Shellbrook's Ashlyn Schmitz and pairs partner Tristan Taylor won gold at Challenge in Edmonton. (submitted photo/Tasje Sharron) 

By Glenn Hicks

ice moves

Shellbrook skater set for Nationals this week

Jan 13, 2020 | 12:00 PM

Ashlyn Schmitz has been lacing on her blades for almost a decade, and she’s still only 13 years old.

On Wednesday the Shellbrook figure skater will face the biggest test yet of her skill, artistry, and athleticism when she and pairs partner Tristan Taylor, a 17-year-old from Wolesely, deliver their short program in the novice category at the National Championships in Ontario. Their free program follows the next day.

“We had a great choreographer do it for us, we’ve done it throughout the season, and it’s become a routine,” Schmitz told paNOW from her training base in Regina. “We know where to go and we know what to do with each other.”

That complete understanding in their partnership is honed with three hours of practice five days a week on the ice, and that doesn’t include another three sessions a week of off-ice training.

“The girl really has to trust the boy in most situations because the girl is above his head. You have to trust him enough to keep you up there without falling or something [else] happening,” she said.

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The duo has already produced success with a gold medal at Challenge in Edmonton in December, and a bronze at the 2019 Winter Games in Red Deer — excellent results given the two have only been a pair since April 2018. But that doesn’t come as a surprise to Tasja Sharron, who coached Schmitz in Shellbrook since she was little.

Ashlyn Schmitz flanked by Shellbrook coach Tasje Sharron and Tristan Taylor after their bronze at the Canada Winter Games.(submitted Tasje Sharron)

“Every new element I gave her to do she would practice hard and work hard; she just seemed to understand the sport,” Sharron told paNOW. “They’re serious contenders [at Nationals]. Their gold medal in Edmonton was against teams who had previously beaten them. It’s going to be exciting to watch for sure.”

Schmitz has continued her growth under Dave and Vicki Schultz from Skate Regina. She lives with her grandmother in Regina and studies via correspondence. But she isn’t getting ahead of herself when looking to the future.

“I usually just like to take things one year at a time and see what’s going to happen after that,” she said.

And as for what’s going to happen this week?

“I’m hoping we do well, hoping to get a medal, which we probably should do if we have good, clean skates.”

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glenn.hicks@jpbg.ca

On Twitter:@princealbertnow