Ice champion’ s ‘double life’

There are not many people like aspiring surgeon and professional ice dancer Catherine Wright. While undertaking her last year of study in medicine at Aberdeen University, she also consistently competes in Britain’s biggest national championships.

There she goes head-to-head – sometimes rather “ferociously” – against serious full-time skaters and often comes fifth.

Most recently, she competed against other part-time skaters in the UK for the first time at this year’s Adult National Open ice skating championships and took a resounding first place.

Now skating for 14 years, there was a time when the now Adult British Champion was swimming laps instead of curving edges.

When Catherine was young, her mum Meryl Plevey thought she was going to be a swimmer.

However, every year at Christmas after watching the show at Gosport Ice Rink near Portsmouth, Catherine would beg her for lessons.

It was not until her 10th birthday when she threatened to quit swimming lessons that her mum caved in and bought her some ice skating sessions.

At first believing it to be a momentary distraction, Mrs Plevey soon struggled to pull Catherine off the ice.

“I wasn’t the most talented when I started, I’ll put it that way,” said the 24-year-old. “But I just kept working.”

“Gravity was challenging. I was quite a heavy child and so jumping wasn’t my forte, but I was really good at edge work and dance.

“So I was kind of pushed down the ice dance option and never really looked back after that.”

Originally from near Portsmouth, Catherine moved to Aberdeen to be nearer to her mum, who now lives in Turriff.

Recently diagnosed with ADHD, she said: “I have a lot of energy. The reason I skate in the morning, other than the fact I absolutely love it, is it’s absolutely wonderful for my studies.

“Training in the morning gives me the release so that I can then concentrate. Skating has always helped. It’s always been my release.

“It’s like living a double life. Medicine is nothing like skating and skating is nothing like medicine. And I quite like that.”

IN ACTION: Catherine Wright. Pictures by Kenny Elrick.

Catherine with coach Ann Cronin.