Local skater rolls steady at National Roller Skating Championships

LINCOLN, Neb. — Six skaters from Parkview Skating Center in Roseburg participated in the recent United States National Roller Skating Championships, and two of them captured individual titles.

The event, held July 19 through Aug. 4 at Pershing Auditorium, attracted 3,500 skaters from across the country.

Stephanie Hutchison and Libby Carpenter each won events. The 38-year-old Carpenter, who resides in Creswell, was first in Esquire A Ladies Figures and finished fifth in Esquire A Ladies Dance. Hutchison, 15, won Freshman A Ladies Figures and placed sixth in the Freshman A Ladies Singles event and Advanced Co-ed Loops.

For Hutchison, a sophomore-to-be at Roseburg High, it was her first national championship. She had placed third twice at nationals — in Juvenile A Girls Figures in 2004 and Elementary Loops in 2006.

“This is my first gold ever (at nationals) and it felt really good,” said Hutchison, who has competed in seven national meets. “I always set my goals really high, and I had a goal of being in the top six and making the finals. All that hard work pays off.”

Hutchison, who’ll be a junior varsity cheerleader for RHS this year, has been competing in roller skating since she was 5. She practices three hours a day four times a week from October through August.

“Roller skating is one of my favorite things to do,” she said. “It has always been in the family. I like the thrill of winning. I like to get nervous and have that feeling you can’t mess up — you have to go out there and be the best you can be.”

Carpenter, who’s married, had won two prevous national titles — in Novice B Ladies Freestyle in 2006 and Esquire Ladies Dance in 2007.

“This is the best one for me,” she said. “I set a goal to win this specific event so I could move up (to another level). I didn’t have huge expectations going in ... I just wanted to make it a vacation and not put much pressure on myself. It worked out well.”

Carpenter started skating when she was 4, stopped when she turned 15 and put back on the skates at 35. She works at McKenzie-Willamette Hospital in Springfield.

“I wanted to get back in it for fun and exercise,” she said. “But once you start something you want to do the best you can. I enjoy skating with the kids down there (in Roseburg) the most. The best part is watching the youth grow.”

Breanna Barraza placed 11th in Freshman A Ladies Singles. Tory Greenwalt placed 16th in the Juvenile Elementary B Girls Singles and Kyra Hegdahl placed 28th in the Juvenile Elementary B Girls Singles. Brooklynne Garza placed 27th in the Freshman Sophomore C Ladies Figure event and 25th in Freshman Sophomore C Solo Dance.

Skating lessons will resume in October at Parkview Skating Center. Information: Diana Colby, 672-4247.