News Releases

BMO Financial Group and Skate Canada invite friends, family, skating enthusiasts, media representatives and the general public to lace up their skates and participate in the 2007 BMO Community Skate on November 17th, at the Pacific Coliseum at the PNE. Participants will have the opportunity to skate with several current Canadian Skating Champions who will be competing at the upcoming 2008 BMO Canadian Figure Skating Championships, January 16 to 20, at the PNE.

The BMO Community Skate features two public skating sessions at 1:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m., as well as a skating show, showcasing Canadian national team and junior national team athletes, which gets underway at 2:45 p.m. Athletes performing in the show include Jessica Dub� and Bryce Davison (2007 Canadian Champions), Emanuel Sandhu (three-time Canadian Champion), Liz Putnam (third at 2006 Four Continents), Rika Inoda (Novice Champion), Jeremy Ten (Junior Champion), Allie Hann-McCurdy and Michael Coreno (2006 Junior Champions), Cecylia Witkowski (Junior Bronze Medalist) and Liam Firus (Pre-Novice Champion). Ten-time Canadian Ice Dance Champion and 2003 World Ice Dance Champion Victor Kraatz and Honorary Chair of the 2008 BMO Canadian Figure Skating Championships will act as master of ceremonies for the skating show, and will be on the ice for both skating sessions.

“Last year, over 600 skaters participated in the 2006 BMO Community Skate in Halifax,” said Richard Rudderham, Senior Vice-President, BC and Yukon Division, BMO Bank of Montreal. “I'm convinced that skating enthusiasts in Metro Vancouver will join in even larger numbers in this year's event and seize this unique opportunity to get up close and personal with champion skaters”.

Tickets to the BMO Community Skate are $5 and are available to the public. They can be purchased in advance at the Skate Canada BC office by calling 604 205-6960. Tickets are also available at the PNE on the day of the BMO Community Skate. Proceeds will be donated to the Skate Canada Athlete Fund.

BMO Community Skate Details

The 2007 BMO Community Skate was established to promote the upcoming BMO Canadian Figure Skating Championship and the launch of the single event ticket sales.

BMO Canadian Figure Skating Championship tickets can be purchased on line at www.ticketmaster.ca or by telephone at 604 280-4444.

In addition to the BMO Community Skate, members of the Skate Canada national team will be signing autographs at the following BMO Bank of Montreal Branch in Burnaby:

Autograph signing session at BMO

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Skate Canada, the national governing body responsible for the development and administration of figure skating in Canada, is the largest figure skating association in the world. With skating programs for athletes of all ages, offered at 1366* clubs across the country, Skate Canada is an association dedicated to providing every Canadian the opportunity to experience the passion, spirit and triumph of skating.

BMO Financial Group is the title sponsor of the Canadian Championships, Junior Nationals and the Synchronized Nationals as well as the qualifying events that lead to the national championships, the Sectional and Challenge events. Recognizing the need to support young skaters in their quest for excellence, BMO Financial Group also supports Skate Canada's learn-to-skate program, CanSkate, which is taught in over 1,300 skating clubs and schools across Canada.

* As at August 30, 2007.