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Ex-Nepean figure skater Alaine Chartrand taking a break — but she is not retiring

Former Nepean Skating Club athlete Alaine Chartrand is taking her first break from competitive figure skating, but she’s definitely not retiring as one of Canada’s top women’s singles figure skaters.

The two-time and defending national champion moved to Vancouver about a month ago and has been accepted to study kinesiology at the University of British Columbia. Chartrand, 23, was a full-time kinesiology student at York University during the 2018-19 season, when she won her second Canadian title and competed at her third world championships.

“I haven’t had a break ... ever,” Chartrand said in a brief interview. “I’m not sure how I’ll feel after it.”

Chartrand added she has not retired and has asked Skate Canada to issue a press release to explain her new direction, which includes passing on the early-season Grand Prix competitions in the fall. She didn’t want to comment further.

In June, three-time Canadian dance champions and double Olympians Kaitlyn Weaver and Andrew Poje announced they would miss the fall skating season and evaluate their future.

On Tuesday, Skate Canada named its 27 national senior team athletes and three synchronized skating teams for the 2019-20 season. The list didn’t include Chartrand as well as Weaver and Poje.

While living in Vancouver, Chartrand also is coaching skaters of all levels at the Burnaby Skating Club and the Sunset Skating Club.

“She will not do the fall Grand Prixs and there has been no decision past that,” said John Chartrand, who is Alaine’s father. “She is trying to get resettled. She wants to get a good foothold on school. If things feel good and she can train hard, maybe she’ll go back to nationals.”

At the past seven Canadian championships, Chartrand has won five medals – two gold (2016 and 2019), one silver (2015) and two bronze (2013 and 2017).

Internationally, she has represented Canada at three world championships with a personal-best result of 11th in her debut in 2015. She won her only Grand Prix medal, a bronze, at the 2014 Rostelecom Cup.