BREAKING NEWS
Diana Reina skates to 5th at 2008 Ontario Summer Skate

With the summer Olympics in full gallop in Beijing, China, Diana Reina started Puerto Rico's run at various winter international events for the 2008-09 figure skating season.  Diana competed at the 2008 Ontario Summer Skate in Thornhill, Ontario, Canada.  Last year, Diana skated as Puerto Rico's first Novice to attend an ISU sanctioned calendar event, the 2007 Warsaw Cup held in Warsaw, Poland (where she came in 9th place). 

Diana skated her Short Program to the 'Masquerade Waltz' in an Austrian crystal yellow dress.  She found herself in 6th place in a field of 15 skaters at the end of the Junior Ladies Short Program. Diana earned a Short Program score of 27.73 points. 

Diana came back just as strong in her Free Skate.  "All in all this was a pretty good showing for Diana and something she can build upon" said her coach, Gary Clark.   Diana skated to 'Turandot' in a dress that she designed herself.  Diana earned a Free Skate score of 48.34 points for an overall 5th place combined score of 76.07 points. 

After Puerto Rican Nationals, Diana moved to a new coach: Gary Clark who is a past USA Olympic Alternate.  "Diana has been working on her Triple Salchow and Loop, as well as improving the Levels on her Spins and Footwork," reported Gary Clark.  "This represents a significant improvement over Diana's first competition at the Junior level for this year's Puerto Rican National Championships." 

"This was as talented a field of skaters as I have ever competed against," said Diana Reina.  "I also got to see the Niagara Falls for the first time in my life!"

The medal results were: 1st DeeDee Leng USA; 2nd Felicia Zhang USA; and 3rd Melissa Briggs CAN. 

This was a non-ISU calendar event.  However, many countries attended this event like any other developmental competition.  Here are the countries that participated at Ontario's Summer Skate: Canada, USA, Japan, Italy, Philippines, Serbia, Brazil, and Turkey; as well as Puerto Rico.  In the past, Thornhill provided the setting for the Canadian venue for the North American Challenge Series between Canada and the USA. 

Diana attended this developmental competition under the PRFSF's Campeonato Internacional Principiante (or Beginner International Competitions) program. 

Click here to see the Results

Pictures of Diana Reina by herself at Thornhill, Ontario and the Niagara Falls. 

  Diana and her coach                                 Diana visiting Niagara Falls                                   Diana in FS dress that
        Gary Clark                            American Falls closer, Canadian Horseshoe on right                   she designed