News

The morning after the night before and there was no consoling Jenna McCorkell after the frustration of her disappointing skate in the short programme of the women’s figure skating on Tuesday night. The Coleraine girl wanted badly to produce her best performance on the biggest sporting stage in the world but in the end her Olympic ambitions in Vancouver ended abruptly, even before the free skate, which she’ll be forced to watch from the sidelines tonight. Finding the words to explain what happened was tough to find.
“That is the worst skate I have done in the last four years, I am just devastated," she said.
“I can’t change it and I wish I could. I mean I have had a great experience here but I am just so mad at what I did. I have no idea, I felt good in the warm-up and I had a long wait (before competing) so I had time to think, but I am sure I am not the only one, this will take some time to get over."
She tried her best to fight back the tears after the performance that saw her take a hard tumble after failing to land a triple lutz and double toeloop.
From then on the routine never recovered and her score of 40.64 was well below her personal best of 53.80 set just last month in the European Championships in Estonia and left Jenna in 29th place with only the top twenty-four moving on to the second part of the competition.
Had she skated her best and finish where she did she would have been able to accept that, not fulfilling her potential is what she is finding hardest to accept.
“Everything was working so well in practice and in all my competitions all year, my consistency has built up over the season in preparation for this moment. I just don't know what happened, I feel that I have let everyone down.”
Jenna’s coach Yuri Bureiko added, “It was not a good day yesterday. Jenna is an excellent athlete and a pleasure to coach, she works hard, learns from her mistakes and will come back fighting.”
And it’s the future that Jenna will now focus on with her parents, Ainsley and Craig, and husband Kevin who where there to support her at the Pacific Coliseum in Vancouver.
Speaking from western Canada last night Ainsley said, “Jenna has worked so hard, this is the first ever senior competition since she was 15 years old where she hasn't qualified for the free programme, we are gutted for her. But it is not the end of the world Jenna will bounce back and we are extremely proud of her achievements and attaining this level of competition.”
Jenna, who is funded by Sport NI, will now look towards next month's World Championships in Turin as she looks to rebound from her disappointment. "It is so hard but I have to deal with it now because it is over. I have got to learn from it; that is the way sport goes. I am not the only one to have had this happen to them but that doesn't stop it hurting. I am not done yet! I still have the worlds next month and will begin work this summer for four years time and the next Olympics.”

Well wishers from all over the world have been sending 'Good Luck' messages to Northern Ireland's first ever individual Winter Olympian JENNA McCORKELL. 'Everyone at AKR Promotions Events wish Jenna all the very best for later on today whenever she will take to the ice in the short programme in Vancouver. This has been a long road for her and a dream come true' stated Karin McBride who has been Jenna's PR for over 10 years now. 'Everyone is so excited, it is an historic moment for Northern Ireland as Jenna will become the first ever individual competitor to compete at the Winter Games.'

You can see Jenna skate live on either BBC or British Eurosport 12.00 am onwards tonight 23rd Feb 2010!

Jenna McCorkell was in good form this morning for her third practice of the Games. Coach Yuri Bureiko was impressed 'Jenna is regaining her strength and the last two practices have been very impressive.' Jenna skates for Team GB on the 23rd & 25th Feb. Meantime there has been a record number of hits on her website and her twitter followers are also increasing...'It has has been phenomenal the response to Jenna's participation' stated Karin McBride Jenna's PR for over 10 years, 'It is a totally different level of attention!' More updates on Jenna's progress coming soon..

Jenna McCorkell has just landed in Canada ahead of the start of the Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver. The seven times British Champion, International medallist and World and European competitor, is only hours away from the opening ceremony.

‘I spoke to Jenna earlier’ said her mum Ainsley from her Coleraine home in Northern Ireland ‘she is very excited and it is all just starting to sink in that this is real!’ Ainsley and husband Craig will join their daughter in Vancouver later in the month to watch her skate. You can catch the opening ceremony live on BBC 2 @1.45 am on Sat 13th February.

Castlereagh Borough Council has commended Ulster ice skater, Jenna McCorkell as the British Senior Ladies Champion heads to Vancouver on 8th February to represent team GB at the Winter Olympic Games. Jenna, who trained at Dundonald International Ice Bowl in the beginning of her career, is the first ever skater from Northern Ireland to represent Great Britain at the Winter Olympic Games The Mayor of Castlereagh, Councillor Lawrence Walker was thrilled with Jenna’s success. He said, “Jenna is a magnificent ambassador for local sport and her success on the ice is a true inspiration to the many young skaters at Dundonald International Ice Bowl who strive to follow in her footsteps.

'On behalf of Castlereagh Borough Council, I would like to wish Jenna every success at the Winter Olympic Games.'

The demand for ice skating lessons has already soared at Dundonald International Ice Bowl as children and adults have taken to the ice to learn to skate or take up competitive skating. The next series of lessons will commence the end of February and registration is currently open. For further details, contact Dundonald International Ice Bowl on 90809 129 or log onto www.theicebowl.com

Seven times British Ice Skating Champion JENNA MCORKELL skated a blinder in Estonia at the European Championships today to score a lifetime best in the short programme. However, things had been in doubt as to whether or not McCorkell would even compete

‘Up until the last minute Jenna had to consult with the doctor as she had suffered a viral relapse just prior to the event , but she is a very gutsy young woman and was determined to do her best, which I am delighted to say she did!’ stated Karin McBride who has been Jenna’s PR for 10 years.

With the standard this year at its highest ever and with very little separating the top ten skaters, there is all to skate for in the free programme tomorrow. This year the European’s is acting as a ‘warm-up’ to the Olympic Games in a month’s time whenever Jenna will again compete...

SCOTT KELLY who was the 3rd place overall in The British Thundersport GB1 Superbikes and the Most Improved Rider of 2008/09 season will take to the circuits again this season in the British Superbike Championships.

'This will be a step up for Scottie as he moves up to the British Superbikes but he is not unfamiliar with racing on a par with the best.' commented Kelly's PR/Publicity Consultant Karin McBride.

Two seasons ago Scottie earned his place to compete at the World Superbikes at Donnington in the British Thundersport races...official team announcement will be coming soon so watch this space...

AKR Promotions Events Karin McBride announced this afternoon 11.01.10 that the 2010 McIntyre Poetry Awards have had to be cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances. However, AKR Promotions Events is delighted to announce that the Art competition open to all primary schools that was to run alongside the Poetry Awards will take place as planned with a professional launch and public exhibition of the children's work to be displayed.

With a tremendous skate Jenna McCorkell took her first major Senior International medal this season tonight in Dortmund Germany in the NRW Trophy. McCorkell has been threatening to take a medal for some time, however with an overall personal best score this season it would appear that Jenna’s fortunes are finally changing.

The NRW Trophy had most of Europe’s top competitors in it and naturally her coach Yuri Bureiko was delighted with her performances, as was Jenna who is 7 times British Senior Champion:

‘I am delighted with both programmes this weekend and to take a medal would have been really great in such a big field but to make a personal best overall score as well as take a medal, well that is really sweet.’

Jenna will now be working with Shanette Folle before she competes in the European, Olympic and World Championships in the New Year. Jenna’s husband Kevin Van der Perren who is also coached by Yuri clinched the bronze in the mens event earlier in the day!

Seven times British Senior Ice Skating Champion JENNA McCORKELL has had a whirlwind week, and as the young 23 year old ice skater from Coleraine ‘took off’ the runway for another International in Germany today, the British Parliament in London was acknowledging her achievements. Mr Gregory Campbell MP, MLA brought forward the Early Morning Motion which read:-

Campbell, Gregory
That this House notes the outstanding ice skating achievements of Coleraine woman, Jenna McCorkell, in winning the British Senior Ice Skating Championships for a record breaking seventh time, and in qualifying, for the first time ever for a Northern Ireland ice skater, for the British and Northern Ireland team to compete in the forthcoming Olympic Games; commends her magnificent efforts thus far; and wishes her every success for Northern Ireland in the Vancouver Winter Olympics.

The motion was signed by Labour, Conservative, DUP and SDLP parties - Jenna’s PR Consultant Karin McBride commented:

‘Jenna has just left for Germany this morning but she was delighted with this acknowledgement and would like to thank Mr Campbell and all those who have supported the motion, she deems this as a great honour.’

Jenna is now in fulltime training and her announcement that she was officially now on the Team GB and heading to Vancouver was met with both joy and concern by her coach Yuri Bureiko who also coaches Jenna’s husband European Bronze medallist Kevin Van der Perren: ‘Jenna has been receiving Sport NI Funding for many years now to help her to achieve this goal of Olympic Games Selection, and we would like to publicly thank them for all their support. However, to make it to Olympic level is an extraordinary achievement which requires an extraordinary level of funding and I just hope that the funding will be there for Jenna. She has made vast improvements this year and the feedback from the judges has been phenomenal, she will be the first ever Ice Skater from Northern Ireland to have achieved this and we hope that everyone will get behind Jenna and support her!’

Keep up to date with all of Jenna’s news on her official website: www.jennamccorkell.com and you can now follow Jenna on ‘Twitter’ – link via site.

As Jenna McCorkell packs her bags in Sheffield this weekend, she takes with her an unprecedented record 7th British title win re-writing the history books in the process! Jenna has been national champion for the last 6 years and was head and shoulders above the competition at this event held at Ice Sheffield, England. The top 10 European and world competitor was literally in a class of her own and has been making big improvements all season on the international stage. The 22 year old Coleraine skater however suffered a shoulder injury in the morning and was skating under par but she already has her sights set on another international event in Germany – NRW Trophy next week, and whilst Jenna is clocking up the miles in different time zones it doesn’t seem to be affecting her skating.

‘Jenna has been improving each time she is going out there to perform in fact the performance value of her programmes has improved out of all recognition and her confidence is really really good. I feel she is very relaxed also with her skating. Her experience is showing, and feedback from the judges this season has been tremendous. Jenna’s choreographer is Shanetta Folle who is world renowned and very much in demand, we were so fortunate to get her to work with Jenna this season and this is now being reflected in her performances.’

The Nomadic Charitable Trust is helping AKR Promotions Events to get the word out with regard to the schools entering the Poetry Awards for next year. And it has just launched it's own all new fantastic schools programme and helped Promotions Events to launch the McIntyre Poetry & Art Awards 2010 from the famous ship. Karin McBride - AKR Promotions Events met with Laura Cowan (Spark) to have a tour to the famous craft that was catapulted to fame whenever she ferried the passengers at Cherbourg to board Titanic on her fateful journey. Read more on Karin's 'trip' and how you can book your school to have a 'trip of a lifetime! AKR

Ards Arts has just come forward with a fantastic new prize for The McIntyre Poetry & Art Awards 2010. In conjunction with the Poetry Awards there will be a prize for a separate Art competition built within the awards. The finalists in the Art Competition will become part of a public art exhibition at The Town Hall, Newtownards! A professional launch of the children's work will coincide with the publication of the sequel to the popular children's poetry anthology.

Jenna Moves Up World Rankings & Wins Coleraine Sportsperson of the Year (Female)

Following her outstanding performances in Cup of Russia and Finlandia Trophy, six times British Senior Ice Skating Champion Jenna McCorkell has been catapulted up the World rankings this year in her first two competitions. At the beginning of the season Jenna held 33rd position in the World rankings, following her 5th place in Finlandia Trophy she earned valuable points and moved up to 23rd position in the World. Now following her first Senior Grand Prix of the season where she place a very credible 8th place, Jenna now holds 17th place in the World rankings her highest in her career to date, and has moved up to 7th ranked in Europe. Jenna’s next stop is Skate Canada another Senior Grand Prix. Last season Jenna was lying in 4th place going into the free skate and finished 7th overall the highest ever placing by a British female skater in a Senior Grand Prix. Just in Jenna won the Coleraine Sportsperson of the Year Award (Senior Female) last weekend...

AKR PROMOTIONS EVENTS has just launched the 2010 McIntyre Poetry & Art Awards already we have more schools registered prior to the launch than for last year so there will be even more healthy competition and more prizes to be given out - with just over 6 categories and 12 cups and trophies to acknowledge the achievements of the local primary school children in Northern Ireland, AKR Promotions Events got proceedings under way officially at the historic Drawing Offices and at the famous Nomadic ship which is presently in dry dock and will undergo refurbishment next year. Helping with the launch were VIP's and Special guests including Patrick McManus and Bobbie Quaile both overall winners in the Poetry & Art sections last year. Primary Poetry for All is still selling well with all proceeds going to NI Children's Hospice and NIICCA.

3-in-1 The Voice the new FREE Christian E-zine that everyone is talking about, will feature local radio host Juls Martin 'In Focus'. Juls hosts two radio shows, one on UCB Radio and the other on U105 Radio Ulster. Already the E-zine is being downloaded by many and it is proving to be a magazine for everyone thus fulfilling the vision. To ensure that you don't miss out check out www.3in1publishing.co.uk and join the mailing list today!

Beverley Trotman former 'X' Factor finalist has just released her first album since appearing on the famous show. Beverley who is managed by The Lighthouse Agency, reached the final 12 and week after week endeared audiences with her fantastic gospel tones, humility and warm personality. Her powerful voice really reaches out to the listener and it is definetly one to buy. For a taster you can link through and download the title track 'Voice of Hope' for FREE, written by Lara Martin from Abundance Life Church in the wake of the 9/11 atrocity. Beverely this week spoke to Karin McBride for 3-in-1 The Voice for The Special Christmas Edition, and you can catch all the latest on 3-in-1 Publishing's website.