The best sport you’ve never heard of: National Artistic Roller Skating Championships in Bunbury a big success

Bunbury has been applauded for its hosting of this year’s National Artistic Rollerskating Championships. The week-long championships, that concluded on Sunday and included competitors from New Zealand, were held at The Rink and the main courts of the South West Sports Centre. Australian Team Manager Nacho Foster said the championships had reinforced Bunbury place “on the national map” for skating and that more people needed to know about the talent from the south west. “Bunbury is probably one of the hubs of excellence in this sport in Australia,” he said. “The coach here from Bunbury, Susan Brooks has been apart of that team for decades, and she’s one of the leaders of the sport in the country. “You’re actually on the national map, and the competition this week just reinforced that. It’s been wonderful.” One of the highlights of the week competition was the Preliminary Ladies Solo Free Dance, from which competitors are selected for the chance to represent Australia in international competition. The winner this year was Phoenix Deans from Queensland, with WA’s Natasha Page taking home silver for her Chronicles of Narnia-inspired routine. One of the competitors, 21 year old Lilly McDeed travelled from Victoria to compete in her second national championships. Miss McDeed finished second in her previous championships in Queensland and hopes more people get invested in the sport. “I feel like the sport is still really small, and especially after COVID it took a massive hit,” she said. “It being a really niche sport, I don’t know, I wish it was bigger. I wish we could grow because I love it so much. I want everyone to love it.” Competing for the first time in the South West, Miss McDeed was excited to be in the heart of the thriving WA skate scene. “Why do I feel like Bunbury is so gnarly,” she said “Who would have thought that there’d be this massive skating community here, like that’s just crazy.” Other events at the championships included the quartet competition which was won by WA. Members of he winning team Emma Goronski and Lauren Pudney were competing for the first time in the South West and in the national competition. “So nerve-racking. Like, this is the first nationals that I’ve ever been to,” Miss Pudney said. “So it was a really, really, exciting event for both of us. Just to see the other skaters and the atmosphere. It’s been a really great experience.”