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Armstrong sisters clean up at Gold Nugget

It is entirely plausible that height provides little advantage in the sport of figure skating.This weekend at the Yukon Gold Nugget Interclub…
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It is entirely plausible that height provides little advantage in the sport of figure skating.

This weekend at the Yukon Gold Nugget Interclub Competition, held at Takhini Arena, sisters Kelcy and Kayla Armstrong, who even had others tower above them as they stood on the top tier of the podium, raked in the medals.

“I think I did pretty well,” said Kelcy, 10, who said she can improve on her interpretive performance. “I didn’t really do a lot of things (in my interpretive).”

The siblings took home six medals between them, including five golds, with Kayla, 12, taking two and Kelcy taking three. Kelcy, an Arctic Edge Figure Skating Club member like her sister, also took a bronze in a creative event.

Performing to a jazzy number, Kelcy’s first gold came in the program event, completing a single axel and such spins as the flying camel.

“It’s really exciting and, at the end, you get really tired and it’s really fun,” said Kelcy of the following interpretive event, in which she got her second gold.

Kelcy ended her gold rush in the elements event, which requires skaters to perform certain moves depending on their level. For the top spot Kelcy accomplished an axel, toe loop/loop, lutz loop, and a layback spin.

Other notable accomplishments made by Kelcy include an outside spread eagle, a half-loop, a haircutter and a Biellmann spin.

Kelcy may have been skating since she was three and has competed in other events, but not all of the day’s skaters were so well experienced. Abigail Cuenza, eight, in her first year of competitive skating, managed to earn a spot on the podium, finishing second in the Canskate ladies’ freeskate.

“I practiced my landings and jumping on two feet,” said Abigail.

“To tell you a secret, I skipped a little on my program,” admitted Abigail, who’s unsure whether she will pursue a career in competitive skating.

“I’m not sure, ask my mother,” she said.

With 22 skaters competing, numbers are down by a third from past years. As a result, some skaters were left without others to compete against. However, none were so stranded in lonesome divisions as Kevin and Teneil Caron, a brother and sister who could only do exhibition skates because of a lack of comparable skaters.

The event was still beneficial for the siblings, having a long sitdown with the judges who were flown in from BC for the weekend.

“It’s very good practice,” said Kevin, who was not only the only male to skate at the Gold Nugget, but is also the only male in the Arctic Edge club. “It’s good that they informed me on what I can improve on, where are my faults. (They said) to keep my head up — that sort of thing.”

Kevin competed at the BC Sectionals last month in Nanaimo, earning a position as an alternate for nationals with a fifth-place finish.

Results

Canskate Ladies’ Freeskate

1st Morgan Madden

2nd Abigail Cuenza

3rd Kristen Legrow

4th Marika Kitchen

5th Maria Peters

6th Katelyn Holway

Pre-Preliminary Ladies’ Freeskate

1st Kayla Armstrong

2nd Rasheeda Slater

3rd Brittany Au

4th Zoey Krause

5th Jenelle Clethero

Preliminary Ladies’ Freeskate

1st Kelcy Armstrong

2nd Mikaela Lane

3rd Jessica Diakow

Junior Bronze Ladies’ Freeskate

1st Nikita White

2nd Maya Austin

3rd Ariel House

Pre-Preliminary Ladies’ Elements

1st Kayla Armstrong

2nd Brittany Au

3rd Rasheeda Slater

4th Zoey Krause

Preliminary Ladies’ Elements

1st Jessica Diakow

2nd Mikaela Lane

Junior Bronze Ladies’ Elements

1st Kelcy Armstrong

2nd Nikita White

Pre-Introductory Interpretive

1st Kelcy Armstrong

2nd Rasheeda Slater

3rd Jessica Diakow

Introductory Interpretive

1st Rachel Pettitt

2nd Maddison Jarvis

Bronze Interpretive

1st Bryn Hoffman

2nd Ariel House

Pre-Preliminary Creative

1st Zoey Krause

2nd Maria Peters

Preliminary Creative

1st Mikaela Lane

2nd Jessica Diakow

3rd Kelcy Armstrong

Junior Bronze Creative

1st Rachel Pettitt

2nd Maya Austin

Exhibition Skates

Novice Ladies - Teneil Caron

Juvenile Ladies - Bryn Hoffman

Pre-Juvenile Ladies - Rachel

Pettitt

Junior Men Short - Kevin Caron

Junior Men Long - Kevin Caron

Contact Tom Patrick at

tomp@yukon-news.com