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OWIA announces partnership with NSWISA

13/1/2015

The Olympic Winter Institute of Australia (OWIA), is delighted to announce that a partnership has been established with the New South Wales Ice Skating Association (NSWISA), supporting leading Australian and NSW athletes Brendan Kerry and Kailani Craine.

OWIA CEO Geoff Lipshut, was thrilled with the new partnership, which will provide both athletes with additional targeted support focused on international competition activities .

“It is great to see that these talented skaters are being supported by their state association and look forward to further developing a successful and mutually beneficial relationship with NSWISA towards the 2018 Olympic Winter Games in Pyeongchang, Korea and beyond.”

Two quads for Kerry lands him in 5th

12/1/2015

Fifth place overall is not the final result Brendan Kerry was looking for in Poland at the Mentor Nestle Nesquick Torun Cup, but he is on track and staying on plan to consolidate his jumps heading into the World Championships this March.

In a powerhouse jumping display, Kerry landed the Quad Salchow in the free, (a first for any Australian) and a magnificent triple axel/triple toe combination. Both jumps were the highest scoring by any competitor in the event, (11.50 and 14.86 respectively). He also nailed the Quad Toe Loop in the short program and was the only competitor to land quads in both sections in the event.

Kerry’s jumping prowess ranked his technical scores third in both programs.

His career best total of 189.94, after placing 4th in the free program saw him climb one place up from 6th in the short. Winner, Romain Ponsart from France scored a total of 204.17.

“I successfully landed two different quads and became the first ever Australian to land a quad salchow. The remainder of the programs were not quite the two skates I was hoping for at this event. However, it's definitely a big improvement from the beginning of the season,” Kerry said from Poland.

The focus on technical elements in training this season has been a deliberate plan to consolidate his performances and restore confidence.

“I’m feeling motivated and more sure of my ability. Now to head home to LA and hopefully keep getting better headed into the championship events,” he said.

Kerry will next compete in the Four Continent Championships in Taipei in early February.

The New South Wales Ice Skating Association (NSWISA) is now an OWIA partner for its two national champions, Brendan Kerry and Kailani Craine.

Craine strikes silver in her senior debut

10/1/2015

OWIA 16-year-old figure skater Kailani Craine has won a silver at her senior debut in Poland tonight at the Mentor Nestle Nesquick Torun Cup.

An effervescent teenager with a competitive heart of steel, Kailani made her international senior debut in stunning style yesterday winning the short program with a lead of almost three points and followed it up tonight with five triple jumps in her free program, scoring 96.57 and 151.39 overall. The overall winner, Angelina Kuchova from Latvia, scored 104.31 in her free program with a strong technical program that included triple lutz and a triple combination to amass an overall total of 156.15. The bronze went to Dasa Grm from Slovenia, while Austrian Champion and Sochi Olympian Kirsten Frank had to settle for fourth.

On winning silver at her senior debut, Kailani said she was happy with her short program but not as pleased with the free.

“The goal was to achieve the World Championship qualifying score in the free program and I did that, but I am a bit shattered that I held back that little bit in the free program. I was happy with the short but there are plenty of things I can improve upon,” she said.

Kailani, who won the national junior and senior Australian Figure Skating Championships in December, is no stranger to international success having won gold in the junior division of the Lombardia Trophy in Italy last September.

Coached by George Galanis in Newcastle and in Los Angeles, USA by Tiffany Chin, Kailani’s next event, after a quick trip home to begin Year 11, is the ISU Four Continents Championships in Korea next month. She also plans to compete at the Junior World Championship in late March.

“As a new athlete to the OWIA figure skating program, Kailani has demonstrated all the hallmarks of a great career to come,” said OWIA Figure Skating Co-coordinator, Belinda Noonan. “Her joy in performing is a treat to watch. Combine that with her strong competitive spirit and ever-improving triple jumps, Australia now has two world-class women figure skaters in Kailani Craine and 2014 Olympian Brooklee Han.”

The New South Wales Ice Skating Association (NSWISA) is now an OWIA partner for its two national champions, Brendan Kerry and Kailani Craine.

Sub-par skate but 6th place for Brendan Kerry

9/1/2015

A low scoring men’s event at Mentor Nestle Nesquick Cup in Torun Poland sees Brenda Kerry lying in 6th place with 64.77 points, well below his best.

German Champion, Peter Leibers is leading after the short program on 70.87 points in an event riddled with errors, leaving the door open to any of the top six placegetters to be on the podium after the free program tomorrow. Kerry, who landed a quad salchow and two triple axels at the December National Championships in Brisbane will need to find similar form in his free program tomorrow to move up the rankings.

Craine delivers impressive short program

9/1/2015

In her first senior international event, Australian Ladies Figure Skating Champion Kailani Craine has delivered a clean short program to lead the field with a score of 54.82 that smashes her previous listed ISU best of 42.26.

Skating to ‘Broken Sorrow’, the sassy 16-year-old from Newcastle was anything but sorrowful, landing an improved triple lutz jump and triple loop combination with her trademark confidence, performing an entertaining program that will be hard to catch in the free program.

Leading by just under three points from Angelina Kuchvalska (Latvia) and then Dasa Grm from Slovenia, Craine scored an impressive 31.98 for her seven technical elements and 22.84 for program components.

“The ice felt really good compared to the ice on practise,” Kailani said immediately after the event.

She will skate last in the free program tomorrow and will be hoping to hold her position. Kailani’s rise on the international stage was heralded last October when she won the Junior Ladies at Lombardia Trophy in October.

OWIA announces partnership with NSWISA

Two quads for Kerry lands him in 5th

Craine strikes silver in her senior debut

Sub-par skate but 6th place for Brendan Kerry

Craine delivers impressive short program

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