Emily Bausback is the 2020 Canadian National Champion and was recently to represent Canada at the World Championships in Montreal.
Born in Vancouver, British Columbia, Emily started skating when she was three and has represented Canada internationally since 2016. This season she made her senior debut at Warsaw Cup.
We caught up with Emily just after she had been announced to the World team to talk about her season, balancing school and the best advice she has received.
(scroll down for the interview)
This interview was conducted before the ISU World Figure Skating Championships 2020 were cancelled. We understand and support the decisions that were made and would like to thank all the athletes for their hard work this season.
You can feel throughout this interview how much a spot at Worlds meant to Emily. We cannot wait to see her perform next season and are excited to celebrate all future milestones!
It has been a successful couple of months, from winning your first national title to having now been selected for the World team. Can you describe what it has been like?
At Nationals you finished the Short Program in 4th place. Could you envision yourself finishing on the podium at that point or were you not looking too carefully at the results?
I knew that if I skated my absolute best, I could place on the podium. I didn’t focus on the outcome. All I asked of myself was to perform to the best of my ability.
Upon hearing the news, I couldn’t wipe the smile off of my face. I couldn’t believe I was going to be on the world team!
You then made your championship debut at Four Continents in Korea and a couple of weeks later competed at Challenge Cup in the Netherlands.
With only a short period of time between both competitions, what did you focus on during training?
My main focus in training during the turnaround period after Korea was the short program. I wanted to achieve the short minimum score and earn the last spot at worlds. It wasn’t easy, having back to back competitions with the goal of achieving the score; but I am so incredibly grateful for all the opportunities and it paid off!
Skaters you admire?
Joannie Rochette and Julia Lipnitskaya
Song you’d love to skate to?
Anything upbeat and happy!
Unfortunately, the required technical minimums for Worlds changed midway through the season. Having just acquired the short minimum a couple of months prior, what was your reaction to this and did you feel any additional pressure going into the next competitions knowing that?
There was a bit of additional pressure on top of healthy nerves going into competitions as the newly crowned national champion. When I was given the second opportunity to achieve the score in the Netherlands, I knew that it was my very last chance to get the score this season. I wanted nothing more than to compete at worlds on home soil.
Going into the Challenge Cup, the thought of reaching the score was in the back of my mind; and all I had to focus on was delivering a solid short program and everything would fall into place.
Motivational quote that inspires you?
You have to be odd to be number one-Dr. Seuss
What do you think your biggest improvement has been during this season and what are your goals for the future? Did you focus on anything specifically during training to work on a podium finish?
My biggest improvement this season was my artistry. I definitely have a lot of work cut out for me in that department, but my coaches and I worked on softening up my movements every session. My goals for the future are to land a triple axel and work on quads.
In this year’s Short Programme you are skating to Everywhere by Vapor RMW & Emily Patrick and your Free is choreographed to My Heart Will Go On (“Titanic” soundtrack) performed by Julia Westlin. How did you decide on the music and was it easy for you to connect to the choices?
My coach brought the music choices to my attention as soon as she heard them because she knew that they totally suit me! For me, my short program is my favourite program I’ve skated to. The music makes me so happy and lets me express my bubbly personality on the ice. My free program music helped me learn sensitivity and connection with the judges and audience. I love the emotional side of my free program.
How did you first get started in skating and why did you decide to stick with it?
I tried a variety of sports when I was younger, gymnastics, soccer, golf, etc. Since my father used to play hockey, he took me skating with him one day. I loved (and still do!) the feeling of gliding across the ice and using one push to propel myself metres at a time. In addition to the adrenaline rush skating gave me, I loved the sparkly dresses!
How do you balance high school and skating and how evenly do you divide your time?
I go to school in the morning and I train in the afternoon. I do my homework on evenings and weekends. It’s a pretty busy schedule but I always find time for my family and friends.
With school and skating keeping you busy, how important is it to find time outside of that. What do you like to do in your life away from the ice?
It’s very important for me to be with friends on the weekend since I don’t have any siblings. I like to spend my weekends and free time being active in the city and doing some sight-seeing, as well as practicing self-care. I found that having a life outside of the skating world helped me appreciate life itself and unwind after a hard day of training.
With school and skating keeping you busy, how important is it to find time outside of that. What do you like to do in your life away from the ice?
It’s very important for me to be with friends on the weekend since I don’t have any siblings. I like to spend my weekends and free time being active in the city and doing some sight-seeing, as well as practicing self-care. I found that having a life outside of the skating world helped me appreciate life itself and unwind after a hard day of training.
What superpower would you like to have?
Flying
Favourite subject?
Human Biology
You have skated since you were 3 and growing up in such a competitive environment can be challenging. What is the best advice you have received?
The best advice I’ve received is to do your best because you can’t control what others do but you can control what you do. It helped with my mindset all season. I began focusing on myself and not worrying about how others do or placements since they are all out of my control.
Favourite Disney movie?
Frozen
3 things you never leave home without
Airpods, makeup, and my good luck stone
What is your least favourite food?
Fish
I began focusing on myself and not worrying about how others do or placements since they are all out of my control.
Describe your perfect day from start to finish!
My perfect (non-training) day would go like this: I would wake up at 7am and do a full face of makeup (one of my favourite self-care activities!). After that, I would take transit to my favourite acai bowl eatery and indulge in one of my favourite dishes. Next, I would head downtown to meet friends. We would most likely walk around the shops or depending on the weather, go biking around the seawall! After a long day of fun, I would come home to a delicious home cooked meal by my mother and finish off the day watching The Office with my parents!
Emily started her season at Junior Grand Prix in Lake Placid (August 28–31) and then competed at Warsaw Cup (November 14 – 17). She placed 6th at both competitions.
At the beginning of 2020, Emily won Canadian Nationals January 13 – 19). Afterwards she competed in Korea at the Four Continents Championships (February 4 – 9) where she placed 15th and a couple of weeks later, competed at Challenge Cup (February 20-23) in the Netherlands coming in in 11th place.
She was assigned a spot on the Canadian Worlds team and would have competed at World Figure Skating Championship in Montreal (March 16 – 22). The event was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
