Profile: Lapel Pins – 1989 Canadian Figure Skating Championships, Chicoutimi, Canada

Not very often do the Canadian Figure Skating Championships (often called “Canadians”) take place in the province of Quebec, but the last national event of the 1980s was contested in the small arrondissements of Jonquiere and Chicoutimi,¹ both part of the city of Saguenay. Situated to the north of the province’s capital of Quebec City, the location must have been a day’s adventure (or more) from the nearest major airport. Good for those who made the trek, although with an average daily temperature of 10℉ in early February, it wouldn’t have been the most pleasant trip to make. As is said in Quebec, “Il fait frette.” Weather aside, another thing that doesn’t happen often is seeing a modern and artistic design in a figure skating pin, but such was the case for the two pins that commemorated the 1989 Canadian Figure Skating Championships.

The main logo pin is done in a cutout shape and reinterprets the beloved Canadian maple leaf in a sleek way—and in three shades of blue, no less!—by pairing just a portion of the leaf with a stylized “89” in red. A textured gold background extends below the “89” to create a high-contrast, eye-catching negative space. Centered on the pin in the lower third is a stylized maple leaf and skate blade in red, the then-current logo of the Canadian Figure Skating Association (CFSA, or today called Skate Canada). Along the bottom is the event location: Jonquiere–Chicoutimi QC. Interestingly, the participant/competitor pin made for the 1978 Canadian Figure Skating Championships is another to feature the maple leaf in blue versus the traditional and familiar red. The 1989 Canadians pin measures approximately 1″ x 11/16″ (2.5 cm x 1.7 cm).

The main logo pin from the 1989 Canadian Figure Skating Championships is done in a cutout shape and reinterprets the beloved Canadian maple leaf in a sleek way—and in three shades of blue, no less!

The second, larger 1989 Canadians pin—identical to the logo pin except for size—measures approximately 1‑1/4″ x 1″ (3.2 cm x 2.5 cm). The pin would have been made in limited quantity and given only to competitors and selected event officials, something that was done commonly at Canadian Figure Skating Championships. In fact, the previous 12 national events all featured a larger version of the logo pin—usually identical but not always. See the pins from two past Canadians held in Quebec: 1975 Quebec City and 1983 Montreal.

Enjoy this week’s figure skating pins blog: 1989 Canadian Figure Skating Championships Pins: Il Fait Frette. And be sure to read the museum story for more information about figure skating pins.

¹In most references, only Chicoutimi is listed as the site of the 1989 Canadian Figure Skating Championships.

Pins Gallery: 1989 Canadian Figure Skating Championships

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