Osmond shines in short event
The grin on Kaetlyn Osmond’s face said pretty much everything about the senior women’s short program at the Canadian figure skating championships.
The Edmonton-based native of Marystown, N.L., took a giant leap toward her third national title on Friday, delivering a powerful, crisp routine en route to a smile-inducing, nationalrecord 81.01 points and an advantage of nearly six over Gabrielle Daleman (75.04) of Newmarket, Ont., going into Saturday’s free skate.
It’s not a lock, given that Osmond, the 2013-14 Canadian champion, was overtaken by Prescott’s Alaine Chartrand in the free skate last year in Halifax, but it’s close.
“I put that completely behind me because last year is completely out of my head,” Osmond said. “I have gotten a lot better about forgetting the short program and focusing on my long program. … One day at a time and do exactly what I do in practice.”
Defending champion Chartrand looked somewhat stunned after seeing her mark of 67.41 points, but expressed mild relief at getting through the short program, which was problematic earlier in the season.
Chartrand said Friday’s performance kept her in contention.
Even if overtaking Osmond again is unlikely, she’s within range of the second of two Canadian senior women’s berths in the world championships.
“It’s stiff competition. Gabi and Kaetlyn are amazing skaters, so all I can do is my best,” Chartrand said. “I do know that I can do a strong (free skate) … I feel really comfortable with the long program and I love it, the music and the energy that it gives me.”
Junior-eligible Sarah Tamura of Burnaby, B.C., was fourth with 60.04 points.