writes Steve Milton
| Source: |
The Hamilton Spectator |
| Date: |
May 6, 2022 |
| Author: |
Steve Milton |
Madeline Schizas recalls coming to Hamilton from her hometown of
Oakville when she was 11 years old to watch Stars on Ice.
Eight years later, she’s returning for the prestigious skating tour’s
stop on Saturday Night at FirstOntario Centre. But, this time, she’s
performing in it.
“I remember watching Kaetlyn Osmond, Kurt (Browning) and Elvis
(Stojko) in it,” says the 19-year-old Olympian from the Milton Skating
Club, who is the reigning Canadian women’s champion. “So, I’m pretty
excited to skate with the people I’ve watched growing up.”
After winning her first senior national title in January, Schizas was
the talk of the early part of the Beijing Games when her
pressure-packed third-place finish in the short program of the team
event moved Canada from sixth to fourth place, qualifying her and her
teammates to advance to the free skating portion. She was a third
again in the freeskate as Canada finish fourth overall, but may
eventually receive bronze medals because of a doping infraction by the
winning Russians.
Schizas is among the leaders of the next generation of Canadian
skaters. She was 13th in her senior Worlds debut in 2021, was terrific
in the team event but then a disappointing 19th in women’s singles at
the Olympics and then was 12th at the World Championships, but less
than half a point out of ninth.
“It’s been an incredible season, and was really my first full year in
international competition. The short program in the team event at
Olympics was a high for me. When it worked out, it was a fantastic
moment for me and my teammates,” she said.
“I want to be a more consistent competitor, and keep working on my
speed and technical skills. The big thing is the performance aspect
and being more engaging with the audience, which comes back to Stars
On Ice, which should really help with that”.
It will also be a chance to skate in front of a live audience, which
hasn’t happened often in her career as a senior skater because of the
pandemic.
Stars cancelled both the 2020 and ‘21 Canadian tours and more than
5,000 tickets have already been sold for Saturday and that’s likely to
climb by at least 1,000 by the time the spotlights go on.
The show is choreographed by 2008 world champion Jeffrey Buttle and
marks 30 years since Browning officially joined the tour and became
synonymous with it.
“I enjoy the fact that people think there’s a real link between Stars
and me,” Browning told The Spectator. “I’m hoping my relationship in
some way continues when I’m not at centre ice any more.”
Browning, a four-time world champion and member of the Order of
Canada, had retired from performance skating a few years ago but a
back injury suffered in a “noncontact” hockey game got him back on
figure skates in 2018 as part of his recovery physical therapy. Part
of the reason he rejoined Stars is to spend more time with his
girlfriend, two-time American champion Alissa Czisny, who’s also a
headliner.
This year’s show is called Journey There and video screens in the rink
corners will show pictures of the skaters’ paths to the top of their
sport.
“It’s a super diverse cast,” Browning says, “With Elvis, Jeff and I
coming from totally different generations, (world silver medallist)
Satoko Miyahara skating on the Canadian tour for the first time, the
expressiveness of Elladj Baldé. And Keegan Messing is so
firecracker-hot with his jumps.
“He’s going to do a back flip right over me.”
Stars on Ice and a back flip with Browning front and centre? Feels
right.
Stars On Ice
FirstOntario Centre, Hamilton
Saturday, May 7, 7:30 p.m.
Tickets: $22-$104 at ticketmaster.ca
Cast: Kurt Browning, Elvis Stojko, Kaetlyn Osmond, Jeffrey Buttle, Satoko Miyahara, ice dancers Kaitlyn Weaver and Andrew Poje, Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier, pairs Kirsten Moore-Towers and Michael Marinaro, Keegan Messing, Alissa Czisny, Elladj Baldé, Madeline Schizas.
Of note: As usual, the Hamilton will be recorded to be shown on TV during the winter months.
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