ICE SKATING: VERSATILE Stephanie Owens' combination of power and grace is earning her glory in two sports.
The 14-year-old West Cheshire AC athlete is not only the Welsh indoor and Cheshire U15 shot put champion and the third best in the country in her age group, she is also making a name for herself in ice-skating.
She is celebrating after claiming the Everbrite Cup for the second year in succession - a victory which comes on the back
of her impressive performance at last year's UK Ice Skating Championship.
Stephanie, who lives in Buckley and also won the coveted Leonard Thompson Memorial Trophy at the 2004 Blackpool Ice Skating Festival, saw off some of Britain's best young skaters at the open in Romford, England.
Competing in the Level Four category, the youngster impressed the judges with her natural on-ice ability and spellbinding routine.
Yet despite her continuing success on the ice, Stephanie's sporting future looks set to be in athletics.
But even though the summer athletics season is just around the corner, Stephanie - who also has sprint titles to her name - admits she can't give up ice skating.
She said: 'I really enjoy it and it was great to win the Everbrite Cup for a second time. There were nine
skaters taking part in Romford and because I was the third one out on the ice, I had to wait for the others to finish before I could tell if I had won.
'Some of my friends were there and we were counting up the marks as we went along, so it was brilliant when we realised I came first.
'I was surprised to win it. I remember the woman who runs it came up to me before it started and asked who I thought would win.
'Jokingly, I said it could be me again but she said the competition was harder this year.
'In England there are a lot more skaters and better facilities so I was really pleased to win it again.'
