The Vancouver Ice Dance Academy is teaming up with Fortius Sport and Health for even better figure skating results.
“This is a significant partnership for Vancouver Ice Dance Academy, and one that we believe will truly help optimize the performance of our athletes on and off the ice,” said VIDA co-director Meagan Wing in a Fortius press release. “To have access to such important training and services at a world-class facility in our own backyard is convenient and compelling for our skaters and their families.”
The highly successful former Olympic and 10-time Canadian champion ice dance team of Wing and Aaron Lowe head up VIDA at the B.C. Centre of Excellence at Burnaby 8Rinks.
Together, they have produced 22 national and 11 international ice dance medals, including current 2013 junior champions Madeline Edwards and ZhaoKai Pang of Burnaby and novice champs from Burnaby Danielle Wu and Spencer Soo.
Edwards and Pang are among the most successful young dance team currently training at the academy.
The four-time national champions and 2011 Canadian Winter Games gold medalists have also earned their share of medals internationally, including a bronze medal following a personal-best free dance at the recent junior world championships in Sofia, Bulgaria.
“We put our heart and soul into it,” said Pang following the competition.
This summer, Edwards and Pang will work on a brand new program with new music and choreography, 19-year-old Pang said. “We’re a young team. We want to keep pushing. … I think we both have Olympic dreams. We’re shooting for that.”
Strength and conditioning coach Jermaine John-Archer of The Training Centre @ Fortius will be working with Wing and Lowe in support of skaters in the VIDA program, the release stated.
Athletes and teams will have access to custom-designed training packages. Fortius also offers visiting athletes accommodation on its three floors of onsite lodging that the Canadian national women’s soccer team recently took advantage of as a resident training partner.
“We’re delighted to have the opportunity to serve the rising young athletes of the Vancouver Ice Dance Academy,” said Fortius director of institute operations Randy Goodman in the release. “We like to think VIDA skaters will have access to a strong one-two punch of athlete support.”
