McCorkell hails coach as she bids for sixth national crown

FIVE-TIME British figure skating champion Jenna McCorkell believes a five-star performance at the national championships will aid her European Championship chances in Finland later this month.

CORKER: British No.1 Jenna McConell has high hopes in a busy January (Getty Images)

The 22-year-old Belgium-based skater will make a fleeting visit to the National Ice Arena in Nottingham on January before heading to Helsinki, via Belgium again, to take on Europe's finest.

McCorkell has fond memories of the European Championships, having achieved a career-best eighth last year in Zagreb where she excelled in the short program.

Since then she has changed coaches having fallen out with Vera Vandecaveye and teamed up with Yuri Bureiko, a former Soviet Union world junior silver medallist, in May 2008.

 

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And the Londonderry-born skater is confident a sixth national title in seven years will provide the perfect stepping stone to reaching the top eight once again in Helsinki.

"Without doubt this is the best season of my career so far," said McCorkell. "I've been so much more consistent and that is absolutely key seeing as the competitions have come thick and fast this campaign.

"The British Championships and the European Championships are so close together I will hardly have time to catch my breath.

"But I think that will suit me. I believe I perform better when I'm constantly competing and as long as the travelling doesn't take too much out of me I should be fine for Helsinki.

"This is a massive year for me in terms of the big competitions because it's all about achieving the criteria for Vancouver 2010.

"I haven't found out what that is yet but I'll know before the World Championships and I'll be determined to achieve it after the disappointment of missing Turin through injury."

McCorkell has been in impressive form this season, securing three top six European finishes including a silver medal at the Zagreb Golden Spin in November.

She also came seventh in Skate Canada and McCorkell is convinced that teaming up Bureiko, who also coaches British men's No.1 Elliott Hilton, has made all the difference.

"I do respect Vera (Vandecaveye) but we didn't see eye to eye on so many things," she added. "By the end I couldn't really stand her to be honest and had to make a change.

"But I'm so glad I did. I'm based in Belgium but also work with Yuri with Great Britain and it works out really well and I believe it's showing in my performances and results."

GERARD MEAGHER