Digby skater qualifies for Eastern Challenge

BY JONATHAN RILEY

Digby Courier

NovaNewsNow.com



A young Digby skater has qualified to represent Nova Scotia at the Eastern Challenge, a qualifying event for Nationals and the Nova Scotia Canada Games team.

James Hazelton, 13, competes in pre-novice against 15 and 17 year-olds and just got back from Sectionals, which are like the provincial championships for competitive skating.

He placed third at the 2007 BMO Financial Group Skate Canada Sectionals. Although they were only three skaters in his category, James nonetheless had a new personal best score of 43.38 combined to be proud of.

At the Eastern Challenge, James will be competing against skaters from the Atlantic Provinces, Quebec and half of Ontario.

“Last year he couldn’t pass a test to compete at Provincials,’ says his mother Ann Hazelton. “This year, he blew them all away.�

Ann credits the improvement in part to James’ summer “vacation.�

He spent eight weeks at the Mariposa School of Skating in Ontario, getting up at 6 a.m. to skate for four hours.

His “vacation� also included one to two hours of off-ice training every day.

“He either loves it or he is just crazy,� says Ann.

She says another advantage of the school, besides the training, is that many top skaters are there.

“Last year the World Junior champ skated there and the Canadian Junior champ,� says Ann. “So when you watch these athletes and see their habits and methods, it all helps.�

Another big help is James’ new coach, Cheryle Gaston, of Middleton.

James and Cheryle are working hard on his program to squeeze as many points as they can from it.

At the Sectionals, only 3.18 points separated first and third place.

They are adding more complicated footwork and working for more consistency with his spins. James is even working on some triple jumps but has yet to land one clean in competition.

Other goals include qualifying for nationals by finishing in the top 12 and qualifying for the Nova Scotia Canada Gao the top two Nova Scotians. Meaning he’ll have to beat one of the older boys who beat him at Sectionals.

James knows exactly what he is sacrificing to reach his goals.

“I can’t hang out with my friends or go for a ride on my bike or stuff like that as much cause I don’t have as much time for myself as other kids.

“I do it because I like the sport – the exhilaration of the jumps and the competition. And the friends I get to meet through the sport.�

Gaston adds that the popularity of skateboarding makes it easier for kids today to understand what James is up to.

“If I tell his friends that James is working on an 1080, that sounds a whole lot cooler than a triple Sal’.�

Gaston says even though James skates five times a week for an hour and three quarters to two hours, he knows his competition is skating five days week for four hours

“Plus they’re older and stronger so if he wants to compete against them he has to put in the time and the work.�

Gaston says James has a great work ethic and a real love for the sport.

“That’s what’s making him successful. Lots of skaters have talent but aren’t willing to work.�

The Eastern Challenge runs from Nov. 30 to Dec. 3 in Moncton and Nationals are in Brampton Ontario in February. The Canada Games start in Whitehorse at the end of February.



jriley@digbycourier.ca