Chatham Skaters Shine at Ontario Winter Games

Olivia Stallaert and Ashley Glassco from the Chatham Skating Club, competed over the past weekend at the Ontario Winter Games in Barrie and Collingwood. The 2012 Ontario Winter Games, hosted by the Town of Collingwood, took place from March 8th to March 11th, 2012 across the Georgian Bay area.

The Games are a highly recognized, multi-sport competition that showcases some of Ontario’s best amateur athletes. Athletes from the Games could progress to National Championships, Canada Games, Pan Am Games, Commonwealth Games, Olympic Games or World Championships.

In addition to strengthening sport development in Ontario, the Games also promote the benefits of sport and provide the opportunity for spectators to learn more about Ontario’s best athletes. Approximately 1,000 male and 1,200 female athletes participated in the Games.

The local skaters are coached by Joelle Batten-Daigneau and Jo-Ann Batten, daughter and mother, from the Chatham Skating Club. Batten-Daigneau was chosen by the Western Ontario Section to be the Head Coach of the entire Western Ontario Skating Team.

Stallaert 12, and Glassco 14, both advanced to the Games after they qualified while competing at the Western Ontario Sectional Championships in November. They each walked away with the Bronze Medal; Stallaert in Juvenile and Glassco in Pre-Novice. The section sent their top 3 skaters each in Juvenile, Pre-Novice and Novice, ladies, men, pairs and dance to compete against skaters from across the other sections in all of Ontario.

Stallaert ended in 9th place in Juvenile ladies after skating the freeskate, while Glassco was 10th after her short program and 12th after the freeskate program giving her a 12th place finish in Pre-Novice Ladies.

The Chatham skaters will now start working on their next seasons programs as they move up a level; Stallaert to Pre-Novice and Glassco to Novice.