Burnaby’s Sarah Tamura delivered a pair of strong skates in claiming second place at the Skate Canada Challenge in Montreal last week.
The Burnaby Central student, in her first season against senior competition, racked up second-best scores in both the short and free programs. Champion Gabrielle Daleman of Ontario established a new Canadian record with her total of 208.85 points, with Tamura totalling 166.45.
The competition served as a qualifying event for the 2017 Canadian Tire national skating championships, which go Jan. 16 to 22 in Ottawa.
Tamura, last year’s Canadian junior champion, was the lone skater to attempt a triple lutz-triple toe combination in the short, with her lone mistake coming in the free on the jump, ending in a single toe.
Tamura’s final score put her six points ahead of the third-best skater.
Her score was in line with her recent showing at the B.C. sectionals three weeks ago.
Fellow Champs International Skating Centre of B.C. skater Emily Bausback came in second in women’s juniors, trailing Kelowna’s Olivia Gran by just three points.
In senior ice dancing, Burnaby’s Haley Sales and Langley’s Nicolas Wamsteeker finished third overall.
