Private School News

SPEEDY SKATER GLIDES TO SUCCESS

A Year 8 pupil from Trent College in Long Eaton has earned her place in the top eight speed skaters in Western Europe, one of only two British girls to do so.

Last month, Jennifer Pickering, 13, took part in the final Star Class competition in Leeuwarden, the Netherlands, finishing in 6th place. The Star Class is an international competition for elite short track Speed Skaters residing in Western Europe and the grand final, the ‘Future Champions Trophy’, will be held at the beginning of March in Budapest. Jennifer and her fellow Western European skaters will be competing against the top eight from Eastern Europe, and she is one of only five British skaters to have reached the finals of this prestigious competition.

Jennifer started skating when she was just nine years old and spent a year working her way to the highest level, from where she could concentrate on one of the four disciplines; ice dance, figure skating, synchronised skating or speed skating. After gaining gold awards in two of these disciplines, an excited Jennifer was able to start speed skating, a long term ambition. She will finish what is only her second year of competitive racing in April, and has gone from strength to strength in a very short space of time.

In her first year she won the award for most improved skater and finished the season by achieving a qualifying time that enabled her to enter the Star Class competitions. This year, Jennifer won the first international open competition in the skating calendar at Mont Blanc, following this up at home by winning almost all of the domestic competitions she entered. Also, along with three team mates, Jennifer broke the British 2000m relay record, which was a proud moment as she was the captain of the team.

From the beginning of the season it was Jennifer’s goal to make the Star Class grand final, and talking about her achievements, Jennifer’s father, James Pickering said: ‘We are very proud of Jennifer’s determination to succeed in her chosen sport, and everyone comments on her good sportsmanship and positive attitude. It has taken a lot of hard work and dedication to get where she is today and she still strives to improve. She has a long road ahead of her, but I’m sure she’s going to love every minute of it!’