Visitors provided high spot of skating event

Press, 2 September 1983, Page 17

Visitors provided high spot of skating event

Two Australian competitors provided a highlight of the recent New Zealand ice figure skating championships at the Centaurus rink. The small size of the Christchurch indoor rink did not seem to bother either Susan Murray, in the junior event, or Kerrie Ryan, in the intermediate competition, and they gave the best freeskating displays of the championships. The most unexpected result came in the preintermediate women’s championship, which was won by Gillian Borland, of Gore. She finished second in the figures and won the freeskating with a cleanly skated programme. Her programme might not have been as difficult as some of the others, but with good strong spins and steps, she just had the edge over Rosanna Blong (Auckland) and Justine Brownlee (Christchurch). Another Gore skater to give a noteworthy perfornmance was Kelly Gregory, who was third in the prejunior women’s freeskating event. Most of the training by the Gore pair is done on a very tiny rink inside a hall' in their home town which makes their deeds even more meritorious. Canterbury competitors fared well in the pre-junior women’s grade which attracted a record entry of 29. Katy Greening was first in the figures and Sharon Macdonald finished third. In the championship, Macdonald was second and Greening third. The winner was the defending champion, Julie Dawson, of Invercargill, who took second in the figures and won the freeskating. Miss Dawson will skate in the junior

grade next year. The pre-intermediate dance championship was retained by the Canterbury couple, Steven Laurie and Anne Shave, who will be in the intermediate section next year. However, the intermediate dance title changed hands.

The title-holders, Chris Laurie and Clare Shave, won the compulsory dances from their arch-rivals, Mike Day and Jane Mentink, but Day and Mrs Mentink prevailed in the free dance section. The Canterbury couples were tied when the points from the two sections were added, but the rules state that the pair winning the free dance would be declared the over-all winners.

Figure skating is continuing to gain support and the numbers and standard in the pre-junior, junior and pre-intermediate grades are much higher than in past years. In the freeskating section, more skaters are now successfully performing double jumps, although to date no skater has accomplished a perfect triple jump. The pre-junior grade was only introduced into the championship programme in 1982 and it has proved most popular. For next year, the medal standard has been raised one grade, and any skater who has a bronze freeskating medal will' be ineligible for the grade and will have to compete in the junior competition.

The lack of senior skaters competing was again evident. Although the men’s senior champion, John Walkingskaw, of Invercargill, has retired, he gave an

exciting freeskating exhibition. Other Canterbury skaters to impress were Elizabeth Parry, who was second in the junior figures and third over all; Justine Brownlee, who was third in the preintermediate figures, second in the freeskating and third over all; and Vanessa Carey, who was third in the intermediate women’s figures,

first in the freeskating, and first in the championship after having been the runner-up last year. She was hotly challenged by Carey Shepherd, the pre-intermedi-ate champion last year,who won the figures andwas second in the freeskating. Next year’s championships will be held at the Glenburn rink in Auckland in August.