Dundee skaters lying in top three places in British Figure Skating Championships

A trio of Dundee skaters battled it out for the top three places in the first event in the ladies' competition at the British Figure Skating Championships today.

Natasha McKay from Dundee is in the lead in the ladies' competition.

Three times British champion Natasha McKay, from Dundee, just pipped Karly Robertson to the top spot in the short programme with training mate Danielle Harrison lying in third. McKay achieved a season's best score of 60.09, less than a point ahead of Robertson. Harrison scored 52.35. Katie Powell from Edinburgh’s Murrayfield rink ranked sixth.

In the ice dance competition, Prestwick-born skater Lewis Gibson and partner Lilah Fear are in the lead by 23 points, after scoring 70.37.

Sheffield’s PJ Hallam was in the lead after the first section of the mens’ competition, scoring 77.73, ahead of Graham Newberry, who pipped him for the top spot last year. However, Hallam represented the UK in last year’s World Championships, after Newberry failed to achieve a qualifying score during last season’s competitions.

Simon Briggs, who coaches all of the top three skaters at Dundee ice rink, said: “I thought the girls did great today. Natasha was great technically but with a slight error on the landing of the salchow. I was really pleased with the programme and the way she skated it. The components were very much deserved. Karly was fantastic technically and was ahead with the technical score which was deserved. She did a great job with the triple triple. Danni skated a better programme for her today and is definitely moving in the right direction.

"Overall a great result for Dundee. What Karly gained technically, Natasha gained in components, and the result was close. All of the girls should be very proud of their attitude and performances today. They have been training so well it is just nice when they carry that into the event."

The mens' and ladies' competitions continue tomorrow, with the free skate. Pairs skater Zoe Jones, who is the oldest skater in European competition at 39 with partner Chris Boyadji, were the only competitors in the pairs category, scoring 48.83.