Canada's Pairs Queen On Ice: Jamie Sale

Jamie Sale was born on April 21, 1977 in Calgary, Alberta. She grew up in Red Deer, Alberta, and it was there that she discovered her passion for figure skating. Jamie quickly moved through the competitive ranks in Canada - she placed 3rd in novice and 8th in junior ladies at the national championships. In 1994, Jamie won the short program and finished 3rd in the junior event at the Canadian championships.

In her early teen years, Jamie was paired with a male skater named Jason Turner, who was 7 years older than Jamie. Jamie traveled from Red Deer to Edmonton for 3 years to train with Jason at the prestigious Royal Glenora Club before moving to Edmonton. While skating pairs, Jamie continued compete as a single skater. Early success came as a pairs skater when Jamie and Jason won the 1992 Canadian Junior Championship. One year later, they placed 4th in their first year of senior competition.

In December of 1993, Jamie and Jason received their first international assignment and traveled to Japan to compete at the NHK Trophy. The Canadians placed 5th in a strong field of international competitors.

Following the NHK, the Canadian pair returned to Canada to compete at the national champtionships in their hometown of Edmonton. At the nationals, Jamie Sale and Jason Turner shocked everyone when they skated an almost flawless long program which earned them the bronze medal and an opportunity to compete at the Olympic Winter Games in Lillehammer, Norway. Jamie was thrilled with the performance, as well as the fact that she had made the Olympic Team.

That year, Jamie was the youngest member of the Canadian Olympic team (she was only 16). She didn't mind however. In their technical program, Jamie and Jason had two mistakes: a balance check on the lift and a two footed landing on Jason's double axel. Jamie and Jason finished 14th in the technical program and 12th overall after a strong long program.

Jamie and Jason returned home briefly before flying to Japan for the world championships. The pair were exhausted from the travel and the competition. In Japan, Jamie and Jason skated inconsistently in both the short and long programs - including a major fall in the long program on the triple twist. Sadly, Jamie and Jason placed 16th at the world championships, which was somewhat disappointing following their 12th place finish at the Olympics. Regardless, both Jamie and Jason were pleased to have reached the end of their competitive season and they were looking forward to the opportunities that followed.

After the world championships, the pair returned to Canada to participate in the "Skate the Nation" tour which featured Canadian champions, such as Kurt Browning, Brian Orser, Josee Chouinard, Christine Hough, and Doug Ladret. Both Jamie and Jason enjoyed the opportunity to travel across the country and perform for a Canadian audience. Although the team appeared to be constantly improving, in August of that summer, Jamie and Jason ended their partnership. Jason Turner returned to the national championship the following year with another partner, but eventually turned to coaching. Jamie Sale looked to life as a single skater.

With her pairs career behind her for the moment, Jamie placed 12th at the world junior championships and 5th in her first year as a senior at the 1995 Canadian championships. In the ensuing years, Jamie struggled to return to the national championships; in 1997, Jamie withdrew from the championship because of a stress fracture in her left leg. Jamie was thrilled when she earned the opportunity to compete at the 1998 Canadian championships, although she knew that she faced a very tough challenge.

As Jamie took to the ice for her short program, Barb Underhill commented: "She's not a skater with the big triples, but she's a performer and when she's on she just shines," (Barb Underhill, Canadian championships, CTV, 1998). In her short program, Jamie two footed the triple flip combination, but otherwise skated a strong program filled with strong spins, footwork, and wonderful presentation. After her performance, Jamie looked incredibly pleased with her performance and with her 6th place finish in the short program.

As quoted by Barb Underhill: "Jamie's dream is to find another pairs partner. She knows that she doesn't have what it takes: she doesn't have the big triple jumps. She can't make it in singles. She can, she does have what it takes to make it in pairs," (Barb Underhill, Canadian championships, CTV, 1998).

Jamie Sale truly does have what it takes to make it in Pairs.

This biography is copyrighted from Preethi, at http://www.geocities.com/manochaca/s_pindex.html