Local skater sets sights on next year

PARRY SOUND – A 10th place finish at the 2010 Ontario Winter Games was only a little disappointing for local skater Sarah Latimer.
The wide-eyed, bubbly 13 year old said she was honoured to have attended the games for the second time in Muskoka this past weekend.
“I had so much fun and it was a great experience,” said Sarah Monday morning. “I skated pretty well, I didn’t quite get my personal best and it was a lot of fun.”
The Grade 8 William Beatty student skated in the pre-novice level, going head-to-head against skaters three years her senior.
Well prepared
“I was really well prepared and I was confident and I had done everything I could,” she said. “I don’t know what happened, it maybe didn’t go quite as well as it has (in the past), but really, I did everything I could. I trained really hard, I’m not sure there was anything more I could have done.
“You skate your short program and it only has three jumps and two spins and then you get your score from that.  
“After the short (program) I was in eighth and then the next day you do your long program and you have seven jumps and three spins and you get your score from that and you combine them together to get your overall placement. Next year when I go I hope to be in the top half.”
Now that the Winter Games are over, Sarah’s training continues as she prepares for the Let’s Skate 2010 competition in Sudbury next month.
After her skating is done for the season on home ice, Sarah heads to Barrie to skate three days a week.
“Mostly in the summer we prepare for (the BMO Financial Group) sectional (skating), which is in October, which is the competition that qualifies (you) for the rest of the competitions throughout the year,” she said.