Weaver and Poje create some magic in Halifax ndrew Poje and Kaitâ€" Allï¬'n Weaver‘s feet still aven‘t touched the ground after they were surâ€" prise winners of the bronze medal at the Canadian Senior Ice Dance champiâ€" onship in Halifax last weekâ€" end. Ice dancers bring back bronze from Canadian skating _chqmpionships There was a good vibe about Canada‘s newest iceâ€" dance couple heading into the BMO Financial Skating Championship last week, with the pair already winâ€" ning a couple of bronzes at two international skating competitions before skating for the first time on the national stage. That‘s not bad for a couple who only got together last August after their longtime partners both decided to retire to attend university. But something brought these two together. Weaver, 17, said it was magic, while Poje, 19, a science student at the University of Waterloo, would say it was chemistry. Whatever the alchemy, coach Paul Macintosh said there was a buzz about the young skating duo among the judges and others in the Team Canada enjoys redâ€"letter day at Gloodwill Games t‘s lucky the Shamuon Ifamily of _ Waterloo opened their own martial arts club last year because they would have run out of room in the basement of their home after another record medal haul at the Goodwill Games in Cancun, Mexico "The basement is defiâ€" nitely full." said Lorenza Shamuon, the captain of Team Canada who brought home six gold medals from the competition. "Now we have a little more space to work with." The competition, sancâ€" tioned by the World Conâ€" gress of Martial Arts. was a redâ€"letter day for the rest of Team Canada as well. They brought home 67 of the 77 By Bos VrBANAC Chronicle Staff AwWC NEW YEAR = NEW, LOWER PRICES! know at their first nationals together. Only four Canadiâ€" an judges had seen them previously, but they seemed to like the way the couple looked and skated together. That raised their hopes at the competition. Given the expectation, Weaver and Poje‘s hopes were still modest with the duo shooting for a top five finish to qualify them for Team Canada and future international assignments. They were right in the thick of it when they finished their last skate climbing to third, with two more teams to folâ€" low. That wasn‘t a bad result considering they started the competition in seventh after the compulsory golden waltz before climbing to fifth after their tangoâ€"inspired original dance. They waited nervously, and were right in the middle of doing television interâ€" views when the improbable occurred. Not only had they secured a topâ€"five spot, they had skated themselves right on to the podium. "It was surreal," said Poje. "We knew we had good proâ€" grams, and we knew we had a fighting chance at the gold medals available at the competition and 170 medals in total. That represented 90 per cent of the medals availâ€" able in an event that feaâ€" tured more than 200 comâ€" petitors from countries like the U.S. and England. "We were the most surâ€" prised," said Shamuon about her Team Canada teammates, who made a constant beeline to the podium. "It was like us conâ€" stantly going up there, and at one point people thought they should just sit on the podium because the same person was up there for six different divisions. "It was quite an awesome feeling." But more important than the personal accolades, said Shamuon, who also won her fifth straight triple Crown title, were the team‘s accom vwwater| Kaitlyn Weaver and Andrew Poje shocked the Canadian championships by winning bronze in the ice dance. . **t m0t0 national team, but we never _ was possible." thought we could do this. It also reaffirmed the "It just didn‘t seem like it â€" decision he made five Julian, Lorenza and Silvana Shamuon show off the Triple Crown rings they earned recently at the Goodwill Games in Cancun, Mexico. »08 vesanac PiOTH plishments. This included _ Goodwill Games before, b the youth team under her _ when she found out st tutelage. Shamuon has won _ could be competing in seven individual golds at the _ youth competition wi SPORTS Goodwill Games before, but when she found out she could be competing in a youth competition with BUYING A USED VW EQUALS PEACE OF MIND. Here‘s why: * 2 year 40,000 km comprehensive limited warranty * 2 year unlimited mileag Rodiside Assistance * Low Finance Rates by Volkswagen Finance O.A.C. (For details check www vwwaterloo com) Volkswagen Waterloo 550 Weber St. North, Waterloo (519) 884â€"7470 months ago when he decidâ€" ed to join forces with Weaver. "Just to think five months ago l almost quit skating," said Poje. "Now I‘m on the world team." Weaver was still giddy about the result. It was conâ€" firmation that the move she made from the U.S. was worth it. "We didn‘t know what was going to happen, but we just kept improving with each segment," said Weaver. "Finishing third was really unexpected, but it was a great experience." The bronze medal qualiâ€" fies Weaver and Poje to skate at the world championships, which neither of them were prepared for. They don‘t have much time to revel in their stunning success with work on the world‘s beginâ€" ning on the ice today at the Kâ€"W Skating Club‘s home at Waterioo‘s RIM Park. "It makes it harder because it‘s worlds and everybody is competing," said Poje. "That‘s a lot of pressure, which makes it harder, but it‘s worthwhile." "That‘s amazing because we were just hoping to make the junior world team let some of her students, she stepped aside to give them a fighting chance. "They moved us into a kids‘ division against all my students and I didn‘t feel right about that," said Shamuon, a fineâ€"arts stuâ€" dent at the University of Waterloo. "So I bowed out of it. Three of the golds she did end up winning she also gave to students who didn‘t place. She though it was more important to hang up banners for the Martial Arts Hall of Fame and the World Championships at the club that can also serve as inspiâ€" ration for her students. "I just did an opening show to get the crowd going and let the kids compete." "My happiness comes in working with the kids‘ team." said Shamuon. "If info@vwwaterioo.com alone the senior world team," said Weaver. "It‘s just great to represent Canada internationally." The senior worlds are in Toyko, Japan, in March and that doesn‘t leave them a lot of time to get ready. They will be joined in Toyko by Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir, forâ€" mer clubmates of Poje‘s who also once trained under Macintosh. "It was like oldâ€"home week," said Macintosh with another of his protégés, Lief Gislason, finishing fourth in the ice dance. So are the 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver a possiâ€" bility? More so now, said Poje, after this result. "Now it‘s totally reachâ€" able," said Poje. "It motivates you for the 2010 Games." The bronze medal also qualifies them for the world juniors in Germany, which will have them as a favourite to bring home another medal after Virtue and Moir won gold last year. In the senior women‘s competition, Waterloo‘s Erin Scherrer finished 10th. She struggled early finishing 13th in her compulsories before finishing ninth in the free skate. the kids are happy. I‘m happy." â€" It‘s part of the program her family is trying to build at the Shamuon Generation of Martial Arts Karate club in Waterioo with her dad, Tom. and siblings Julian and Sil vana. Julian and Silvana also did quite well winning Triple Crown titles by winning gold in the traditional events of forms, weapons and spar rting. Julian ended up with four golds and four silvers. while Silvana had three golds, a silver and a bronze Luke Molnar also won a Triple Crown title for Team Canada with three golds and a bronze. In total, 53 out of the 56 members of Team Canada who attended the event won at least one medal. Multiple Continued on page 25