Local skaters chasing Winter Games spots

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This article was published 07/10/2010 (5731 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The selection process for Manitoba’s Canada Winter Games team continues this weekend with nine Skate Brandon competitors selected to take part at the Sask Skate Invitational meet in Saskatoon.

Mercedes McLean of MacGregor will lead Skate Brandon’s contingent, skating in the novice ladies class Friday to Sunday. Madison McCallum and Claudia Ingram, both of Portage la Prairie, join Brooklyn Parker of Morden in the pre-novice class. Tori Thiessen of Brandon, Hannah Martin of Elkhorn and Darian Compton of Brandon will compete in the juvenile class, while Devon Borody of Portage and Casey Bertholet of Hartney will skate in the pre-juvenile class.

Aside from competing against the top skaters from B.C., Alberta, Saskatchewan, northern Ontario and western Ontario, the Manitobans will be watched by Canada Winter Games co-coaches Mary Ann Penner and Tammy Fournier McKay, both of Skate Brandon.

"Our skaters are vying for one of the two spots available in the pre-novice and novice categories," Penner said.

Also headed to Saskatoon this weekend are eight local skaters who will compete in the Sask Skate Open meet.

Brandon’s Julie Hechler and Ally Doherty, Marian Juce of Hamiota and Caitlin Ingram of Portage will skate in novice, while Taylor McMurdo and Kirsten Gutenberg of Brandon, Katelyn Kokot of Swan River and Caitlin Wilkinson of Eddystone will compete in the pre-novice division.

Skate Brandon’s list of competitive skaters has increased to 18 this season. After Sask Skate, they will prepare for the provincial championships in Steinbach, Nov. 5-6. The top four pre-novice and junior skaters there will advance to the 2011 Western Challenge from Dec. 1-5 in Mississauga, Ont., a qualifying event for the 2011 Canadian junior and senior national championships, Jan. 10-13 in Victoria. The Western Challenge is also the last event before the Canada Winter Games team is finalized.

"I don’t know if we have anyone who will make it to nationals, but that’s always the goal, Penner said.

The road to those events starts with recreational skating, where Skate Brandon will get additional help this season from new coaches Tiffany Smith and Peggy McLeod. More than 200 skaters take part in Skate Brandon programs, president Charlene Quinlan said.

Skate Brandon will host Prairie Skate next August and the club has also submitted bid to host the 2012 Canadian Adult Figure Skating Championships, though the organization has not heard whether the bid was successful, Quinlan said. Other planned events include the annual Winter Festival on Dec. 17, and the Skate Brandon Awards Gala on April 15.

Plans for Skate Brandon’s synchronized skating programs will be finalized soon. They include Wheat City ConnXion senior team, Wheat Queens for preliminary to junior bronze skaters, the Mini-Wheats for entry level to preliminary skaters and the Rising Stars program.