Figure skaters on right track

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This article was published 21/01/2011 (5553 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Two Manitoba teens will take to the ice at the BMO Canadian figure skating championships, beginning today in Victoria, determined to leave the sophomore jinx behind.

As up-and-comers Kate Charbonneau and Kaleigh Hole, both 17, adjusted to their transition from competitors to contenders this season and to the lofty expectations that come with that, the disconcerting phenomenon appeared to take hold.

The impressive international results that Charbonneau and Hole and her pairs partner Adam Johnson posted last season eluded them this past fall.

But this week ahead of the national championships, Charbonneau, who competes in senior women’s, and senior pairs hopeful Hole expressed confidence they are back on track.

“I feel good. I’ve been practising really well. I have six triple jumps planned in my long program, including two toe-loops and two salchows, which are pretty easy for me now, and a flip and a lutz,” said Skate Winnipeg representative Charbonneau, who is coached by her mom Lorie (Wallace) Charbonneau.

Hole, from Virden, who now includes a rare throw triple lutz in her repertoire, offered, “I’m excited having had last year’s nationals under our belt. Being our second nationals, it boosts our confidence.”

Charbonneau and Hole and Johnson, of Ontario, captured Junior Grand Prix medals on international ice last season and, at the 2010 Canadian championships, punched their tickets to the world junior meet where Charbonneau took sixth and the pair 11th.

In November, Hole and Johnson made their senior debut in China against a field that included world champions Qing Pang and Jian Tong. While they finished back of the pack, Hole said it was “crazy” being on the same practice ice with them, noting “it still doesn’t seem right.”

Charbonneau remained on the junior circuit, but failed to crack the top 10 in her two starts last fall.

With Olympic bronze medallist Joannie Rochette sitting out the Canadians to ponder her future, Charbonneau believes a podium finish at nationals is within her grasp. She has been working with a sports psychologist to hone her mental game.

“I’d love to go to junior worlds again. Obviously, I’d like to go to senior worlds, but I’m still junior age eligible and I did well there last year,” said Charbonneau, who trains primarily in Minneapolis where her family now lives.

Hole has set her sights on a top-five result in her event, which is also missing reigning champions Jessica Dube and Bryce Davison as Davison recovers from injury.

While she trains in Strathroy, Ont., mom Patti Hole remains in Virden where she coaches her daughter’s pairs rivals Paige Lawrence, 20, and Rudi Swiegers, 23.

Lawrence and Swiegers, who hail from Saskatchewan but now train and live in Manitoba, scored a breakthrough bronze medal at Skate Canada in October and are one of two couples favoured to take the national title this week.

In the ice dance event are Thompson’s Martin Nickel, 21, and partner Alexa-Marie Arrotta, 18, of Edmonton.

They will make their debut in the senior ranks after just missing the podium as juniors in 2010. The couple had a rocky start to their season — first, she was sidelined by injury and then he by illness, which took them out of the tune-up event for Canadians.

This event, too, is without its headliners as 2010 Olympic champions Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir withdrew earlier this week, saying they were not yet competition-ready after Virtue again underwent surgery last fall to relieve chronic pain in her legs.

At stake this weekend besides national titles and medals are much-coveted assignments to the three major ISU championships.

The Manitoba contingent has a shot at all of the above.