Super Sally is riding high

Lancashire Telegraph

By Steve Tinniswood » Sports reporter

Sally Riding has continued her remarkable return to skating after she was selected to represent Great Britain in the European Championship.

The Blackburn skater feared that she would never skate again after a dilapidating bout of glandular fever threatened to wreck her career.

But the 18-year-old Darwen Academy student, who thought she may not get back on the ice, will now take centre stage with partner Jakub Safrankek at the Championships in Switzerland.

Riding, who lives in the Ewood area, was out of the sport for more than a year after she was struck down with the illness in May 2009.

But her fighting spirit has continued to shine through and now she is preparing for the biggest moment of her career.

“When you consider what she has been through, getting selected for Switzerland is just incredible,” said mum Pam.

“Of course they are going there to do the best they can but this is more about enjoying the experience of competing on the international stage.”

Riding, a four-time junior British champion, and her Czech Republic partner have only recently risen to the senior ranks.

But they have already begun to make an impact.

The pair finished in second place at the British Championships then, representing Great Britain for the first time, finished in an impressive eighth place in an international meeting in Zagreb.

It was there they picked up enough ranking points to qualify for the European Championships.

What makes the pair’s rapid rise even more remarkable is that they receive not funding or sponsorship deals.

“I think they are the only ones on the Performance Squad who do not get any form of financial backing, which makes it very difficult,” added Pam.

“They have no funding, no practice costumes and they don’t even have have matching GB tracksuits.

“But are delighted and incredibly proud of their determination to fight for this selection.”

Riding and Safrankek, who are coached by Kathryn Hudson at Blackburn Arena travel to Bonn as the British number two pair behind Stacey Kemp and David King, who also used to be based at the Arena but are now funded to train in Poland.

“Because they are representing Great Britain, the governing body pay for them to go but they still have to pay for their own coach to travel.

"I would love to go and seem them perform but I can’t simply afford it.”

The pair travel to Bonn on Sunday and perform in the short course programme on Wednesday and the freestyle programme on the following day.