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Dynamic duo: Young South Surrey-White Rock skaters shine in pairs competition

Peninsula skaters place first at sectionals in Coquitlam
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A young local skating duo has won the BC Yukon Sectional skating championships in juvenile pairs.

After competing on Saturday, Nov. 12 at Coquitlam’s Poirer Sport and Leisure Centre, White Rock South Surrey Skating Club members Caiden Henderson, 13, and Quinn Woroniecki, 11 – the club’s first and only pairs team – took the first-place spot atop the podium – to the delight of their coaches and family.

“We were screaming when they won,” said Laura Woroniecki (also mother to Quinn), explaining the two have been friends for years and love skating, but only started skating together as a pair about seven months ago, which made the win even more memorable.

“Maybe because they’re such good friends, they have a good connection on the ice. They really worked hard, too – there were a lot of early-morning lessons and a lot of extra learning.”

She noted they were competing against other pairs who have been skating together for much longer than seven months.

WRSSSC coaches Carolyn MacKeen and Rob Woodley coached the young duo to their success.

“I’m still in shock! In a good way,” quipped MacKeen, a lifelong skater originally from Toronto.

READ ALSO: South Surrey resident inducted into Skate Canada B.C./Yukon hall of fame

Pairs skating tends to be more popular on the East Coast, she noted, where there’s more population to help equally match skating partners.

“I’m ecstatic! Sectionals is the end competition – it’s what they work for all year.”

Skaters compete in different levels (i.e. juvenile) at sectional championships each year and once all levels are complete, the next step is nationals, MacKeen explained.

To win, Henderson and Woroniecki scored the highest marks from the judges in their two-and-a-half-minute program, which they skated to Stray Cat Strut by Stray Cats.

The pair had to perform a split twist, side-by-side jumps and spins, a pair lift, a pair spin and a death spiral.

“We were sitting waiting for the marks and at first I thought, did I her that right?” she said, noting their score was six points higher than a previous competition in August.

“But there were still more teams to skate. Then the other marks came in and we were, ‘Oh my God, they won!’”

Next up, MacKeen says she and Woodley and the young skating pair will focus on improving their performance and getting stronger for sectionals next year, when they hope to compete in the same pairs category at the pre novice level.

I’m very proud of both of them! It’s a huge deal,” Woroniecki said.


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tricia.weel@peacearchnews.com

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Tricia Weel

About the Author: Tricia Weel

I’m a lifelong writer, and worked as a journalist in community newspapers for more than a decade, from White Rock to Parksville and Qualicum Beach, to Abbotsford and Surrey, from 2001-2012
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