With figure skating cut from next month’s Arctic Winter Games in Greenland, Arctic Edge Skating Club decided to travel elsewhere.
The Whitehorse club instead sent 11 skaters to the B.C. Coast Region Championships (a.k.a. WinterSkate) in Chilliwack, B.C. over the weekend.
“This was our Arctic (Winter Games),” said Arctic Edge coach Michelle Semaschuk. “This was our team event because (figure skating) was pulled from Greenland ... We were one of the sports that were pulled out, so we received some funding from Sport Yukon to take the kids to travel out and experience something that would be similar.”
The Yukon team collected seven medals at regionals, including four gold.
It was a memorable trip for Arctic Edge’s Adrian Lau. Not only was it his first trip to an Outside competition, he won gold in the STAR 4 U13 boys. His participation also marked the first time in five years a male figure skater from Arctic Edge travelled Outside to compete.
“It was the first time Adrian had traveled out to a competition, so that was a big highlight,” said Semaschuk.
“He had a great time. Unfortunately there was only one skater in his event, which was him. There was supposed to be another, but he pulled out at the last minute.
“He landed an axel for the first time in competition there, so that was very exciting.”
Arctic Edge’s Chloe VanLankveld collected gold in introductory interpretive and fifth in STAR 4 U10 girls.
Teammate Lenneah Timmermans claimed gold in STAR 4 13-and-over girls.
Skating in pre-novice U16 ladies, Mikayla Kramer placed second in her free and fourth in her short out of 15 skaters. She also won gold in gold interpretive.
Bronwyn Hays picked up a silver in introductory interpretive and finished ninth in STAR 5 U13 girls.
Mikayla McCain skated away with a bronze in STAR 4 U13.
Tessa Moore picked up a bronze in bronze interpretive and notched 12th out of 24 in pre-juvenile ladies.
Alissa Russell took fourth out of 24 skaters in pre-juvenile U13 ladies and ninth in bronze interpretive.
Jamie Nickel skated to fifth in bronze interpretive and sixth in STAR 5 U13 girls.
Sarah Milton placed sixth in STAR 4 13-and-over girls.
Meghan Birmingham notched 10th in bronze interpretive and 11th in senior bronze women.
“Whether it was in their interpretive or their free, everyone had something positive that happened for them this weekend,” said Semaschuk.
“They all had good skates ... Overall, it was a really good weekend.”
Contact Tom Patrick at
tomp@yukon-news.com