Dartmouth skater Julia Kenney heading to nationals in April

By Joanne Oostveen - The Weekly News
Dartmouth skater Julia Kenney is on her way to the nationals after a winning performance last month at the provincial skating championships.
Kenney, a 15-year-old Prince Andrew High School student, earned her spot to the HomeSense National STARSkate Championships, which are being held in Fredericton in April, by winning gold in the bronze triathlon event. Kenney beat out seven other girls at the Provincial STARSkate Championships held in late February at the St. Margarets Bay Centre Arena.
"This is my first time going to nationals," she said. "And I am ready."
Kenney has been skating since she was four years old, and says she can't really remember a time when figure skating was not a part of her life. She travels between the Gray Arena, the Dartmouth Sportsplex and the St. Margarets Bay and Sackville arenas five days per week, 11 months of the year to practice at becoming the best.
The triathlon event that gave her the gold was a tough one, said Kenney. She had to skate three different events.
"The event included a free skate, an interpretive program that has a skater telling a story to music, and the creative skill part that has specific turns, but no jumps," said Kenney. "I wasn't nervous, though. It was exciting."
Her mother Janice said that all the running around to rinks is worth it when she sees how much her daughter enjoys being on the ice.
"She has achieved excellence in three different types of skating," said Janice Kenney. "And that is not easy."
When Kenney hits the ice next month at nationals she will not only have the support of her family, but an attitude that just may help her in her quest for more gold.
"The nationals will be challenging, but I am definitely up for the challenge," she said. "And skating gives me the opportunity to meet people and have a blast, too."
Kenney spends what spare time she does have on her school work and teaching youngsters how to skate.
"Everyone should learn how to skate," she said. "Knowing how to compete, how to try hard and how to lose are all part of it, too. I have learned a lot."
joanneoostveen@accesswave.ca