Roller Skating: Bay youngster's golden glow

Hawke's Bay placegetters from the recent national artistic roller skating championships. Photo/Paul Taylor

Clubmates of Hawke's Bay skater Nina Coe will tell you she's a determined girl who has got the temperament for competition.

Nothing rattles her ... well on the outside at least. Her haul of gold medals from the last two New Zealand Roller Sport Artistic National Championships backs up the description.

Skate Hawke's Bay (formerly the Hastings Skating Club) 12-year-old Coe returned from the recent Rotorua-hosted nationals with four golds - one from the 26-strong elementary free skating division, one from the cadet solo dance division, one from the cadet figures division and one from the elementary loops division.

Last year in New Plymouth Coe, who has been skating for nine years, won gold in five divisions. Both of the Sherenden & Districts School Year 8 student's elementary titles were won for the second consecutive year and this is her first year at cadet level.

When asked for the secrets to her success Coe, who is also a more than handy goal shoot at netball, replied: "Lots of training."

It's obvious she is serious about the sport. Family members make the 80-minute return trip from her Central Hawke's Bay home for training three times a week. At her club's Rodney Green Events Centre base in Napier Coe regularly has coaching from Aucklanders Bev Cooper and Rachael Parkinson-Turner and Palmerston North's Kylie Shirley.

She will compete in her first Oceania championships in Brisbane from September 21-24. Napier Girls' High School Year 11 student Eva Ross-Grant, 16, will strap on her skates at Oceania level for the third time following a fifth placing in the youth solo dance division at nationals.

"It was my first time in this grade at nationals so I was happy with that. I will also be in the youth division in Brisbane where I will be aiming for a top 10 finish," third generation skater Ross-Grant said.

Her previous best placing at Oceania level is a third. Ross-Grant has also competed for nine years and her mother, retired skater Linsay Grant, has mentored her in recent years.

"It can be tricky being coached by your mum. We keep the coaching separate from family stuff ... most of the time."

Porritt School teacher Sharon McRae, who took up the sport in 2010, repeated her 2016 feat with golds in masters figures and esquire dance categories. Heretaunga Intermediate School Year 7 student Cody Wilson won silver in the juvenile figures division and finished fifth in the juvenile free skating category.

A cousin of national solobike champion Bradley Wilson-Dean who is a United Kingdom-based speedway professional, Wilson also won silver in juvenile figures in 2015 and bronze last year.

Rox Price collected bronze in the advanced masters solo dance division and finished fifth in the advanced masters women's figures category. Brooke Cooper finished eighth in juvenile figures and 17th in juvenile free skating.

Skate Hawke's Bay stalwart Bill Hancock, 69, was presented with a life membership award for the national body in recognition of his 50 years service to the sport which began when he was 19. He is one of three members of his club who have gained this status.

In typical Hancock fashion the five-time national masters figure champion before retirement politely declined to elaborate too much on his involvement and instead praised the Bay contingent's medal haul.

"We didn't go to Rotorua with any expectations because last year we had a 12-strong team and achieved everything possible ... this year we had lost several of our skaters for a variety of reasons so we were thrilled with what we achieved with the six who went."