Scots take two UK titles ahead of Euro championships

Scottish skaters scooped two national titles and two other medals at the British Figure Skating Championships.

Natasha Mckay pipped Dundee rink-mate Karly Robertson to take the ladies’ title for a fourth time after scoring 177.73 in the free skate, while Danielle Harrison, who also trains at Dundee, came in third.

Meanwhile, ice dancer Lewis Gibson from Prestwick and partner Lilah Fear topped their personal best score in the free dance to win the British title for the third time.

Mckay scored 173.77, beating her season’s best of 170.23.

She said: “I’m absolutely over the moon. I had two great skates and feel confident this season more than ever. I’m looking forward to preparing for Europeans and worlds.”

Katie Powell, who trains at Edinburgh’s Murrayfield ice rink, came sixth.

Gibson and Fear beat their previous top free dance score by more than five points to be awarded 125.33, to give them an overall score of 195.70.

Skating to a medley of Madonna songs, the couple beat their nearest rivals Jessica Marjot and Jan Nordman, by more than 70 points overall. Rebecca Clarke and Frank Roselli came in third.

After a breakthrough season last year, which propelled them to the top flight of international competition, the couple, who train in Montreal, have already had a strong start to this year, winning bronze at their first Grand Prix in Canada – an invitation-only event for high level skaters. They ranked fourth at their second Grand Prix in Japan.

Gibson told The Scotsman: “We are super happy with the championships and in particular today’s free dance. We loved the energy from the audience.”

The pair – alongside Mckay – are now set to compete at the European Figure Skating Championships in Austria in January. They placed sixth in the competition last year. Mckay qualified for the free skate, placing 20th overall.

Zoe Jones and partner Christopher Boyadji from Swindon were the only skaters who qualified for the pairs competition, scoring 144.58.

Sheffield’s PJ Hallam won the mens’ title, with last year’s British champion Graham Newberry coming second.