Preston Figure Skating Club

Preston's History.

The Preston Figure Skating Club has trained competitors at the Olympic Winter Games, the International circuit and the World events since 1974. Much of this representation has been in the pair category. Without the fantastic coaching staff of the Preston FSC, we would never have been able to accomplish these results!

In the Beginning...
The Preston FSC was formed in the fall of 1958 with a membership of about 50 skaters and quickly grew from there. Under the careful direction of coach Fay Love, the club grew as skaters displayed their talents in their first carnival in 1961, Rhapsody. The coaching staff for the 1964-1965 season was Bonnie Goss & Kerry Leitch who trained the first team of 13 skaters for a Western Ontario Sectional Competition.

The start of the podium...
In 1965-1966 the sectional team grew to 29 members and the first gold medals were won, by Jane Patterson in novice ladies and Barbara Schilling in junior ladies.

1970's
The first medal at a Canadian Championships was brought home by Janice Maikawa & Reed MacDonald, who took second place in the 1971 novice pairs.

The first Prestonians to win a national title at the Canadian Figure Skating Championships were Kathy Hutchinson & Jamie McGragor. In 1973 they were the junior pair champions. As senior pair in 1974, the couple placed 3rd in Canada and won berths on the Canadian World Championships team. In 1975 they won silver at the Canadian Championships and were 14th at the World Championships.

Sherri Baier (Phelan) and Robin Cowan quickly followed the club's championship trail. After capturing the Canadian novice pairs title in 1975, they maintained their winning streak the following year at Canadian Juniors, when they captured the World Junior Pairs title. At the Senior level, they won the pair title and represented Canada at Worlds in Ottawa.

In 1977 Paul Mills & Josie Franc (Jamieson) moved onto the scene capturing the junior world title.

In 1978 Llyod Eisler was just starting out and paired with Lorri Baier they took silver in junior pairs at the Canadians. The following year they won Junior Canadians. Beccy Gough (Magliarisi) and Mark Rowsom went on to compete at the World Juniors finishing third.

1980's
In 1981 Lorri Bairer and Llyod Eisler finished ninth at the World Championships. Two years later Eisler and his new partner Katherina Matousek were 10th while Cynthia Coull and Mark Rowsom were ninth. Eisler and Matousek at the 1984 Olympics finished 8th while Melina Kunhegyi and Lyndon Johnston were 12th. They would continue to improve in 1985, capturing a bronze medal, while Kunhegyi & Johnston would finish 5th and Coull & Rowsom finished skating together with a 3rd at the 1986 World Championships.

Denise Benning & Lyndon Johnston finished sixth in the Calgary Olympics and fifth at worlds, while Christine Hough & Doug Ladret were eighth in Calgary and ninth at worlds.

Cindy Landry teamed up with Lyndon Johnston for the 1989 World Championships as they captured a best performance ever at the level, winning a silver medal.

1990's
At the 1991 Worlds, Hough and Ladret finished 11th and in 1992 ninth at the Olympics.

In 1992 Jodeyne Higgins and Sean Rice finished third at Canadians while Kevin Wheeler and Michelle Menzies finished fourth.

In 1993 Higgins and Rice advanced to the World Championships finishing 10th but missed Worlds the following season, with a 6th place finish at Canadians. They jumped back onto the Medal podium with a bronze at the nationals and grabbed 14th at the worlds in 1995.

At the 1996 Canadian Championships we had a medallist at the Novice, Junior and Senior ranks in pairs.

The 1997 Novice Pair Bonze Medallist were Ashley Daly and Greg Moore.

At the 1998 Canadian Championships, Samantha Marchant won the bronze medal in the junior ladies event. Elisabeth Rumble and Mathew Hickey missed the podium by one placement finishing a respective 4th place in the Novice Pair Event. Melissa Mazzon and Mark Leslie finished 1st at the North American Challenge in pairs, while Matt King finished 3rd in the mens competition.

In 1999 Krista Ricciatti and Shawn Verasammy won the Pairs title at the Juvenile Canadian Championships. Melissa Masson and Mark Leslie were named to represent Canada at the Junior Grand Prix event in Ostrava, Czech Republic, finishing 1st.

Preston still showcasing skaters in all disciplines... At the 2000 Canadian Championships, Alyssa Wise and Ricardo DiNucci finished 4th at the Novice level, while Mazzon and Leslie finished 3rd in the junior ranks. That summer Shannon Smith and Chris Hube finished 2nd in the North American Challange.

In 2001 Krista Ricciatti and Shawn Verasammy finished third in pre-novice at the Junior Canadian Championships.

Shannon Murray and Christopher McEwen competed at their first International event, being the top Canadian team finishing fourth overall.

In 2002 Carolyn McEwen and Gord Willemse finished 4th in Junior at the Canadian Championships.

In their second year together, Aimee Collier and Chris Richardson represented Canada in Phoenix Arizona at the 2002 North American Challenge. Also in their second year together Claire Daugulis and Bryce Davison competed at their first junior grand prix event in Phoenix Arizona.

At the 2003 Senior National Championships Aimee Collier and Chris Richardson, both home club Preston Members placed 3rd in the Junior Pair discipline. Bryce Davison moved up the ranks to finish 3rd at the 2003 Junior National Men Championships.

This team, Taylor Steele and Dan Jackson travel to train at the Preston FSC on a weekly basis. They finished 3rd in the Pre-Novice Pair event at the 2004 Junior National Championships.

The Preston Figure Skating Club is proud to have had these skaters represent their community over the last 4 decades.