SHARE

Darien Teen Skates To National Championships With Victory At Easterns

DARIEN, Conn. — It was a great way for Emilia Murdock of Darien to celebrate her 14th birthday.

Emilia Murdock of Darien won the intermediate ladies championship at the Eastern Sectionals, hosted by the U.S. Figure Skating Association.

Emilia Murdock of Darien won the intermediate ladies championship at the Eastern Sectionals, hosted by the U.S. Figure Skating Association.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Yalin Murdock
Emilia Murdock of Darien, second from left, wins the intermediate ladies title for the New England Region. Also on the podium are Maddie Weiler, second, left; Mauryn Tyack, third, third from left; and Julia Curran, fourth, at right.

Emilia Murdock of Darien, second from left, wins the intermediate ladies title for the New England Region. Also on the podium are Maddie Weiler, second, left; Mauryn Tyack, third, third from left; and Julia Curran, fourth, at right.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Yalin Murdock

On Thursday evening, Emilia skated her way to gold in the Intermediate Ladies competition at the Eastern Sectionals competition for the U.S. Figure Skating Association. As a result of her win, Emilia will next compete for the national title at her level. 

At the USFSA nationals in January in Kansas City, she will compete against the Top 4 finishers in Intermediate Ladies from each of three regions . 

At Easterns, Emilia placed second in the short program with a score of 40.52 points and first in the long program with 80.11 points. Her winning total came to 120.63 points as a result of her two clean programs in the competition held in Indian Trail, N.C. 

Her quest for nationals began in October, when Emilia was crowned the New England champion at the Intermediate Ladies level at the Regional competition for USFSA in Burlington, Vt. 

Emilia has traveled down this road before. In 2015, she won the Silver Medal for Juvenile Girls at the national championships. 

Emilia, who is a member of the Skating Club of Boston, trains five days a week in Boston with coaches Mark Mitchell and Peter Johansson. She is home schooled and works three hours on-ice and two hours off-ice each day, according to her mother, Yalin Murdock.

Her favorite jumps are the double Axel and the triple flip, her mother said. Emilia skates her long program to the movie soundtrack of "A Week With Marilyn." Her short program is to "Bei Mir Bist Du Schon" by Robin McKelle.

Emilia, who previously attended St. Luke's School in New Canaan, has also skated at Chelsea Piers New York, Chelsea Piers Connecticut, Terry Conners Rink in Stamford and Dorothy Hamill Rink in Greenwich.

Emilia's long-term goal is to someday make it onto Team USA. She is working her way up the ranks, with success at the Juvenile and Intermediate levels. The next levels are novice, junior and senior, the skaters seen competing at the Olympics.

Emilia follows in a great tradition of figure skating in Connecticut. Greenwich is the childhood hometown of 1976 Olympic gold medalist Dorothy Hamill.

to follow Daily Voice Danbury and receive free news updates.

SCROLL TO NEXT ARTICLE