Coquitlam's Brianna Delmaestro knows that sometimes fractions can make a world of difference.
Delmaestro and partner Timothy Lum skated to a third-place showing in the junior dance category at the Canadian Tire National Skating Championships last week in Ottawa.
"Our short dance was pretty good, it wasn't the best but it was one of the best we've had in competition," said Delmaestro. "Our free dance, I feel like it was the best free dance we did all year. I think the performance and it just felt like we really got into it and performed it. And all the elements were good."
Delmaestro and Lum put up a combined score of 134.25, less than three-tenths of a point behind second-place finishers Melinda and Andrew Meng of Quebec.
"We're the first substitutes for junior worlds so if someone gets injured we get to go," said Delmaestro.
But the 18-year-old skater showed no disappointment in coming so close to second place and a chance to compete on the international stage at the world juniors March 10-16 in Sofia, Bulgaria.
"We were really, really happy. We would have been happy with anything but it was a really good feeling to know that all the hard work this year had paid off."
She credits the strong showing on the rhythm she has developed with Lum following their first season of skating together.
"We know how each other competes now and it's gotten easier as we've improved on our programs as well," she said.
Delmaestro and Lum are enjoying a week-long reprieve from training before heading back to the rink to work on new elements and programs for the next season. Delmaestro said the nationals was a great way to finish off their season and she's hoping they can improve on that third-place showing next year in their final year of junior.
