Figure skating star Jane Collins is heading to Perth for the Australian Figure Skating Championships next week.Left: Collins will be looking to add another trophy to her collection next week and dazzle the judges with her double lutz.By Glen Atwell
WITH her double axels and toeloop rotations, Jane Collins is used to having the edge on the ice.
A star figure skater, Jane recently won the Victorian Figure Skating Championships in her intermediate division.
The 15yearold will travel to Perth next week to take on Australia’s best figure skaters at the Australian Figure Skating Championships.
With a team of five from Victoria, Jane said she was expecting success.
“I’m hoping for a top10 finish,” she said.
“Or better,” her mother Leonie said.
The year10 Beaconhills College student began figure skating when she was eight years old and living in the United States.
“The sport is a lot bigger over there so it was easy to pick up.
“In Victoria there is only two ice rinks, one in Oakleigh and the other in Bendigo, so it makes it hard,” she said.
There are only three levels higher than intermediate division and, with so much skating ahead of her, Jane is confident of reaching national level.
“I’d like to go to the Winter Olympics, but that’s still a while off,” she said.
Skaters perform two programs in a competition, one technical and a free program, to music of their choice.
Both programs are immaculately choreographed.
“The judges love changes in speed and beat, so you choose music accordingly,” Jane said.
She said figure skating gave her a great feeling.
“Except when I fall over,” she laughed.
With up to nine hours of training per week, Jane is regularly taking her skates to the sharpener.
“They get blunt fairly quickly, about every six weeks I need them sharpened.
“I know they are blunt because you lose grip on the ice,” she said.
Jane said her hardest rotation is the double lutz, but looks forward to perfecting it before heading to Perth.
“I get nervous beforehand, but once I’m out on the ice I don’t feel it,” she said.
