Young skaters at the Thunder Bay Skating Academy had a rare opportunity Monday to learn from one of Canada’s most accomplished figure skaters.

Two-time world champion and Olympic gold medallist Meagan Duhamel travelled from Burlington to the Thunder Bay Tournament Centre, where she led a private on-ice seminar for 24 selected female athletes.

The session combined technical instruction on elite-level jumping with lessons on preparation, discipline and personal growth.

“She was so nice. I was worried she’d be really strict because she’s an Olympic champion, but she was really sweet and happy to share her knowledge,” said 15-year-old skater Yena Lee.

For Duhamel, the key lesson was organizing jumps and routines correctly.

“One of my favourite things to do with kids at this level is explain how to build a jump,” she said. “It’s like building a burger. If you order a burger and there’s no cheese, ketchup or bread, you’re not happy. If I’m ordering a Salchow from you, I expect to see every step completed because I want it to look good and taste good.”

Duhamel retired from competitive skating in 2018 after an illustrious 17-year career in singles and pairs competition. Along the way, she captured Olympic gold, silver and bronze medals. At the 2005 Canadian Championships, she and partner Ryan Arnold became the first pair to land a side-by-side triple Lutz in competition.

She says passing on that experience is one of the most rewarding parts of the sport.

“I love skating and I love working with kids,” Duhamel said. “I’m able to engage with them in a way that makes really hard things seem fun. I can challenge them while keeping it light at the same time.”

A native of Sudbury who grew up in the city’s Lively neighbourhood, Duhamel said returning to Thunder Bay always brings back memories.

“Every few years I come to Thunder Bay and nothing changes. It’s so funny,” she said with a laugh. “I competed in this rink when I was a kid and stayed at the same hotel years ago. It’s always nice to come back.”

Skaters also learned from local dance instructor Sharon Bon, owner of Dame Más Dance. Bon introduced skaters to the “art of music” through dance with two off-ice sessions.

“I’m getting them to understand that music isn’t just the beats you hear, but there are other elements that you can use to enhance your program, like the melody and rhythms,” Bon said.

“Figure skating is kind of like dancing on ice, but it’s a lot more athletic […] Figure skating is not my expertise, but there are transitions between the different elements that they need to incorporate into their program, and it’s during those transitional parts that dance can help them. How they move their arms, use their head or position their body.”