5 November 2018
Kirkham Grammar School First Year pupil, Jemima , travelled to Oxford over the October half term holidays to compete in her last National Figure Skating Competition of the season. Jemima executed a wonderful programme which placed her first at Novice Ladies. A wonderful end to a very successful season for Jemima who started skating at only four years of age. Within six months it became clear that this was something Jemima had a flair for. At only seven years of age she was selected for the GB Development Squad which requires her to achieve a certain level at each age group to move up through the programme. The boundaries change every year, pushing them to achieve the very best to maintain their GB Development Squad status. Jemima represented Team GB in Hungary at the age of eight and competed at The British Figure Skating Championship at Ice Sheffield last December and The British Ice Dance Championship in July this year which saw her placed fifth.
Jemima, who also excels academically, trains 18 hours a week over 6 days which includes early morning alarm calls at 4.30am to travel to Blackburn or Blackpool for a 2 hour session before the start of the school day.
Jemima’s next competition is the British Championships on Monday 26 November having qualified in both the Figure Skating and Ice Dance disciplines. Jemima, now age 11, is the only female competitor, training at Blackpool, to have qualified for the singles British Figure Skating competition.
