Six from Dunedin going to Australia

Grant Howie.
Grant Howie.
Six Dunedin ice skaters are set to test themselves against Australia’s best.

Asia Tapelava, Reuben Dougherty, Katie Sewell, Tama Anthony-Whigham and Hannah and Rebecca Sime will all represent New Zealand at the Australian national championships next month.

Coach Grant Howie will also travel with the group.

The team departs on December 2, and will compete in Brisbane against high-calibre opposition.Skaters had to accumulate points at competitions to reach this level and all six had success at the national championships in Dunedin last month.

Local coach Megan Kliegl said it was a big achievement to have this many solo skaters heading to the championships.‘‘We have had a biggish group go before, but never this many solo skaters.

"In the past we’ve had pairs teams and synchronised teams, we’ve had a Dunedin synchronised team that have actually gone to world championships before.

"But this is extraordinary considering they’re all so young and they did so well at their first nationals.

"So it looks really promising for our sport."

She said it was a massive step up competing in Australia, although it was good to see what the rest of the world was doing and it made you "hungry".

It would act as a good stepping stone, both in terms of getting international experience for the younger skaters and getting points to go to bigger events for the older ones.

Dougherty was one to pay close attention to.

Kliegl said he had been "hitting it out of the ball park this year" and would form New Zealand’s only pairs team at the moment, alongside Hannah Sime.

Meanwhile, 8-year-old Brooke Cathro was selected for the New Zealand development squad, having won at her first national championships last month.

Add a Comment