5 Team Canada sports to watch this weekend: November 15-17 

Lots of world championship medallists will be competing for Canada across the globe this weekend. 

The defending world champions of women’s team tennis are in Spain for the Billie Jean King Cup Finals. Two Canadian figure skating teams aim to qualify for the ISU Grand Prix Final while they compete in Finland, which is also where the alpine skiing World Cup season is resuming. Plus, it’s the start of the pre-Olympic season for long track speed skating and skeleton. 

Here’s what you’ll want to keep an eye on. 

Tennis 

The Billie Jean King Cup Finals are underway in Malaga, Spain. As the defending champions, Canada has a direct bye to the quarterfinals, which will see them play at 11:00 a.m. ET on Sunday. Their opponent will be the winner of the Germany vs Great Britain first round tie on Friday. The semifinals will take place on Monday and Tuesday, followed by the final on Wednesday. 

Team Canada includes Leylah Annie Fernandez, Gabriela Dabrowski, Marina Stakusic and Rebecca Marino who were all part of last year’s championship team under the leadership of captain Heidi El Tabakh.

You can watch the Billie Jean King Cup Finals on CBC Gem, cbcsports.ca, the CBC Sports app, and CBC Sports’ official YouTube channel.

Figure Skating

Two Canadian teams are looking to lock up their spots in the ISU Grand Prix Final with strong performances at Finlandia Trophy, the fifth of six stops on the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating series. 

Reigning world pairs champions Deanna Stellato-Dudek and Maxime Deschamps are seeking their second victory of the season after taking gold at Skate Canada International. They’ll be joined in the event by Kelly Ann Laurin and Loucas Éthier. 

In ice dance, Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier are also aiming to finish atop the podium once again after winning their fifth straight Skate Canada International title.  

Live streaming is available on CBC Gem and cbcsports.ca. 

Long Track Speed Skating

It’s the start of the international competition season for Canada’s top long track speed skaters who are in Hachinohe City, Japan for the ISU Four Continents Speed Skating Championships. This is an annual competition for all countries outside of Europe and will lead to the start of the ISU World Cup circuit next weekend. 

Canada will be represented by 15 skaters, including Olympic and/or world championship medallists Ted-Jan Bloemen, Laurent Dubreuil, Graeme Fish, Ivanie Blondin, Valérie Maltais, and Isabelle Weidemann. 

Skeleton 

The first IBSF World Cup of the season is taking place at the Alpensia Sliding Centre in PyeongChang, South Korea. It’s a weekend solely for skeleton, with the bobsleigh season not starting until next month. Men and women will race on both Saturday and Sunday. 

The Canadian contingent is led by the reigning world champion in women’s skeleton, Hallie Clarke. Still just 20, she is the youngest world champion ever in the event but the PyeongChang track is a new one for her to experience. She will be joined in the women’s races by two-time Olympian Jane Channell, who has four career World Cup medals, and Grace Dafoe. Kyle Donsberger and Ryan Kuehn will start in the men’s races. 

Alpine Skiing 

The FIS Alpine World Cup season resumes after a few weeks off with men’s and women’s slalom races in Levi, Finland.

Taking to the course on Saturday for Canada will be 2023 slalom world champion Laurence St-Germain along with fellow Olympians Amelia Smart and Ali Nullmeyer who have both achieved top-10 finishes multiple times throughout their World Cup careers. Joining them is 23-year-old Kiki Alexander, who is competing for the first time since December 2022 after successfully rehabbing a major knee injury, and just-turned 22-year-old Justine Lamontagne.