Mitchell Dunn’s forehead beaded with sweat after an exhilarating solo ice dance at Quesnel’s West Fraser Centre on Monday, Nov. 8.
The 16-year-old was busy preparing for this weekend’s 2022 Belair Direct BC/YK Sectional Championships taking place on Vancouver Island in Parksville.
“I’m definitely feeling better than I was for the last competition,” he said Monday.
“I’m the best I’ve been in a while.”
Dunn is one of five competitors listed in the novice men short program and said the super series serves as a qualifier to national competitive challenges.
Read More: Quesnel skater competes at provincial event from home
He has been figure skating since he was seven years old and has a knack for performing.
“I like the rush I get when I’m doing my solo in front of a bunch of people,” he said.
“I don’t get a lot of spectators, but still, it’s fun.”
Dunn typically trains during the summer in Prince George, where indoor ice facilities are available year-round. The COVID-19 pandemic, however, disrupted his routine in 2020 and 2021.
He admitted it was a bit challenging to get back on the ice after a whole summer of not skating.
Dunn is the only skater from the Quesnel Figure Skating Club competing at the sectional championships.
He hopes to inspire other male youth to take up figure skating that he said is primarily perceived by others as a sport for girls.
“I’m hoping to do really well,” Dunn said of the sectionals in Parksville where some of his family will be at Oceanside Place Arena to watch him perform and cheer him on.
“If I could go to the Olympics one day, that would be amazing…We’ll see how it goes, but I definitely want to keep figure skating as I’m older.”
Streaming links are available at www.skatinginbc.com.
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