
OKANAGAN REGION
SKATE CANADA - BC/YT SECTION


EV POCHAY RECEIVED HER 50 YEAR VOLUNTEER PIN AT THE BC/YT SECTION AGM ON MAY 6, 2023
Ev is the founding member of the Valleyview Skating Club in Kamloops, BC. She has held various positions within the club including President, First Vice President, Director, Pro-Liason, and Test Chair. She ran the club's summer school for a number of years as well as power skating and hockey camps with Don Busch and NHL players. Ev has chaired numerous competitions including Adult, Regionals, Sections, and Western Divisionals. She was the Okanagan Region Chairperson for 3 years and the Region Chairperson on the BC Section Board as well as the Membership, Synchro, and Awards Chairperson for the Section, and sat on the National Board for Membership and Synchro. She was a member of the BC/YT Section board for 10 years. On top of all this Ev was a Data Specialist from 1968 to 2021.
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THANK YOU EV FOR ALL YOU DO!!
CONGRATULATIONS EV POCHAY!!



HAPPY RETIREMENT PAT!!
Happy Retirement Pat Mayne! Patricia (Pat) Mayne, well known BC judge has retired after 43 years of judging figure skating. A former skater and a long time member of the Summerland Skating Club, Pat began her judging career in 1981. Over the course of the years Pat judged all levels of tests and competitions both in the judging role and as a referee, Tech Rep and technical panel official. For a number of years Pat served on the Okanagan Region Board and took part in working with coaches to set up clinics and monitoring so many skaters over her time as a judge. Pat will be sorely missed for many reasons but mostly for the capable, dependable and caring person that she is.The Okanagan Region donated to the BC Athlete’s Trust Fund in recognition of Pat’s many years as a valuable volunteer. When contacted about the donation Pat had these words to say, and we quote:"I would like to thank you and your OK Region Board for the lovely card and generous donation to the BC Athlete's Trust Fund. I am so proud and honoured to have been a part of the Okanagan Regional team of officials and volunteers. I think of all the good times and all of our combined achievements and changes over the past 43 years. Figure Skating has truly been life altering for me. I miss everyone and wish them well in the coming years.
Sincerely and with love, Pat”



2023 Yvette Delcourt Memorial Award
The Yvette Delcourt Memorial Award was recently presented to Ava Sanderson of the Kelowna Skating Club at the 2023 Okanagan Regional Championships. Ava had the highest scoring free skate (StarSkate) of the competition. Congratulations Ava!!


Thank You Helen Eddie!!
Special recognition and gratitude to our own Helen Eddie!! Helen has now retired from judging but was honoured at a luncheon for her many years of service. We miss you Helen!!
BC/YT 2022 Annual General Meeting and Awards Evening
Congratulations BC/YT Hall of Fame Inductee Diane Nielsen!!


2022 Bill Neilson Volunteer of the Year Award
Tara Garrioch
Congratulations to Tara Garrioch of the Kamloops Skating Club on being chosen for this year's Okanagan Region Bill Neilson Volunteer of the Year Award!
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Tara began volunteering when her children started skating at her home club. She joined the Board of Directors in 2016 and quickly became President. She works tirelessly for her club making sure the skaters have the best experience possible. Recently she was instrumental in the success of our first post-Covid live Interclub Competition despite having been challenged with her own significant health issues. The best part is that Tara always does everything with a smile on her face!
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Congratulations Tara!

Ashley Sales
Kelowna Skating Club


Vienna Harwood
Kelowna Skating Club
Hailey Sales & Nikolas Wamsteeker
Kelowna Skating Club
Congratulations Okanagan Region
2022 National Competitors!!
Ottawa, Ontario
January 6-13, 2022
2022 SKATE CANADA CHALLENGE
December 1-5, 2022
Regina, Saskatchewan
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CONGRATULATIONS TO 11 SKATERS FROM THE KELOWNA SKATING CLUB
FOR QUALIFYING FOR THE 2022 SKATE CANADA CHALLENGE!
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PRE-NOVICE WOMEN
SOPHIE SANDERSON
CALISSA ADLEM
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NOVICE WOMEN
GABRIELLE JUGNAUTH
ABBY BULAWKA
MEGAN YUDIN
KONSTANTINA LOCK
JUNIOR WOMEN
ASHLEY SALES
EMILY SALES
VIENNA HARWOOD
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SENIOR DANCE
HAILEY SALES AND NIK WAMSTEEKER

2022 Skate Challenge skaters coached by
Jason and Karen Mongraine of the Kelowna Skating Club
Congratulations!
In Memory of Dan Pochay
Valleyview Skating Club

Valleyview Skating Club mourns the loss of Dan Pochay who was a beloved member of their skating community. Dan was a long time volunteer as well as a past winner of the Region's CanSkate Assistant of the Year Award. He is survived by his wife Ev who is a board member and founder of Valleyview Skating Club. Sincere condolences go out to Ev and his family.
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2020 Okanagan Region Award Recipients


CanSkater of the Year
Chloe Young
Summerland Figure Skating Club
Fortunato Family
Summerland Figure Skating Club
StarSkater of the Year
Program Assistant of the Year
Keelyn Mitchell
Summerland Figure Skating Club
Saki Smith
Glengarry Figure Skating Club
Congratulations!
Bill Neilson Volunteer Award
Saki Smith
Glengarry Figure Skating Club
StarSkater of the Year
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BC WINTER GAMES
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The 2020 BC Winter Games were held in Fort St John on February 21-23 2020. The Okanagan Region was represented by 5 skaters from the Kelowna Skating Club. The skaters were champeroned by Natalie Marleau and coached by Cambria Little both from the Kelowna Skating Club.
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Juvenile: Ariana Rose, Calissa Adlem
Pre Novice: Gabrielle Jugnauth, Ava Sanderson, Aurora Schultz
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THANK YOU JACKSON/ULTIMA AND BLADE RUNNER!!
A huge thank you to Jackson/Ultima and Dave Drake from Blade Runner for generously donating the prizes for our raffle a the Okanagan Region Championships that were held in Salmon Arm on February 7-9. The raffle consisted of 1 pair of Jackson Skates and 1 pair of Jackson blades including fitting, mounting, and shipping.
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This year's winner is Reagan West of the Williams Lake Skating Club.
Congratulations Reagan!


Congratulations Olivia!!
Olivia Gran from the Kelowna Skating Club was selected to represent Canada at the Junior Grand Prix September 11-14, 2019 in Chelyabinsk, Russia. Olivia is a member of Skate Canada's 2019/20 NextGen high performance team. She attended the competition with her coach Karen Mongrain. This is Olivia's second ISU Junior Grand Prix season.
Competition Information/Results: https://www.isu.org/events/eventdetail/12119/-/isu-junior-grand-prix-of-figure-skating
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2019 Okanagan Region CanSkater of the Year
Kate Dodsworth
Summerland Skating Club



Happy Retirement Michael!!
Michael Alvarado taking retirement into full swing!
We in the Okanagan Region are really going to miss Michael Alvarado’s smiling face as he takes his retirement to the next level. Michael will no longer be judging at skating competitions and after this year he will no longer be evaluating at test days.
Michael has been a part of the Okanagan Region skating community since approximately 1999 when he took his first judges training and since that time he has played many roles including serving on the Okanagan Region board and helping out with his local club.
Michael we will miss you but we are happy that you are enjoying a happy and healthy retirement.
Take care and all the best from the Okanagan Region!



Congratulations Emma!!
Emma Bulawka from the Kelowna Skating Club has been selected to represent Canada at the 2018 Cup of Austria from Aug 29-Sept 1, 2018. Emma will be travelling to Linz, Austria with her coach Jason Mongrain. This is Emma's first ISU Junior Grand Prix assignment.
Good Luck Emma!!




Congratulations Vienna Harwood!
Vienna Harwood of the Kelowna Skating Club is representing Skate Canada in the Novice 2018 North American Series at
Skate Milwaukee July 11-15, 2018.
Best of luck to Vienna and coach Cambria!

Skate Canada Award Winners
A huge congratulations to our very own Skate Canada National award winners! We are very proud of their amazing work within our section and region!

Joan Omasta
Section Volunteer Award of Excellence
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Dan Potts
Event Volunteer Award of Excellence

Congratulations Daria Carr!
Daria Carr of the Kelowna Skating Club was chosen by Skate Canada to compete in her first international competition at the Egna Spring Trophy in Egna, Italy April 6-7, 2018. Daria will be travelling to Italy with coach Cambria Little.
Congratulations Daria!



2018 BC WINTER GAMES
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The 2018 BC Winter Games were held in Kamloops on February 25-28 2018. The Okanagan Region was well represented by 4 skaters from the Kelowna Skating Club. Our skaters were chaperoned by Natalie Moreau and coached by Lolita Hinton both from the Kelowna Skating Club.
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Juvenile: Paige Edgar and Ava Sanderson
Pre Novice: Emily Sales and Melayna Lesko
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Congratulations Emily Sales on your
Pre Novice Gold Medal!
OK Region BC Winter Games skaters with champerone Natalie Moreau (from left) and coach Lolita Hinton
From left: Emily Sales, Melayna Lesko,
Paige Edgar, Ava Sanderson