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Kaiya Ruiter

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Kaiya Ruiter
Born (2006-05-13) 13 May 2006 (age 18)
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
HometownCalgary, Alberta
Height1.52 m (5 ft 0 in)
Figure skating career
Country Canada
DisciplineWomen's singles
CoachBrian Orser
Tracy Wilson
Skating clubCalalta Figure Skating Club
Began skating2010
Canadian Championships
Gold medal – first place 2024 Calgary Singles
Silver medal – second place 2023 Oshawa Singles
"" Winter Youth Olympics ""
Bronze medal – third place 2024 Gangneung Team

Kaiya Ruiter (born 13 May 2006) is a Canadian figure skater. She is a two-time ISU Challenger Series silver medalist, the 2024 Canadian national champion, and the 2023 Canadian national silver medalist.

On the junior level, Ruiter is a 2024 Youth Olympic bronze medalist in the team event, a two-time ISU Junior Grand Prix medalist and the 2020 Canadian junior national champion.

Personal life

[edit]

Ruiter was born on 13 May 2006 in Ottawa, Ontario, to parents Kris and Victoria. She is the second of four children. Her three sisters – Keaghan, Vaunya, and Vyan – have all competed in figure skating.[1] Ruiter attends school through a homeschooling program.[2]

Career

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Early years

[edit]

Ruiter began learning to skate with her parents and sisters at age four on the Rideau Canal in Ottawa. She officially began training at age six at the Gloucester Skating Club under Darlene Joseph.[2]

Ruiter's family relocated from Ottawa to Edmonton in 2016 when Ruiter was 10, and there she began training under Ravi Walia, coach of the 2018 Olympic bronze medalist Kaetlyn Osmond. However, ten months later, the family moved again, this time to Calgary, and Ruiter began working with her current coaches, Jeff Langdon and Scott Davis, per Walia's recommendation. Ruiter landed her first triple jump, a triple toe loop, in November 2018 and went on to learn the rest of her triple jumps and triple-triple combinations within a year.[1]

In January 2019, Ruiter won the 2019 Canadian novice national title, setting a new national record for the novice women's event with a score of 139.57 (later broken by Amy Shao Ning Yang in 2020).[3] The following month, she competed at her first international assignment, the 2019 Bavarian Open, where she placed third in the novice women's category behind Kimmy Repond of Switzerland, and Lindsay Thorngren from the United States.[4]

2019–20 season: International junior debut

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As the reigning national novice champion, Ruiter was selected to appear twice on the Junior Grand Prix in the autumn of 2019, with her first assignment being the 2019 JGP Latvia in Riga.[5] Making errors in both programs, she finished eleventh overall but called it "a great experience," adding that "I just loved to skate out there and enjoyed every moment even though I didn't have my best skate."[6] She made a significant improvement at her second event, the 2019 JGP Italy in Egna, where she finished sixth.[7] Her score of 159.07 points was a junior record for a Canadian woman.[8]

Following her international outings, Ruiter competed at and won the junior event at the 2020 Skate Canada Challenge, the final qualifying event for the 2020 Canadian Junior Championships.[9] She took the gold medal with a total score of 174.83 points, bettering her own national junior record and winning by a margin of 31.52 points over silver medallist Emily Millard.[8] By the time of the championships, Ruiter was attracting significant media attention due to both her technical content and the comparatively weak women's field at the senior event that occurred. She was the only competitor at either the senior or junior levels to successfully perform a triple Lutz-triple toe loop combination and one of only a few to even attempt it. Her score was slightly short of senior national champion Emily Bausback's winning score of 175.54, but would have surpassed it with the additional senior choreographic sequence included.[8][10]

Ruiter was given additional international assignments for the remainder of the season, first winning gold in the junior event at the Bavarian Open.[11] Her season had a disappointing finish at the 2020 World Junior Championships in Tallinn, where she fell twice in the short program and did not qualify for the free skate segment, coming in thirty-first.[1]

2020–21 season: Pandemic

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The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic significantly disrupted training and competitions for all skaters.[1] With the international junior season and the Canadian domestic season largely cancelled, Ruiter's lone major competitive appearance came at a virtually-held 2021 Skate Canada Challenge. Competing in the senior women's category for the first time, she won the short program but dropped to fourth place following the free skate.[12]

2021–22 season: JGP medals

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With the resumption of international junior competition, Ruiter was again given two Junior Grand Prix assignments, this time to both editions of the French Junior Grand Prix, held in consecutive weeks in Courchevel. Notably, Russian skaters could not participate in these two events due to Russia's Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine not meeting France's standards for adequate vaccination, significantly affecting the women's field given Russian dominance in that discipline in years prior.[13] At the first event, Ruiter was third after the short program, behind Americans Clare Seo and Lindsay Thorngren, but overtook Seo in the free skate and won the silver medal. This was the first JGP medal for a Canadian woman since Gabrielle Daleman's bronze medal in 2013.[14] The following weekend, Ruiter won the bronze medal, becoming the first Canadian woman multi-medallist on the Junior Grand Prix since 2008.[15] She said she was "so proud" of the results.[16]

Following the Junior Grand Prix, Ruiter had planned to compete at the senior level as well, aiming to qualify for the Canadian Olympic team for Beijing.[17] However, she sustained a significant injury in training in November 2021, falling and slicing her calf muscles with the blade of her own skate.[18] She later developed scar tissue problems, and was unable to resume proper training for almost a year.[17]

2022–23 season: International senior debut

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In her return to international competition, Ruiter made her Challenger series debut at the 2022 CS Ice Challenge in Graz. Sixth after the short program, she rose to second via the free skate, winning the silver medal.[19]

After finishing sixth at Skate Canada Challenge, Ruiter qualified to the 2023 Canadian Championships, her first appearance at the senior level. Sixth in the short program after a jumping error, she went on to win the free skate and rise to second overall. Ruiter called her silver medal result "absolutely incredible."[17] Coach Scott Davis called it "a testament to her daily training," after all the difficulties of the preceding year.[20]

Ruiter was named as Canada's lone women's entry at the 2023 World Junior Championships.[21] The World Junior Championships were held in Ruiter's hometown of Calgary, in the WinSport Arena at Canada Olympic Park, her primary training location. She called it "a dream come true to get to perform not only in front of the home crowd but this is my home rink."[22] Eleventh in the short program, she moved up to tenth after the free skate, and said it was "really special to perform here in front of friends and family."[23] Ruiter's placement guaranteed two spots for Canadian women at the 2024 World Junior Championships.

2023–24 season: National title and Youth Olympics

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Ruiter began the season by winning the bronze medal at the 2023 Cranberry Cup International.[24] On the Challenger circuit, she won the silver medal at the 2023 CS Autumn Classic International, having come fourth in the short program but then risen to second in the free skate.[25] Ruiter made her Grand Prix debut at the 2023 Skate Canada International and came tenth.[26]

At the Skate Canada Challenge, the final qualifier to the 2024 Canadian Championships, Ruiter finished second.[27] Shortly after this, she was named to the Canadian delegation to the 2024 Winter Youth Olympics. Ruiter said she was "honoured and beyond excited" at the opportunity, noting that "I get to compete on the same ice where my idol, Kaetlyn Osmond, won two Olympic medals."[28]

Competing at the 2024 Canadian Championships in her hometown of Calgary, Ruiter placed second in the short program but won the free skate, edging out two-time Canadian champion, Madeline Schizas, and taking the gold medal. Following the event, Ruiter said, "Just having that skate out there, that just felt like magic to me. That was one of the most special performances I've ever had in my life and just to get to share that with my family and friends and everyone that I love, it's just surreal."[29]

Ruiter was sixth in the short program at the Youth Olympic women's event, but struggles in the free skate saw her twelfth in that segment, dropping to eleventh overall. She admitted that "there were certainly some highlights that I'm really proud of, and it wasn't what I was hoping for."[30] She was part of Team Canada in the team event, coming fourth of five skaters in her segment and contributing to the team's bronze medal win. Ruiter credited the team atmosphere for boosting her performance in comparison to the prior outing, and called wearing an Olympic medal "surreal."[31] At the 2024 World Junior Championships, she finished twenty-first.[32]

2024–25 season

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In September, Ruiter moved to Toronto to train full-time at the Toronto Cricket, Skating and Curling Club under coaches Brian Orser and Tracy Wilson. Speaking on this move, Ruiter explained, "I spent the past two summers out there and this summer, especially, is when I realized you know what, this fit is kind of what I need right now. The culture, the club, the coaches, the skaters … it just really fits for me right now. I really love it." While Ruiter's father remained in Calgary for his job, her mother and two younger sisters moved to Toronto with her.[33]

Ruiter started the season by competing at the 2024 CS Denis Ten Memorial Challenge, where she finished seventh. She then competed at 2024 Skate Canada International where she would come in eighth place.[24]

Programs

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Season Short program Free skating Exhibition
2024–2025
[34][35]
2023–2024
[36][37]
  • Inspiration
    by Florian Christl & The Modern String Quintet
    Choreo. by David Wilson
2022–2023
[38]
2020–2022
[39]
  • Opportunity
    By Sia
    Choreo. by Jeff Langdon
2019–2020
[40]

Competitive highlights

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Competition placements at senior level [41]
Season 2020–21 2022–23 2023–24 2024–25
Canadian Championships C 2nd 1st
GP Skate Canada 10th 8th
CS Autumn Classic 2nd
CS Denis Ten Memorial 7th
CS Ice Challenge 2nd
CS Warsaw Cup TBD
Cranberry Cup 3rd
Skate Canada Challenge 4th 6th 2nd
Competition placements at junior level [41]
Season 2019–20 2021–22 2022–23 2023–24
Winter Youth Olympics 11th
Winter Youth Olympics
(Team event) 		3rd
World Junior Championships 31st 10th 21st
Canadian Championships 1st
JGP France I 2nd
JGP France II 3rd
JGP Italy 6th
JGP Latvia 11th
Bavarian Open 1st
Skate Canada Challenge 1st

Detailed results

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ISU personal best scores in the +5/-5 GOE System [41]
Segment Type Score Event
Total TSS 179.92 2021 JGP France II
Short program TSS 63.17 2021 JGP France II
TES 35.43 2021 JGP France II
PCS 28.73 2023 CS Autumn Classic International
Free skating TSS 118.10 2021 JGP France I
TES 61.59 2021 JGP France I
PCS 59.14 2023 CS Autumn Classic International

Senior level

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2024–25 season
Date Event SP FS Total
25–27 October 2024 2024 Skate Canada International 7
57.66 		10
104.66 		8
162.32
3–6 October 2024 2024 CS Denis Ten Memorial Challenge 10
52.78 		7
106.97 		7
159.75
2023–2024 season
Date Event SP FS Total
8–14 January 2024 2024 Canadian Championships 2
58.25 		1
122.61 		1
180.86
30 Nov. – 3 Dec. 2023 2024 Skate Canada Challenge 2
60.22 		3
116.20 		2
176.42
27–29 October 2023 2023 Skate Canada International 9
55.82 		11
99.62 		10
155.44
14–17 September 2023 2023 CS Autumn Classic International 4
58.87 		2
113.81 		2
172.68
9–13 August 2023 2023 Cranberry Cup International 5
56.19 		5
108.24 		3
164.43
2022–23 season
Date Event SP FS Total
9–15 January 2023 2023 Canadian Championships 6
59.54 		1
129.82 		2
189.36
30 Nov. – 3 Dec. 2022 2023 Skate Canada Challenge 1
65.86 		9
95.40 		6
161.26
9–13 November 2022 2022 CS Ice Challenge 6
55.36 		1
117.06 		2
172.42
2020–21 season
Date Event SP FS Total
8–17 January 2021 2021 Skate Canada Challenge 1
62.91 		7
100.26 		4
163.17

Junior level

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2023–24 season
Date Event SP FS Total
Feb. 26 – Mar. 3, 2024 2024 World Junior Championships 19
54.62 		20
106.57 		21
161.19
1 February 2024 2024 Winter Youth Olympics (Team) – 4
103.41 		3T/4P
103.41
28–30 January 2024 2024 Winter Youth Olympics 6
58.78 		12
96.17 		11
154.95
2022–23 season
Date Event SP FS Total
27 Feb. – 5 Mar. 2023 2023 World Junior Championships 11
57.71 		11
111.94 		10
169.65
2021–22 season
Date Event SP FS Total
25–28 August 2021 2021 JPG France II 3
63.17 		4
116.75 		3
179.92
18–21 August 2021 2021 JPG France I 3
59.50 		2
118.10 		2
177.60
2019–20 season
Date Event SP FS Total
2–8 March 2020 2020 World Junior Championships 31
47.27 		— 31
47.27
3–9 February 2020 2020 Bavarian Open 2
57.71 		1
107.51 		1
165.22
13–19 January 2020 2020 Canadian Junior Championships 1
59.30 		1
115.53 		1
174.83
27 Nov. – 1 Dec. 2019 2020 Skate Canada Challenge 1
59.33 		1
110.56 		1
169.89
2–5 October 2019 2019 JPG Italy 5
58.28 		6
100.79 		6
159.07
4–7 September 2019 2019 JPG Latvia 12
52.96 		11
98.17 		11
151.13

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e Russell, Susan D. (1 May 2020). "Kaiya Ruiter: Canadian junior chasing her dreams". International Figure Skating.
  2. ^ a b c Cleary, Martin (3 March 2020). "Sky's the limit for figure skater Kaiya Ruiter". Ottawa Sun.
  3. ^ a b "Figure skating: 2019 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships". Sport Information Resource Centre. 15 January 2019.
  4. ^ a b "Bavarian Open 2019 Advanced Novice Girls I Result". German Ice Skating Union. Retrieved 2 October 2022.
  5. ^ a b "Canadian skaters headed to Latvia for Junior Grand Prix #3". Skate Canada. 3 September 2019.
  6. ^ a b "Canadians in medal hunt at ISU Junior Grand Prix". Skate Canada. 6 September 2019.
  7. ^ a b "Kaiya Ruiter shows big improvement in second ISU Junior Grand Prix appearance". Skate Canada. 5 October 2019.
  8. ^ a b c d Smith, Beverley (16 January 2020). "Remember the name: Kaiya Ruiter". Bev Smith Writes.
  9. ^ a b "Madeline Schizas emerges as women's champion at 2020 Skate Canada Challenge". Skate Canada. 1 December 2019.
  10. ^ a b Ewing, Lori (3 March 2020). "Ruiter is enjoying breakout season; future of Canadian women's skating is bright". Toronto Star.
  11. ^ a b "Medal bonanza for Canadian skaters at Bavarian Open". Skate Canada. 7 February 2020.
  12. ^ a b "Madeline Schizas claims second straight Skate Canada Challenge senior women's crown". Skate Canada. 17 January 2021.
  13. ^ a b "Russian junior skaters out of French events". International Figure Skating. 10 August 2021.
  14. ^ a b "USA celebrates gold medal sweep as ISU Junior Grand Prix starts in Courchevel". International Skating Union. 23 August 2021.
  15. ^ a b "USA and Canada strike gold as ISU Junior Grand Prix continues in Courchevel". International Skating Union. 31 August 2022.
  16. ^ a b "Canada's Kaiya Ruiter wins a bronze medal and captures a second Junior Grand Prix medal". Skate Canada. 28 August 2021.
  17. ^ a b c d Ewing, Lori (14 January 2023). "Schizas holds off 16-year-old Kaiya Ruiter to win Canadian figure skating title". CBC Sports.
  18. ^ a b Simmons, Taylor (23 February 2023). "Calgary's Kaiya Ruiter, 16, competing at World Junior Figure Skating Championships". CBC Sports.
  19. ^ a b "Canadians win two medals at ISU Challenger Series event". Skate Canada. 13 November 2022.
  20. ^ a b Flett, Ted (14 January 2023). "Schizas repeats as Canadian national champion". Golden Skate.
  21. ^ a b "Skate Canada names teams for 2023 ISU championships". Skate Canada. 15 January 2023.
  22. ^ a b Campbell, Glenn (21 February 2023). "Local figure skater Kaiya Ruiter hits world stage next week in Calgary". CTV News.
  23. ^ a b Leaver, Jennie (4 March 2023). "Bashynska and Beaumont less than one point from podium after rhythm dance". Skate Canada.
  24. ^ a b c "Kaiya RUITER: Competition Results". International Skating Union. Retrieved 2 October 2022.
  25. ^ a b "Canadian skaters win four medal on second day of Autumn Classic International". Skate Canada. 15 September 2023. Retrieved 24 September 2023.
  26. ^ a b Slater, Paula (29 October 2023). "Japan's Kaori Sakamoto seizes Skate Canada gold". Golden Skate. Retrieved 30 October 2023.
  27. ^ a b "New faces shine at 2023-2024 Skate Canada Challenge - Junior/Senior in Winnipeg". Skate Canada. 3 December 2023. Retrieved 3 December 2023.
  28. ^ a b "Eight young figure skaters announced to Team Canada's Gangwon 2024 Winter Youth Olympic team". Skate Canada. 5 December 2023. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
  29. ^ a b Spencer, Donna. "Ruiter halts Schizas's 3-peat bid in women's program at Canadian figure skating championships". CBC Sports. Retrieved 14 January 2024.
  30. ^ a b "Two Top-10 finishes for Canadian ice dancers at Youth Olympic Games". Skate Canada. 30 January 2024. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
  31. ^ a b "Historic team bronze to close out Youth Olympic Games for Canada". Skate Canada. 1 February 2024. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
  32. ^ a b "Lin impresses with 10th place finish at World Junior Figure Skating Championships". Skate Canada. 1 March 2024. Retrieved 10 March 2024.
  33. ^ a b Brodie, Robert. "'It was just time for a change'". Substack. Substack. Retrieved 29 October 2024.
  34. ^ a b "Kaiya RUITER: 2024/2025". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 6 November 2024.
  35. ^ a b Brodie, Robert. "'I'm grateful for every opportunity'". Substack. Substack. Retrieved 10 September 2024.
  36. ^ a b "Kaiya RUITER: 2023/2024". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 19 September 2023.
  37. ^ a b Wilson, David (19 May 2023). "2023/24 Free Program". Instagram.
  38. ^ a b "Kaiya RUITER: 2022/2023". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 18 November 2022.
  39. ^ a b "Kaiya RUITER: 2021/2022". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 15 April 2022.
  40. ^ a b "Kaiya RUITER: 2019/2020". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 3 September 2019.
  41. ^ a b c d "CAN-Kaiya Ruiter". SkatingScores.com.
  42. ^ "Kaiya RUITER: 2020/2021". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 15 March 2021.
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