Cynthia Phaneuf Claims Second Canadian Title

AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Jonathan Hayward

Coach Annie Barabe and Cynthia Phaneuf celebrate her second Canadian title.

In a lesson in perseverence Cynthia Phaneuf won her second Canadian champion on Saturday afternoon, seven years after her first title, rebounding from years of injuries and dramatic growth spurts that would have ended the career of lesser-determined athletes.

"Finally, finally, finally,” Phaneuf said moments after regaining the ladies title.

Myriane Samson rebounded from a fall in the short program that left her in fourth place to pull up to a silver medal. Her finish landed her a spot on the world team for the second year in a row; she finished 29th in 2010, as a replacement for Joannie Rochette. Amelie LaCoste finished third for the second Canadians bronze medal of her career, and Alejandra Navarro fell to fourth.

2011 Canadian Championships Senior Ladies Final Results

1 Cynthia Phaneuf QC 60.77 111.55 172.32
2 Myriane Samson QC 49.75 108.07 157.82
3 Amelie Lacoste QC 50.86 100.86 151.72
4 Alexandra Najarro CO 52.12 95.26 147.38
5 Adriana DeSanctis CO 47.81 96.42 144.23
6 Jessica Dube QC 48.81 82.09 130.90
7 Vanessa Grenier QC 44.13 85.80 129.93
8 Dallas Daniel AB/NT/NU 38.99 90.68 129.67
9 Kate Charbonneau MB 38.61 81.89 120.50
10 Sarah Jourdain QC 45.69 70.23 115.92
11 Devon Neuls BC/YT 37.92 77.01 114.93
12 Kelsey McNeil NB 34.52 75.40 109.92
13 Rylie McCulloch-Casarsa WO 38.61 68.59 107.20
14 Jessica-Amy Sergeant AB/NT/NU 36.05 70.73 106.78
15 Izabel Valiquette QC 35.62 69.09 104.71
16 Daniela-Bella Favot WO 33.97 65.08 99.05
17 Karine Chevrier QC 36.57 61.13 97.70
18 Jacqueline Lenuik BC/YT 33.36 56.06 89.42

Who is Alexandra Najarro?

Darren Stone, Victoria Times Colonist

Alexandra Najarro surprised many yesterday when she placed second in the ladies short program at the 2011 Canadian Figure Skating Championships. She may have even stunned herself. The petite teenager was already on a bus heading back to the competitors' hotel when she was dragged off of it to answer reporters' questions. "I'm new to all this," she apologized.

With a clean short program skate under her belt, triple toe-double toe combination, triple flip and double axel, Najarro lingers only behind Cynthia Phaneuf heading into today's long program. Although the young skater may now find herself heading to Tokyo, Japan in March as part of Canada's World team, she maintains that a trip to junior worlds would be thrilling enough.

Truth is, Najarro is already a seasoned skater on the international level, having spent three years on the junior grand prix circuit with her highest finish, a 5th place, at the 2008 John Curry Memorial. She placed 15th in the senior ladies division at the 2010 Canadians.

Here are some quick facts on Najarro.

She hails from Vaghan, Ontario.

17-year-old Najarro began skating at the age of five.

She will skate to Raul di Blasio's Otonal in today's free skate.

Short Program music: Tritsch Tratsch Plka by Johann Strauss with Second Waltz by Andre Rieu

'80s skating phenom Tracey Wainman coaches Najarro.

Choreographers: Shae-Lynn Bourne and Myke Gillman.

The teen attends a French immersion high school.

She played a small role in the Disney's Ice Princess film as Snowplow Sam.

Cynthia Phaneuf Halfway to Second Canadian Championship

Coach Annie Barabe and student

Cynthia Phaneuf celebrate a great short program

Reuters/Andy Clark

"When I came here I didn't hide myself from it. I said it openly. I'm here to win, and I'm not going to say that I want to skate well and be proud when I get off the ice. I want to go home and have the gold around my neck, and I know what I have to do to have the medal."

- Cynthia Phaneuf - January 21, 2010 - Post-Short Program

It's refreshing to see a female skater with a healthy and openly competitive attitude.

The final skater of the evening, Cynthia Phaneuf, won the short program at the 2011 Canadian Figure Skating Championships tonight. The Quebc skater performed a clean short program and heads into tomorrow's long program with a healthy 8.65 lead over second place finisher, 17-year-old Alexandra Najarro. Amelie Lacoste and Myriane Samson finished third and fourth, respectively. Jessica Dube, whose pairs partner Bryce Davison is sitting out the seasonfollowing knee surgery, placed fifth in her return to singles skating, while former US competitor Adriana DeSanctis sits in sixth place.

Short Program Results

1	Cynthia Phaneuf	QC	60.77	-	60.77
2	Alexandra Najarro	CO	52.12	-	52.12
3	Amelie Lacoste	QC	50.86	-	50.86
4	Myriane Samson	QC	49.75	-	49.75
5	Jessica Dube	QC	48.81	-	48.81
6	Adriana DeSanctis	CO	47.81	-	47.81
7	Sarah Jourdain	QC	45.69	-	45.69
8	Vanessa Grenier	QC	44.13	-	44.13
9	Dallas Daniel	AB/NT/NU	38.99	-	38.99
10	Rylie McCulloch-Casarsa	WO	38.61	-	38.61
11	Kate Charbonneau	MB	38.61	-	38.61
12	Devon Neuls	BC/YT	37.92	-	37.92
13	Karine Chevrier	QC	36.57	-	36.57
14	Jessica-Amy Sergeant	AB/NT/NU	36.05	-	36.05
15	Izabel Valiquette	QC	35.62	-	35.62
16	Kelsey McNeil	NB	34.52	-	34.52
17	Daniela-Bella Favot	WO	33.97	-	33.97
18	Jacqueline Lenuik	BC/YT	33.36	-	33.36

Cynthia Phaneuf in Pursuit of Canadian Championship #2

Paul Chiasson/The Canadian Press

Cynthia Phaneuf, above with coach, Annie Barabe, finished fifth at the 2010 World Figure Skating Championships. With Olympic bronze medalist Joannie Rochette sitting out the season, Phaneuf is the favorite to win the ladies title at the 2011 Canadian Figure Skating Championships. The twenty-three-year old last won the competition in 2004

The ladies short program begins this Friday at 6:20 pm PST. Here is the start order:

1 Daniela-Bella Favot WO

2 Karine Chevrier QC

3 Jessica-Amy Sergeant AB/NT/NU

4 Kelsey McNeil NB

5 Sarah Jourdain QC

6 Jacqueline Lenuik BC/YT

7 Izabel Valiquette QC

8 Rylie McCulloch-Casarsa WO

9 Jessica Dube QC

10 Devon Neuls BC/YT

11 Kate Charbonneau MB

12 Dallas Daniel AB/NT/NU

13 Adriana DeSanctis CO

14 Alexandra Najarro CO

15 Vanessa Grenier QC

16 Amelie Lacoste QC

17 Myriane Samson QC

18 Cynthia Phaneuf QC