Seven from Dunedin to take on Australia's best

Ice skaters off to national champs in Brisbane, Australia (from left) Rebekah Sime (10), her sister Hannah Sime (14), Lucienne Holtz (13), Reuben Dougherty (18) and Tama Anthony-Whigham (14) at the Dunedin Ice Stadium. Photo: Linda Robertson

Seven ice skaters — Asia Tapelava, Reuben Dougherty, Katie Sewell, Tama Anthony­Whigham, Hannah Sime, Rebekah Sime and Lucienne Holtz — will be in Brisbane for the Austra­lian national champion­ships over the next week.

Asia Tapelava. Photo: Supplied

Tapelava (14) will line up in the junior ladies grade, Dougherty (18) will be in the advanced novice section as will Sewell (16), Anthony-Whigham
(14) and Hannah Sime (14) will be in basic novice B, and Sime (10) and Holtz (13) will compete in the basic novice A grade.

The skaters are part of a New Zealand team of 20 soloists, a dance pair and three synchron­ised teams.

Southern coach Grant Howie will travel with the New Zea­land team which is expected to face fierce competition.

Most of the skaters have been training up to six days a week and up to 20 hours a week.

Katie Sewell. Photo: Supplied

The bulk of the Dunedin competitors qualified for the Australian championships by recording good results at the national championships in Dunedin in October.    

The skaters will also have a chance to have a look at Austra­lian skater Kailani Craine who is set to compete at the Winter Olympics in South Korea next year.