With sixteen veterans joining the live studio audience, it was definitely a night to remember as the Season Four finalists left it all on the ice with their final two performances on tonight’s CBC’s BATTLE OF THE BLADES. All three pairs - Violetta Afanasieva & Jason Strudwick, Marie-France Dubreuil & Mathieu Dandenault and Amanda Evora & Scott Thornton - skated one new routine of their own choosing and one favourite from this season.
For the first time this season the judges did not score the routines, which means only Canada’s votes will determine who is named Season Four champion and winner of $100,000 for their charities on the finale Gala next week, Sunday, Nov. 17 at 8 p.m. (8:30 p.m. NT). Second and third runners up will receive $35,000 and $30,000 respectively for their charities.
Fans have an extended window to cast their votes as the online voting system at cbc.ca/battle will remain open until Friday, Nov. 15 at 5 p.m. ET. New for Season Four, BATTLE OF THE BLADES fans have had the opportunity to earn extra votes and participate in the show like never before, with special games and challenges for supporters to help their favourite pairs get closer to the ultimate prize for charity.
The first-ever Extreme Ice Skating World Champion with Canadian partner/husband Peter Dack, Violetta Afanasieva is a veteran of two previous seasons of BATTLE OF THE BLADES, her partner Jason Strudwick is a two-time Memorial Cup Champion who played with the New York Islanders, Vancouver Canucks, New York Rangers, Chicago Blackhawks and Edmonton Oilers over his 14-year NHL career.
A veteran of Seasons One and Three, Marie-France Dubreuil is a two-time World Silver Medallist and five-time Canadian National Ice Dance Champion, her partner Mathieu Dandenault had a storied 13-year NHL career as a three-time Stanley Cup champion with the Detroit Red Wings, retiring with the Montreal Canadiens in 2010.
First time participant Amanda Evora is two-time U.S. Pairs Silver Medallist and the first ever Filipino-American to compete in the Winter Olympics, her partner Scott Thornton was drafted third overall in 1989 by the Toronto Maple Leafs and in his 18-year NHL career also played for the Edmonton Oilers, Montreal Canadiens, Dallas Stars, Los Angeles Kings and San Jose Sharks.
The results of the inaugural Mini Blades competitions were also revealed tonight. The seven winning performances were posted on the cbc.ca/battle and open to Canada’s votes. The first ever winners of the Mini Blades are Georgia-Ann Reidl and Austin Martell of the Stayner Skating Club (Stayner, ON). CBC in partnership with Skate Canada invited select clubs to host their own Mini Blades competitions, to serve as a fundraising initiative and spotlight local skating clubs across Canada.
BATTLE OF THE BLADES is the highest-rated original Canadian format of all time. Combining athletes from two of Canada’s favourite sports, figure skating and hockey, eight World and Olympic figure skaters pair up with eight NHL hockey greats in the ultimate skating competition for charity. Anchoring CBC’s 2013 Fall Sunday night schedule, BATTLE OF THE BLADES airs at 8 p.m. (8:30 NT) on CBC.
Find the show online at:
@cbcbattle | #BOTB
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About BATTLE OF THE BLADES:
For more information about the competitors, please visit the official online portal of BATTLE OF THE BLADES, cbc.ca/battle. BATTLE OF THE BLADES is executive produced by John Brunton, Barbara Bowlby and Sandra Bezic who is also a co-creator. Supervising producer is Lindsay Cox with producers Erin Brock and Mark Lysakowski. It is produced by Insight Productions in association with CBC Television.
About CBC/Radio-Canada
CBC/Radio-Canada is Canada’s national public broadcaster and one of its largest cultural institutions. The Corporation is a leader in reaching Canadians on new platforms and delivers a comprehensive range of radio, television, internet, and satellite-based services. Deeply rooted in the regions, CBC/Radio-Canada is the only domestic broadcaster to offer diverse regional and cultural perspectives in English, French and eight Aboriginal languages.
Insight Production Company Ltd, headed by John Brunton & Barbara Bowlby has become an industry leader in the creative development, financing and production of highly rated television programs and cutting edge multiplatform content for the global market in every genre. Since 1979, it has been recognized for its reputation for quality as the recipient of numerous international awards, including multiple Gemini’s. The company has created thousands of hours of groundbreaking television that continues to be broadcast over major networks worldwide. Recent hits include THE JUNO AWARDS, THE AMAZING RACE CANADA, BIG BROTHER CANADA, TOP CHEF CANADA, NEVER EVER DO THIS AT HOME and original formats including CANADA SINGS. For more information visit:
For more information including series synopses, press releases, hi-res images, video clips and bios, please visit the CBC Media Centre at cbc.ca/mediacentre. Follow CBC’s publicity team on Twitter @CBC_Publicity.
For media inquiries, please contact:
Erin Richards
publicist, CBC
416 205 7994 (office) / 416 627 5728 (mobile)
Cary Mignault
Unit Publicity Manager, Insight Productions
416-435-9295
