Ice dancers Kaitlin Hawayek and Jean-Luc Baker wrapped up last season riding a wave of momentum, securing with the pewter medal at the U.S. Championships, winning the Four Continents title and finishing 10th at their first World Championships.
Partners since 2012, Hawayek and Baker feel they are now primed to take that next step and have moved to Montreal to train under PSA Coach of the Year Patrice Lauzon and his team at Gadbois Centre. They are sharing the ice with the three-time and reigning World champions from France, as well as country mates and World silver medalists Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue. Another top U.S. team, Madison Chock and Evan Bates, has also recently moved to Montreal to train with Lauzon's team.
"Training in Montreal has been amazing thus far," Hawayek said. "We are so excited with the development we already feel happening. The camp has such an incredibly positive energy, which is easy to feed off of. It has been easy to adjust and feel at home in a new environment.
"The biggest change we've had to get use to is the coaching. The style is new and unique for us and we're excited to how it is currently pushing us."
Hawayek and Baker received NHK Trophy in Japan and the Internationaux de France in Grenoble for their two Grand Prix assignments.
"We are thrilled to be going back to NHK for a third time and it will be our fifth visit to Japan as a team," Baker said. "We love the country, the people and the events they run. France is a new one for us; it is the only one of the Grand Prix circuit we haven't competed in and we can't wait to experience France and that event for the first time."
The veteran team agreed that they received a confidence boost by winning the Four Continents title, but it was at the World Championships in Milan, Italy, where they felt "validated and a part of the elite in the world."
"Our intention in upcoming seasons is to train to win and the goals we set are aligned with this to help us improve and grown into champions," Hawayek said.
U.S. champions Hubbell and Donohue open their season at Skate America and go back-to-back a week later at Skate Canada. Chock and Bates will compete in Helsinki and at the Rostelecom Cup. Hubbell and Donohue have qualified for the last three Grand Prix Finals, while Chock and Bates have qualified for the last four, winning silver medals in 2014 and 2015.
For the full SKATING magazine preview, read the August/September issue. Keep your eyes on the Fan Zone for additional Team USA coverage all season.
