Olympic Champions Virtue and Moir Confirm Plans for 2012-2013 Season
OTTAWA, ON: The 2010 Olympic Ice Dance Champions and two-time world champions Tessa Virtue, 23, London, Ont., and Scott Moir, 24, Ilderton, Ont., plan to continue training in Canton, Michigan. With preparation underway for the 2012-2013 season, Marina Zoueva will be the main coach for the team.
When the duo returned to their training base in Canton after a six-week absence which saw them touring with Stars on Ice and taking some planned vacation time, they learned that their coaching team of Marina Zoueva and Igor Shpiland would no longer be working together.
The two had moved to Canton, Michigan at the ages of 15 and 17 to train with the team of Shpilband and Zoueva. According to Moir, “their coaching partnership provided an enjoyable and productive training environment and together we experienced great success on the ice. We were obviously disappointed to receive the news that our coaching team of Marina and Igor will no longer be working together.”
Virtue appreciated the positive relationship they have shared with Shpilband during that eight-year period. “It was an honour to work with him every day, and we respect his dance knowledge and technical expertise. We are very grateful to him for everything he has helped us achieve.”
The duo is back on the ice preparing for the upcoming skating season and focused on training. Virtue added, “We’re in in the process of creating two new programs and are really excited to compete in the 2012-2013 skating season.”
The two are scheduled to compete at two events on the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating circuit this fall, Skate Canada International in Windsor, Ont., October 26-28 and Rostelecom Cup in Moscow, Russia, November 9-11. |