From a media release:
RUSSIAN GOLD MEDALLISTS OKSANA KAZAKOVA AND VLADIMIR MALAKHOV ARE THE NEXT PAIR TO BE “ICED†ON SEASON FOUR OF BATTLE OF THE BLADES
The Season Four campaign came to an end for another pair of skaters in Sunday night’s “International Beats†themed episode of CBC’s BATTLE OF THE BLADES. At the top of the program, Marie-France Dubrueil & Mathieu Dandenault joined Oksana Kazakova & Vladimir Malakhov in front of Kurt Browning and fellow judges P.J. Stock and Jamie Salé, with the unpleasant possibility of being Iced. Winning the first Skate Off of Season Four kept Oksana and Vladimir alive last week, but when the verdict was delivered, they were the second pair Iced from the competition series.
Oksana, who is the 1998 Olympic Pairs Gold Medallist and her partner Vladimir, a member of the rare and coveted Triple Gold Club, with an Olympic Gold medal, World Championship and Stanley Cup to his credit, were the most decorated pair entering Season Four.
With the judges’ most difficult decision to date, the verdict to send Oksana and Vladimir home also sends their mutual charity, iOrphan Canada, a cheque for $25,000.
New for Season Four, performances and eliminations are combined into an action-packed hour of television. The two pairs who receive the fewest votes for their performance, in combination with the lowest judges’ scores, enter a “Skate Off†in the following week’s episode and their fate is in the judges’ hands. The judges have one opportunity to save a pair from being Iced, which they opted not to use in tonight’s second elimination. Voting for tonight’s performance for the remaining six pairs will remain open on www.cbc.ca/battle until Tuesday, Oct. 15 at 8 p.m. ET.
Also new for Season Four, BATTLE OF THE BLADES fans will have the opportunity to earn extra votes and participate in the show like never before, with special games and challenges for supporters to help their pairs get closer to the ultimate $100,000 prize for charity. Next Sunday, Oct. 20 at 8 p.m. (8:30 NT) is “Canadian Weekâ€, with the remaining six pairs skating to the songs that earned top votes in Fan Choice Week, as chosen by fans online.
The remaining six pairs are:
- Violetta Afanasieva & Jason Strudwick
- Shae-Lynn Bourne & Anson Carter
- Jessica Dubé & Brian Savage
- Marie-France Dubreuil & Mathieu Dandenault
- Amanda Evora & Scott Thornton
- Sinead Kerr & Grant Marshall