After a few weeks of sporting lows, the last thing the Aussies want is to go for a skate against New Zealand in Wanganui this week. But it could happen. The Oceania Artistic Skating Champs started at Jubilee Stadium last night, with 60 Aussies competing. Yesterday they went through their routines. Team Fusionlooked impressive. Big things are expected of them. They are the result of a merger between two of Australia's best teams at their last national championships. The Sunshine Coast's Danielle Burkin, 16, is at her first Oceania champs ... and her first trip away from home. She hopes to get to see a sheep while in New Zealand. C'mon, there's more to New Zealand than sheep, Danielle. On the same team is good mate from Caloundra, Rhiannon Grambower, also 16. She's a bit of an Oceania Champs veteran and a regular visitor to New Zealand. Betcha she's seen a sheep or two. Both have been artistic skating for several years. Danielle says she first strapped on a pair of skates when she was three. Mum has been her biggest supporter, senior skater Bianca Burow her coach for, well, forever. Danielle has to travel 25 minutes every time she wants some coaching but it's no big deal. It's just a matter of getting your skates on ... Both Danielle and Rhiannon giggle when asked for their favourite routines. "Anything short," they say. Aussie manager Nigel Foster, himself a former skater, says the sport is enjoying a resurgence back home. Of all the skaters under his wing here, there are a lot more at home trying to clamber aboard. He credits multi-championship winner Jayson Sutcliffe for some of the renewed interest. He got to star in the Australia's Got Talent programme and came close to skating to victory. He may have lost but won the hearts of the audience. Artistic skating was a winner, too. The champs, which began with the opening ceremony last night followed by the first event, the cadet freeskating short programme, end on Saturday afternoon.
