The Toronto Star
January 21, 2007 Sunday
Breathless Buttle wins third men’s title;
Sets Canadian mark in first event after back injury
by Randy Starkman, Toronto Star
HALIFAX
Jeffrey Buttle was breathless by the end. So was the crowd.
Besides being a bit winded, Buttle certainly wasn’t looking worse for
wear last night from a three-month layoff because of a stress
fracture of his spine.
The Olympic bronze medalist, competing in his first event of the
season, wove a masterpiece last night to easily capture his third
straight men’s title at the Canadian championships. It was a magical
performance in a long program where the theme is struggle,
choreographed to Armenian music from the movie Ararat.
"I was definitely feeling a bit of a struggle at the end of the
program but I fought through," said the 24-year-old from Smooth Rock
Falls, Ont.
He had some help from a crowd of 4,883 at the Halifax Metro Centre,
not the biggest he’d seen at the nationals but certainly the loudest.
They got to their feet before the end of his program and rose again
when his marks were announced – he broke his own Canadian points
record with a total score of 232.83 points.
That Buttle is a cut above the rest is readily apparent in every deft
move he makes and in the victory margin, more than 23 points ahead of
surprise runner-up Chris Mabee of Tillsonburg, Ont., his good friend
and training partner at the Mariposa School of Skating in Barrie.
"It just shows what kind of competitor he is and that he really wants
it, so he went and got it," said the 21-year-old Mabee, who edged
veteran Emanuel Sandhu despite a shaky long program.
It was a big night for 16-year-old Patrick Chan of Toronto, who
delivered on the promise that has many believing he can be Canada’s
next big thing by vaulting from 11th after the short program to fifth
overall to make the senior national team for the first time.
"I couldn’t be more happy with it," said the personable Chan. "There
were little mistakes, but it was by far the best program I’ve done at
nationals. There’s still room for improvement."
Buttle feels that way, too. He’s got footwork and spins to
strengthen, but perhaps more importantly a quad jump that needs to
become consistent enough to include in his program for the world
championships in March in Tokyo.
"I’m definitely happy with the way it went," said Buttle, who did pop
his second triple Axel but landed seven triples in total.
Rising pairs stars Jessica Dube and Bryce Davison, showing off moves
reminiscent of Olympic champions Jamie Sale and David Pelletier, were
impressive in knocking off three-time defending pairs champions
Valerie Marcoux and Craig Buntin to win gold last night.
Heading into the championships, Dube and Davison were mentally
frazzled. Fortunately, they found skilled therapists in Sale and
Pelletier.
Dube’s neck was injured in a horrifying accident when Davison dropped
her on a lift at a summer competition, and then she went under
arthroscopic knee surgery in September.
Dube, 19, of Drummondville, Que., and Davison, 20, of Cambridge,
hadn’t competed this season and feared they weren’t prepared, but a
three-day training session around Christmas with Sale and Pelletier
convinced them otherwise.
In ice dance, Marie-France Dubreuil looked sharp in winning the
original dance with partner Patrice Lauzon, but said afterwards it
was tough slugging because she’s battling a bad flu bug and injury.
Still, they look like a lock to win their fifth title today ahead of
promising duo Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir of London, Ont., former
world junior champions.