TORONTO - The BMO Possibility Awards were given out to six figure skaters who delivered outstanding performances at the Canadian Figure Skating Championships held this past January in Saskatoon.

The BMO Possibility Awards have been presented annually since 2004 and include a $500 BMO Financial Group training grant and a glass sculpture.

The Awards recognize some of the following criteria during individual performances in any part of the 2009 BMO Canadian Figure Skating Championships:
personal best performance
performance given above adversity
performance that stuck in the minds of the spectators
performance that displayed new and creative skating talent and set new standards or sought a new horizon

This year’s awards were presented by Ken Segboer, Vice President, BMO Bank of Montreal, Saskatchewan District (left to right in the picture):

Brittany Jones and Kurtis Gaskell from Western Ontario showed focus, determination and commitment to perform two clean programs in junior pair.
Karen Routhier and Eric Sauke-Lacelle from Quebec dominated the junior dance category. They captured three clear victories in all three parts of the junior dance event.
Jean-Simon Légaré from Quebec was able to entertain the crowd to no end. From a spectator perspective he was one of the skaters that the audience came to love for his passion and skill of skating. His energy was undeniable in his short program.
Kathryn Kang from the British Columbia Yukon section showed mental toughness in executing two consistent and solid technical and artistic performances in the senior women. She is coached by Victor Kraatz.

Since 1997, BMO Financial Group has been proud to bring the best of Canadian figure skating to fans across the country. BMO is a major sponsor of the Canadian National Figure Skating Team and of Skate Canada, the governing body of Canadian figure skating that oversees more than 1,450 clubs and nearly 200,000 members. In addition to supporting competitive skating events, BMO Financial Group is a strong supporter of grassroots programs that develop young Canadian skaters.