Columbus native Claudia Gordon performs her figure skating routine.
Submitted photo
Claudia Gordon grew up skating in Columbus, but with big dreams for her future, couldn’t pass up an opportunity to attend a school that would allow her to spend more time on the ice.
Since the beginning of this school year, Gordon has spent her eighth-grade year at Shattuck St. Mary’s Boarding School in Minneapolis. She trains three-to-four hours a day as part of the school’s academics/sports mix.
“It has a lot more hours of practice, and it involves training with school, so I go to classes in the morning and then I go skate and then I go back to class and then I skate again,” Gordon said. “It mixes academics with my athletics.”
Columbus native Claudia Gordon poses for a photo with her coach, former French Olympian Surya Bonaly.
Submitted photo
In Minneapolis, Gordon is coached by Surya Bonaly, a former Olympian from France.
“I love it,” Gordon said. “It’s definitely helpful because she has experience from bigger competitions, and she understands what it’s like.”
Gordon has skated since age 3, when she started playing hockey. Her father Rich Gordon was the Columbus Icemen coach.
When she switched to figure skating, Gordon was coached by Emma Baxter at Hamilton Community Center and Ice Arena.
“She’s a very good skater,” Baxter said. “I saw her grow mentally and physically. She’s a very strong skater, and it’s been lovely working with her.
“She needed more off-ice material to work with, more time on the ice and she found it,” she added. “It’s a great place in Minnesota with Surya Bonaly and Peter Bivers. When she comes back, every time, it’s a little bit better.”
Gordon, who competes in the Novice Ladies finished second in a competition in Texas and won her division at an event in Burnsville, Minnesota. She will compete in her first international meet next weekend in Paris.
“I’m really excited because it’s on my birthday,” said Gordon, who turns 14 April 5. “I want to do shows when I’m older, and I want to hopefully do more international competitions.”
