A group of the top skaters from the Kelowna Skating Club have advanced to the National Figure Skating Championships next month.
Five Kelowna skaters will put their routines to the ultimate test in January when they hit the ice at the championships in Ontario. The five skaters tie the club’s all-time best for the amount of KSC members who’ve battled at the annual nationals.
“It is pretty amazing to have 5 girls qualify for Canadians,” said Kelowna director Jason Mongrain.
“It’s also promising in that there is still room for improvement. They will be working hard over the next six weeks to peak at the right time.”
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Advancing at the Senior level are Emma Bulawka and Olivia Gran. In the Junior level, Vienna Harwood and Ashley Sales will represent KSC at the national championships. Malayna Lesko advanced at the Novice group.
The Kelowna skaters advancements come off strong performances at the 2020 Skate Canada Challenge last week in Edmonton. The Challenge featured some of Canada’s top skaters as all were skating for berths in the three divisions (Senior, Junior, Novice) to carry on to the championships.
Bulawka qualified with a 6th place while Gran grabbed 15th in their shared level.
Hardwood finished 8th overall with 129.71 points and Sales finished 14th with 121.31 points.
Thirteen-year-old Lesko scored a final score of 106.39 to place 15th and book a spot in the Canadian championships.
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KSC’s Mikayla Kramer, Emily Sales battled strongly at the Challenge, but missed the cut for the nationals.
The Skate Canada Challenge doubled as the national championships for the Pre-Novice skaters and Kelowna’s Gabrielle Jugnauth, 11, made her debut with a 15th place finish.
The Canadian Tire National Figure Skating Championships start Jan. 13, 2020.
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