Post by IAMCAPER on Feb 10, 2005 18:37:47 GMT -4
SYDNEY – Two Cape Bretoners placed in the top 10 in their respective categories at the 2005 BMO Financial Group Skate Canada junior national figure skating championship in Ste.-Foy, Que.
Najala Orrell, of Sydney, placed fifth overall in the juvenile women’s free program while Gilles Samson of Richmond, a 13-year-old member of the Port Hawkesbury Skating Club, finished seventh in the juvenile men’s free program.
The fifth-place showing by Orrell was the best ever by a Cape Bretoner in the juvenile category at the Canadian championship.
It was the second-best showing ever by a Nova Scotian in that category, following only the fourth-place finish of Canso native Kerri-Beth Delorey.
“I didn’t expect I would be that high,” said Orrell, an 11-year-old member of the Sydney Figure Skating Club. “I was really happy.”
Orrell performed a program designed by her longtime coach, Janet Harvey, and choreographer, Amy Ouellett.
“I was taught the program last summer,” said Orrell, a Grade 6 student at Coxheath Elementary. “We changed it a little at first but then stuck with it.”
Orrell, who qualified for the nationals by winning gold at the Nova Scotia championship, performed her program during the intermission of a Cape Breton Screaming Eagles game, Jan. 22 at Centre 200, and received a partial standing ovation from the 4,092 fans in attendance, the third-largest crowd to see an Eagles game this season.
Harvey, who has coached Orrell for a little over five years, was in Ste.-Foy along with Orrell’s parents, Dr. Kevin and Anne Orrell, and her 13-year-old sister, Chelsea.
“She had a very strong performance,” said Harvey. “She did Cape Breton very proud while representing this end of the world in a national competition.She had an almost flawless performance.
“Her program was relative to most of the other skaters in her category.
“The national judging system proved very well for Najala because you get credit for everything you complete.
“Some skaters might have tried more difficult things but if they didn’t complete it, they didn’t get value for the attempt.”
Orrell, the youngest of five children, started figure skating when she was just six years old.
“I really liked hockey, so I wanted to do something on skates,” said Orrell.
Figure skating takes up a lot of Orrell’s free time during the winter months because she practises four to five times a week for one-two hours each day.
But she still finds time to take step and highland dance lessons and is also an avid skier during the winter months. In the summer she plays soccer and tennis and is involved in swimming and also attends some figure skating clinics when possible.
The 2005 Canadian championship was the first for Orrell but she and her coach are hoping it’s not her last.
“We’re certainly going to train for that goal,” Harvey said of Orrell competing at future national championships.
“It gets a little more difficult to qualify when you get to the higher levels because there’s an extra competition you have to compete at and only the top third get to move on.”
Najala Orrell, of Sydney, placed fifth overall in the juvenile women’s free program while Gilles Samson of Richmond, a 13-year-old member of the Port Hawkesbury Skating Club, finished seventh in the juvenile men’s free program.
The fifth-place showing by Orrell was the best ever by a Cape Bretoner in the juvenile category at the Canadian championship.
It was the second-best showing ever by a Nova Scotian in that category, following only the fourth-place finish of Canso native Kerri-Beth Delorey.
“I didn’t expect I would be that high,” said Orrell, an 11-year-old member of the Sydney Figure Skating Club. “I was really happy.”
Orrell performed a program designed by her longtime coach, Janet Harvey, and choreographer, Amy Ouellett.
“I was taught the program last summer,” said Orrell, a Grade 6 student at Coxheath Elementary. “We changed it a little at first but then stuck with it.”
Orrell, who qualified for the nationals by winning gold at the Nova Scotia championship, performed her program during the intermission of a Cape Breton Screaming Eagles game, Jan. 22 at Centre 200, and received a partial standing ovation from the 4,092 fans in attendance, the third-largest crowd to see an Eagles game this season.
Harvey, who has coached Orrell for a little over five years, was in Ste.-Foy along with Orrell’s parents, Dr. Kevin and Anne Orrell, and her 13-year-old sister, Chelsea.
“She had a very strong performance,” said Harvey. “She did Cape Breton very proud while representing this end of the world in a national competition.She had an almost flawless performance.
“Her program was relative to most of the other skaters in her category.
“The national judging system proved very well for Najala because you get credit for everything you complete.
“Some skaters might have tried more difficult things but if they didn’t complete it, they didn’t get value for the attempt.”
Orrell, the youngest of five children, started figure skating when she was just six years old.
“I really liked hockey, so I wanted to do something on skates,” said Orrell.
Figure skating takes up a lot of Orrell’s free time during the winter months because she practises four to five times a week for one-two hours each day.
But she still finds time to take step and highland dance lessons and is also an avid skier during the winter months. In the summer she plays soccer and tennis and is involved in swimming and also attends some figure skating clinics when possible.
The 2005 Canadian championship was the first for Orrell but she and her coach are hoping it’s not her last.
“We’re certainly going to train for that goal,” Harvey said of Orrell competing at future national championships.
“It gets a little more difficult to qualify when you get to the higher levels because there’s an extra competition you have to compete at and only the top third get to move on.”