Singing solo
Former Oak Bay band member goes it alone Page A8
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OAK BAYNEWS Friday, February 21, 2014
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Alisa Lyesina, left, and Kiara Jankowski are competing at the B.C. Winter Games in Mission this weekend. Sharon Tiffin/News staff
Skaters hit the ice in search of Winter Games gold Skaters tackle biggest competition to date Christopher Sun News staff
Oak Bay figure skater Kiara Jankowski thought it was just another skating competition. Last November, Jankowski and her friend, Alisa Lyesina, both 12, went to Richmond to a juvenile, under 14 sectionals competition. Only four skaters from Vancouver Island would advance and the two local girls nabbed two of those spots. Jankowski only discovered what she had earned after her win. “I didn’t know it was to qualify for the
entire life. (B.C.) Winter Games,” Jankowski said. “I “I love it,” Jankowski said. “I like how was pretty happy when I found out.” you can be creative with performing and Both Jankowski and Lyesina will stuff, and show the judges what you can represent Vancouver Island at the B.C. do.” Winter Games this weekend She trains five days a week in Mission. The event opened “I want to make and takes ballet once a week, yesterday, Feb. 20, and the it to nationals, then which helps her be more figure skating competition graceful and flexible on the starts today, concluding on worlds, and then ice. She is also a program Saturday. maybe the Olympics assistant for Canskate, The other two skaters teaching children ages five joining them are Olivia Bau after that.” and six how to skate. from Nanoose Bay and - Alisa Lyesina Lyesina first tried skating Kennedy Lavertu from Port when she was around age Alberni. three on the Rideau Canal in Ottawa, Jankowski learned how to skate where her family used to live. through the Canskate program at Oak Bay Like Jankowski, she began figure skating recreation centre when she was five and at Oak Bay recreation centre at age five. has been hooked on the sport her
She currently trains six times a week and enjoys every aspect of figure skating. “I really like doing the jumps and the spins, it makes me feel happy,” Lyesina said. “When I skate well, it makes me proud of myself because I’m achieving something.” Both girls are in Grade 7, Lyesina at Lansdowne Middle school and Jankowski at Monterey Middle school. Both are eager FINE CUSTOM JEWELLERS to continue skating into the future. “I want to do the best I can and go as far as I can,” Jankowski said. “I want to make it to nationals, then worlds, and then maybe the Olympics after that,” Lyesina said. “The B.C. Winter Games is like a miniOlympics with all the winter sports.” reporter@vicnews.com
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