Lawrence / Swiegers End Skating Partnership

  The Virden-based figure skating duo Paige Lawrence and Rudi Swiegers have ended their nine-year partnership.
 
  The pairs skaters had their best season in 2013-2014, finishing in 12th-place at the Sochi Olympic Games and in 14th-place at the World Figure Skating Championship in Japan.
 
  "The Olympics has been my goal since I was 11 years old," the 24-year old Lawrence told CKLQ’s Bruce Luebke on Thursday, "To have finally have fulfilled that and to have enjoyed it and appreciated that experience as much as I did when I was over in Sochi and upon my return back home, that’s something that I’ll carry with me for the rest of my life."
 
  Lawrence is looking to find a new partner and continue skating while Swiegers is taking a year off from competitive skating for personal reasons.
 
  Lawrence adds finding a new partner may be a little more difficult for her, as she jumps and spins in the reverse direction of most pairs skaters.
 
  "For me to find a different partner, its going to be a little more difficult because there’s so few options for me to go with right now…we’re just starting to begin the search," said Lawrence, "Other skaters know it’s just a matter of networking and talking to different coaches and other teams that have split up and broken up, and finding someone who is a match for you."
 
  Both skaters also gave thanks to coaches Patricia Hole and Lyndon Johnston for everything that had done for them over the years.
 
  Lawerence says she expected to continue working with both coaches, and also hopes that Virden can remain her training home.
 
  "It would be my first choice, for sure.  I really enjoy my situation, my training schedule, the support of the surrounding communities," said Lawrence, "Virden would be my first choice but that’s something that we’ll figure out when the time comes."
 
  Lawrence and Swiegers are four-time Canadian bronze medalists (2011, 2012, 2013, 2014).