Qlder Darian Kaptich wins senior national title at Australian Figure Skating Championships

Does it get any better than securing your first senior national title at your home rink? You’d have to ask Queensland’s Darian Kaptich, who put on a show in the 2022 Australian Figure Skating Championships. TOURNAMENT REVIEW

Darian Kaptich and Vlada Vasiliev. Picture: Rhys Lavender

Local figure skating star Darian Kaptich secured his first senior National Title on Friday (December 2), defeating his Queensland counterpart Charlton Doherty at the 2022 Australian Figure Skating Championships at Iceworld Boondall.

After a week of exhilarating competition, the first national championships held since 2019 (Covid ruling out the previous two titles), Kaptich secured victory in front of a vocal home crowd.

Darian Kaptich. Picture: John Gass

Kaptich overcame Doherty and Callum Bradshaw from Canberra with a personal best in the short program.

But Doherty made him work for it, with Kaptich leading only by five points going into the Free Skate where he again produced a flawless routine to win comfortably in the end.

Charlton Doherty. Picture: John Gass

It was even sweeter for the Brisbane boy, who was competing at his local rink with passionate fans filling the stands.

His effort was equalled only by the tense finish in the Women’s Senior Division, the closest it has been in years.

NSW’s Vlada Vasiliev and Andrea Guo, along with West Australian Hana Bath, were separated by just three points after the short program.

All three of them had been seeking their first National Title.

Andrea Guo, from NSW. Picture: John Gass

Although Bath was the pre-competition favourite after becoming the only Australian female to land a triple axel earlier this year, 15-year-old Vasiliev skated a near perfect final routine to achieve her personal best and secure victory.

South Australians India Nette and Eron Westwood won the Senior Ice Dance Division, improving on their third placing back in 2019, while Team Unity secured their fourth National Title in the Senior Synchronised Division.

India Nette and Eron Westwood. Picture: Rhys Lavender

The two Junior Champions were NSW’s Julio Potapenko in the Boy’s Division and Bath in the Girl’s.