Albertan eyes bounce-back from damage in Calgary-hosted occasion
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Matthew Newnham is a part of an Alberta contingent that figures on leaving its mark on the 2024 Skate Canada Canadian Nationwide Skating Championships this week at WinSport.
Leaving right here “pleased” is the Edmontonian’s aim, specifically.
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Particularly after a difficult 2023 that noticed the 20-year-old senior males’s competitor battle by way of damage.
“I simply I need to be pleased with how I skate,” mentioned Newnham, of nationals, which proceed Friday on the WinSport Occasion Centre (10:40 a.m.). “Simply after just like the tough 12 months I had, I need to really feel glad with how this occasion goes.
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“I imply … successful is all the time behind my thoughts,” continued the Ice Palace Determine Skating Membership star. “That’s all the time the aim. It is dependent upon how I skate and the way all people else skates. However this 12 months, I believe it’s extra about getting again to how I used to be final 12 months and never like pushing myself too far like I did in the summertime.”
That was when he tore the psoas muscle in his proper hip.
Ouch.
The damage sidelined him for a couple of months, doubtlessly setting him again from the success he loved within the first half of the 12 months, when he completed sixth ultimately 12 months’s nationals and third on the ISU’s Coupe du Printemps occasion in Luxembourg.
“I didn’t get again till like finish of September,” Newnham mentioned. “So it’s been up and down. However general, issues have began to get again to regular — and I’m able to compete now.”
After bouncing again for bronze ultimately month’s Skate Canada Problem in Winnipeg, it’s now on for medal-threat Newnham at nationals, because the nation’s elite — some 300 robust in each the junior and senior ranges — are right here from throughout Canada to compete for nationwide glory within the males’s, ladies’s, pairs’, ice dance and synchronized skating disciplines.
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“Yeah … I used to be actually happy with how Skate Canada Problem went,” mentioned Newnham, who gained gold on the similar occasion one 12 months earlier. “I used to be not that ready, however I stored cool and was capable of do two good performances.
“There are some nationwide crew members right here that weren’t at Skate Canada Problem who’ve overwhelmed me prior to now, however we are going to see the way it goes this weekend.”
Calgary’s Kayla Ruiter is within the combine for medals amongst senior ladies, whereas Claresholm’s Ethan Scott joins Newnham within the senior males’s class and Calgarians Jacob Portz and Alyssa Robertson compete in senior dance, as does Calgary-born Paul Ayer — now coaching in Quebec — with associate Alicia Fabbri.
Additionally in motion from Alberta is Calgary’s junior synchronized skating crew, Solstice, which wrapped up its participation with the occasion’s free skate Thursday evening at nationals.
Newnham himself participates within the senior males’s quick program Friday night (7:05 p.m.) and within the senior males’s free program Saturday evening (6:40 p.m.), hoping to observe within the strides of the skater he most respects, three-time Canadian winner and 2018 world champ Kaetlyn Osmond.
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“After I was youthful, I skated with Kaetlyn, and she or he was somebody to look as much as,” mentioned Newnham, who’s coached by Ravi Walia. “Simply seeing how Kaetlyn labored and the way she educated every single day simply made me respect her much more, I’d say.”
The nationwide title is up for grabs for males, after reigning two-time champ Keegan Messing retired from the game final Could on the age of 31.
So Newnham chases that coveted high step on the rostrum by performing to the “enjoyable” French piece, ‘Aline’, by Jarvis Cocker in his quick program and to the slower up to date quantity, ‘In This Shirt’, by The Irrepressibles.
And his household is down from Edmonton to assist make him really feel pleased.
“Yeah … positively,” added Newnham. “I’ve skated at COP earlier than, so it feels acquainted. And I believe that can assist me this weekend. I actually favored it.
“There’s nonetheless issues I have to effective tune, however we’re practically there. I simply added extra issue to my applications from the final competitors, so I need to see how that works and interprets into this competitors. I simply need to go on the market have enjoyable and do the perfect that I can.”
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