Ice skating talent at regional champs
Aimee Wilson
03 July 2022, 6:00 PM
Alexandra competitors (back row, from left): Coach Steph Woodacre, Maia Smith, Skye Scott, Jessica Coleman, Tahlia Sangster, Layla Golden, Maddisyn Booth, Jorja Stade, Caity Ellett, Tahlia Golden, coach Natalia Belusakova. Front row (from left): Astrid Smith, Arleigha Blissett, Sienna Wedgwood, Evie Foote, Gemma Anderson, Bridey Sangster, and Makayla Gare. Absent were Jake Miller and Isla Kilgour who were both sick on the day. Local figure skating talent was on display on Saturday morning (July 2), with competitors coming from throughout Otago and Southland for the Alexandra Ice Skating Club (AISC) club champs.
It was a perfect calm blue sky day on the ice, with more than 50 competitors showing off their spins and jumps in front of a team of four judges.
About 20 local skaters are involved in competitive figure skating at the Alexandra club, and spend up to 10 hours a week - mornings, after school and evenings training with two coaches.
Three of the top skaters - Maddisyn Booth, Maia Smith and Jake Miller are all aiming to qualify for the nationals in Auckland in October.
They have to receive a high enough TES score from any of the qualifying events, which won't be determined for a few weeks.
Of the Alexandra competitors, Maia Smith was first in Juvenile Ladies; Skye Scott was first in Pre Elementary Ladies, and Tahlia Golden was second.
Tahlia Sangster was first in Youth Interpretive Bronze.
Bridey Sangster won Elementary Ladies, Caity Ellett was second, and Layla Golden third.
Makayla Gare won the Elementary U12.
Arleigha Blissett was first in Kiwiskate U12 and Sienna Wedgwood was second. Gemma Anderson was first in Development U12, Evie Foote was second; and Mikayla Gare was first in Development Ladies.
AISC president Melissa Booth said the event went extremely well considering the late start to the season.
“The way Covid has affected so many sports, we’re just lucky to do this for our competitors,” she said.
The club’s Slovakian coach was delayed three weeks because of immigration issues, and warm weather melted the ice in early June, making it challenging for the three sporting codes that use the facility (skating, ice hockey, and curling).
Without a roof, the club is restricted by a sometimes short and unpredictable season, but in two years’ time that will all change, as funding was recently approved to protect the ice surface.
“Our kids skate in all weather - just because it's raining they are told they have to make the most of the ice,” Melissa said.
This is Natalia Belusakova’s first season as a coach in Alexandra and she is joined by Steph Woodacre from Dunedin.
Watch The Central App video this week of Slovakian coach Natalia Belusakova in action on the ice with some of the development skaters.
