Medals for artistic roller skaters
A group of Manawatū artistic roller skaters have returned from the Oceania championships with a swag of medals.
After a two-year hiatus due to the Covid-19 pandemic, 14 skaters from the Manawatū Skating Club represented New Zealand at the recent Oceania artistic roller skating championships in Whanganui. There were 44 in the New Zealand team.
The Manawatū skaters were: Phoenix Reid, Emma McLaren, Aspen Fell, Ben Shirley, Rox Price, Jessica Shirley, Lily Patete, Natalya Franzmayr, Claudia McLean, Linnea Franzmayr, Katja Franzmayr, Anna Mercer, Eryn Wilson and Esta Patete. Sonja Reid was the assistant team manager and Hollie Patete the chief marshal.
Ben Shirley and Lily Patete won two gold medals each, with Claudia McLean, Reid and Fell winning one gold, as well as the cadet team of Mercer, Natalya Franzmayr, Wilson, Esta Patete and Shirley also winning one.
The junior quartet team of Lily Patete, Linnea Franzmayr, Claudia McLean and Jessica Shirley won a silver medal.
There were bronze medals for Claudia McLean and Emma McLaren.
All medallists receive points towards World Skate international rankings.
It was the first time at the Oceania championships for Ben Shirley, Esta Patete, Mercer, Wilson, Natalya Franzmayr, Linnea Franzmayr and Claudia McLean.
They were all thankful to the community who supported them with fundraising discos leading up to the event.
A team of eight Manawatū skaters, a coach and team manager are attending the Americas Cup competition in Florida in January.