Whats Up Magazine Huntsville Lake of Bays - What's Up Muskoka

WHAT’S UP MUSKOKA
SPORTS
Figure skater goes for Olympic gold
By Chris Occhiuzzi
All eyes will be focused on Vancouver
this month as Canadians prepare to
cheer on the nation’s best at the Winter
Olympics from Feb. 12-28.
While athletes from across the
nation are set to compete, one man
who calls Muskoka home is going for
glory in figure skating pairs.
Huntsville’s Bryce Davison and
partner Jessica Dube of Drummondville,
Que. sealed their trip to the Olympics in
January by winning their third Canadian
pairs title in four years.
Their performance at the national
championships in London, Ont. was
described by media experts as “inspiring”
and “stunning,” thus setting the stage for
a great skate in Vancouver.
Still, Davison isn’t taking anything
for granted and realizes the level of
competition they will come up against
at the Olympics.
“We would need to be very close to
perfect to bring home an Olympic
medal,” says Davison. “Historically the
pairs event is very clean and the winners
rarely falter.”
At this point, Davison and Dube, both
22, are training hard both mentally and
physically.
“Now is definitely more of a time to
fine tune,” says Davidson. “It’s probably a
little too late to be adding elements to our
skating now. We have worked a lot with
our sports psychologist on being in the
zone. Cliché or not, it is a place where an
athlete must go to perform at their best.”
The pair is gearing up for their opportunity
to help “own the podium,” the
Canadian Olympic Committee’s motto
for the Games.
“I feel it challenges us to be our best
when it counts, which each athlete is
certainly capable of,” he says. “As a nation
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Watch for Huntsville’s Bryce Davidson and his partner Jessica Dube at
the Vancouver Olympic Games.
our athletes have been among the top in
the world and there is no better place to
show it than on our home turf.”
Davison and Dube, who have been
partners since 2003, can draw upon
their experiences when the going gets
tough in Vancouver.
“The number one thing that has
changed for Jess and I is really the
path we have taken to get to where we
are,” says Davison. “It has been far
from a smooth ride and has formed us
into a very mature team considering
our young ages.”
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Photograph: Skate Canada/Stephan Potopnyk
While the pair won bronze at the
2008 World Championships and silver
at the 2009 Four Continents event,
many still remember a scary on-ice accident
in February 2007 at the ISU Four
Continents championships in Colorado
Springs, Colorado.
During a free skate routine,
Davison’s blade struck Dube’s face
causing a laceration, which required
surgery and 80 stitches to repair.
Dube’s subsequent return to the ice
and the pair’s success afterward has
strengthened their bond and Davison’s
admiration for her.
“Jessica is definitely a tough cookie,”
he says. “She will never stay down or
give up.”
Davison, who was actually born in
Walnut Creek, California, has lived in
various cities in Ontario and Quebec
throughout his life. However, for most
of Davison’s life, the family cottage
has been located on Lake of Bays.
It’s been a great way to enjoy some
downtime from the rigours of training
and competing.
“My family has had our cottage on
Lake of Bays my entire life,” he says.
“There is nothing better then sneaking
away to the family cottage on Lake of
Bays for a long weekend in the summer.
Friends, fun and outdoor activity.”
Prior to 2009, Davison’s hometown
was listed as Cambridge in the media,
but for good reason this is no longer
the case.
“My parents recently made our
family home in Huntsville our permanent
residence although it’s been like
home my entire life,” wrote Davison.
The figure skating pairs event takes
place Feb. 14-15, with the short
program followed by the free skate and
medal ceremony.
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