Stepping Up In Class

Two straight years, they arrived at the Canadian figure skating championships awash in expections.
Allie Hann-McCurdy and Michael Coreno didn't disappoint. They grabbed the silver medal in junior dance in 2005 in London, Ont., in their first nationals together. A year ago in Ottawa, they rose to the top of the podium in Ottawa — a golden homecoming of sorts for Hann-McCurdy, who's from Orleans and represents the Gloucester Skating Club.
But it's a whole new world now for this promising young dance duo, which now calls Vancouver home and is coached by former world champion Victor Kraatz and his wife, Maikki Uotila Kraatz. They're first-year seniors just trying to get noticed this year in Halifax.
“It's much less nerve-wracking being in senior,” said Hann-McCurdy, 19. “Nobody expects anything from you ... Our goals are just based on our performances. Performing well and making people notice us. We'll talk about (placement) numbers next year.”
Hann-McCurdy and Coreno got a major introduction to the senior world in the fall with their first two senior Grand Prix assignments. They finished 10th at Trophee Eric Bompard in Paris and 11th at Skate America in Hartford, Conn. The field at both events included reigning world champions Albena Denkova and Maxim Staviski of Bulgaria.
“That definitely helped the transition to senior,” said Hann-McCurdy.
Added Coreno, 22, of Delhi, Ont.: “It's funny because there was less pressure doing that. You just want to showcase your skills and see what happens and get feedback.”
Hann-McCurdy and Coreno posted a score of 25.29 points for their Golden Waltz compulsory dance yesterday. That leaves them in ninth place out of 17 couples, just 0.24 points behind veteran seniors Mylene Lamoureux and Michael Mee of Quebec.