The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Dundee skater Natasha puts on world-class performance
FINALS: Reigning British champ glides through free program qualifiers
Dundee figure skater Natasha McKay reached a career high by qualifying for the free program final of the World Championships in Japan yesterday.
The 24-year-old three-time and reigning British champion was ranked a highly impressive 21st in the short program after a performance that smashed her personal best.
Natasha, who is based at the Dundee Ice Arena and is coached by Simon and Debi Briggs, needed to make it into the top 24 to progress to tomorrow’s second stage, and did that with a bit to spare.
The top 20 is now in her sights at stage two.
In a packed Saitama Super Arena, Natasha was 10th skater out at her third Worlds.
Skating to the Song for the Little Sparrow, choreographed by worldrenowned choreographer Benoit Richaud, she put down a personal best program on the biggest day of her season.
At last year’s World Championships in Milan, the mark for qualification for the free program was 50.63 points.
This year it rose to 55.20, making Natasha’s achievement even more impressive. She scored 56.40.
She is the first British female figure skater to qualify for the free at the World Championships since 2013.
Natasha said: “I was delighted with my performance today and felt very comfortable out on the ice. My practice sessions have been going well and to skate clean was my goal and to score a personal best was great.
“I had in my mind when I came to Japan that I could qualify and although the quality of ladies skating today was so high and the qualification score was up by five points from last year, I managed to make it and qualify for the finals.”
Team GB Olympic Coach Simon Briggs said: “Today showed exactly what Natasha is made of.
“She is a hard worker, has a strong mindset and can perform when it matters. She has been building momentum over the previous three seasons and throughout this one, and she has brought her very best skating to the ice in Japan today.
“She has proven that she belongs among the top flight of ladies in the world and she will go out on Friday with the same great attitude and determination.”
Natasha has placed 32nd at the Worlds in the previous two years. She ranked 20th at the European Championships in Minsk, Belarus in January.
Alina Zagitova from Russia is lying in first place with 82.08, followed by Japan’s Kaori Sakamoto in second and Elizabet Tursynbaeva from Kazakhstan in third.