Todoruk returns from Skate Canada Challenge

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Published on Thursday, December 11, 2014

By Eoin Devereux

The Neepawa Banner

Amy Todoruk of Neepawa can walk away from competitive figure skating knowing it’s helped shape her for the better.

The 17-year-old recently returned from Montreal, after competing in the Skate Canada Challenge. Though she did finish outside of the top 20, she was still extremely pleased with her short and long programs. Todoruk added that it was amazing to find herself facing the best figure skaters from across the nation.

“There were 48 skaters in my category and six of the skaters who I competed against are a part of the Grand Prix circuit and compete around the world,” said Todoruk. “I watched all of them and they were amazing.”

Todoruk said she entered the event feeling no pressure.

“I was just there to do my job and have a good skate. There wasn’t any pressure on me, because I knew what I was capable of. I’ve done it before in practice and in other events and there was no reason for it to be any different on the bigger stage,” Todoruk noted. “I had two very good skates [in Montreal]. Myself and my coach, we were really happy with them. When I skated off the ice, I knew that I’d given everything I could. I had two clean programs and left the best version of me out there. I left it all on the ice and was really happy with it.”

Todoruk, who has been figure skating since age six, said the event in Montreal is likely her swan song for competition. She noted that if it is, she leaves this chapter of her life with no regrets.

“I think skating has really shaped me as a person, because I have been doing it for so long. I have learned so much from it and from these types of experiences I have learned even more about myself and about other people. How to handle pressure,” said Todoruk.  “This is the last competition that I have planned, but who knows. That’s probably my last one. I’m really happy with how it went. I met my goal and I did the best that I could. It was awesome.”