It’s been a few years since the nickel city qualified a skater for Sectionals, but with one event under her belt, 14 year-old Éva Baronette sits in fairly good shape as she leaves this week to try and bump her scores up a little at the final qualifier in Rockland.
The task at hand might not be easy, but it certainly is possible.
In mid-October, Baronette posted an overall aggregate score of 71.84 in Barrie, placing fourth among the 17 skaters in Pre-Novice Group 3. That said, there were six different groupings on hand and Sectionals will see the top 42 (of perhaps 100 or so) making their way to the showcase event in Wasaga Beach in December.
If successful, the young Sudbury Skating Club talent will become the first local representative since clubmate Mikayla Fabbro to skate at Sectionals. The good news is that for as much as Baronette posted all-around personal best scores (a new PB in short program, long program and, obviously, overall score), the potential to increase those numbers slightly is present.
And given that the format calls for the best scores posted by each skater to form the final rankings, progress in even the tiniest of forms might be crucial to achieving her goal.
“There were a few areas of my programs that could be improved so I was pretty happy knowing that I could still increase my scores,” said Baronette. That said, the young lady who first started skating at the age of four returned home quite content, overall, with her performances in Barrie last month.
“I got good levels on my spins (Level 3), my jumps were nicely landed, I got plus “GOE” (grade of execution) and landed a clean double axel,” said Baronette, who just narrowly missed reaching the podium in the Juvenile U14 Division at the 2025 Skate Ontario Provincial Championships in Stratford last March.
Baronette is trending in the right direction, both in terms of the on-ice product but also in the all-important mental approach to her skating. “I feel a bit more prepared (for this weekend) since I have already competed twice,” she said, referencing a summer competition in Waterloo that was not an official qualifier.
“I know what needs to improve in this competition.”
For as much as she is the lone local entry in the nation’s capital, Baronette knows that she can count on her long-time skating cohort for support between performances. “I always have my sister (Allie) that comes with us,” said Éva. “She is not skating, but she always come with us.”
“At least I have her and my parents to cheer me on.”
Good thing, as a completely new venue (to Baronette) and no local skating companions could make for a daunting experience otherwise – if not for her standard pre-competition checklist.
“When I get to the rink, I try and visualize my solo to see where I need to go, before the event,” she said. “That helps me adjust to the ice.”
At the end of November, the Nickel Blades Skating Club in Garson will host the Skate Ontario Provincial Series #4 competition at the George Armstrong Arena, marking the third consecutive year that the local club has welcomed skaters from across the province to northern Ontario.
This winter, however, they will have local company as the Copper Cliff Skating Club stages Skate Ontario - Star 1-4 at the McClelland Arena in early March.
