Lady And The Champ

With each passing day, the influence of a three-time champion rubs off a bit more on Myriane Samson.
And it just might be the little extra the former national junior women's champion needs to finally lay claim to her first senior medal at the BMO Canadian figure skating championships.
Samson wore the biggest of smiles Friday night at Pacific Coliseum after the best short program she's ever laid down, punctuated by a triple lutz-double loop combination that was a thing of beauty.
With 54.88 points, the 19-year-old from St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Que., finds herself sitting in the bronze-medal position, just ahead of former Canadian champion Cynthia Phaneuf of Contrecoeur, Que. (53.49).
"Last year was good (at Canadians)," said Samson, still smiling after she was done. "But I had more fun this year because I know that I can do it, and I'm more (well) trained."
The boost in confidence came, in great part, when Samson and coach Maryse Gauthier moved their training base to St. Leonard, Que., and the camp of Manon Perron. It put Samson on the ice every day with three-time Canadian champion Joannie Rochette of Ile-Dupas, Que., the leader after Friday night's short program.
"Myriane is a real good person. And she has a lot of talent," said Perron. "Her and Joannie can push each other and I like it. Myriane had a big lack of confidence, but she’s so good and she's trained harder and harder, and now she sees Joannie (train beside her).
"It's getting better and better every day. She's such a nice skater and she has a lot of potential."
Rochette's passion is there for Samson to see as well. And Perron said it can be a big difference maker in the end.
"We talked a lot about what she should express, what she should present," said Perron. "(Samson) can do the triple Lutz by the rest is really important, too. With the passion, you can make mistakes sometimes. Passion pays."
Samson is still age-eligible for the world junior championships. But she's clearly in the hunt for one of the two available Canadian berths for the senior worlds in Gothenburg, Sweden, though she's got 3.36 points to make up on Vancouver's Mira Leung to get there.
"We don't think about that now," said Samson. "We just want to do what I do in practice. That's the best way I can think now."