Chelsea Akerley enjoyed skating in her hometown last weekend.
"I think it's less pressure being at home," said the pre-novice women's figure skater. "It's just more chill."
The 17-year-old and her Prince George Figure Skating Club (PGFSC) teammates hosted a competition at Kin 1 and Kin 2 last weekend for more than 200 skaters. The competitors came from Prince Rupert, Terrace, Snow Valley (Kitimat), Quesnel, Williams Lake, Fort St. John, Dawson Creek, Chetwynd and Prince George's Spruce City.
The PGFSC had 25 skaters participating.
Akerley said her short program Friday went well. Despite taking a spill she placed sixth.
"I was happy with where I placed, but I know I could've done better," she said.
At the Autumn Leaves competition Oct. 15 and 16 in Kamloops, Akerley finished 36th overall - 33rd in her short program and 37th in the long program.
Akerley's PGFSC teammate Emma McCarville won the gold medal in the showcase beginner category, skating to the song Walking on Sunshine.
"It was fun," said McCarville. "I like doing the jumps and spins."
The eight year old was born to figure skate as her great-grandfather Ole Bjeld helped start the Prince George Club and her grandmother Kirsten Redding is a former skater.
McCarville credited her coach Andrea Ludditt with teaching her the important lessons.
"She taught me not to push with my toe picks," said McCarville, "because when you do you can fall really easy."
Boot camp
The Spruce City Skating Club is putting on a technical and skating skill development seminar Friday with Bruno Delmaestro, Tina Sidorov and Kristen Harrott as instructors. The event will be capped at 30 skaters who have passed their preliminary freeskate test. For more information contact Rory Allen at [email protected].
