Saint John woman goes for gold

Judging the Olympics is a dream come true for Benson (featured here on the right)

Cynthia Benson always dreamed of going to the Olympics. As a young woman she spent her weekends training and traveling to competitions. Now, as an International Skating Union judge, she is still spending her weekends traveling to competitions. And her dream of going to the Olympics has finally come true.

Benson was chosen as the only qualified International Skating Union judge in the Maritimes to be part of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. She says judging was a way for her to stay involved in skating and give back to her community.

“I’m really honored and very excited to be a part of the Olympics,” Benson said. “It’s a real privilege to be involved when it’s in your own country.”

Benson divides her time between practicing law and developing young skaters around the Maritimes. Her weekends consist of judging local competitions, setting up seminars and helping elite athletes reach their goals.

After leaving competitive ice skating, Benson wanted to stay involved and make a difference in her sport. She started out judging local events and continued taking courses and writing exams. Eventually she had enough experience and began trial judging.

Competitive judging would eventually take her all over the country and the world. She has judged provincially, nationally and internationally. And for two weeks in February, she will judge the world’s best.

“I think it will be a bit stressful,” Benson said. ” But it is a privilege and a life long dream.”

There are few perks in judging at any level. It’s on a volunteer basis and is all about the competition. Benson takes eight weeks off a year to travel and fulfill her duties. Some of which she has to make up on weekends. The weekends she isn’t at the rink helping skaters.

Cynthia Benson working with local skaters

Benson also sits on the board of directors for Skate New Brunswick. She is working to help skaters get over the obstacles needed to compete. She is trying to find ways to get them all the support they need.

Benson says Canadian figure skating has great Olympic role models. And she wants to make the road to the Olympics easier for the next generation.

“There are a lot of hurdles for skaters in our province,” Benson said. “We have to work harder to get more athletes on the podium.”

Maggie Mackinnon is the junior ladies New Brunswick figure skating champion. She sees the work Cynthia Benson does for skaters in the area. Mackinnon says the work Benson does is invaluable.

“She has helped all of us get more ice time and directs us on what we should do to compete at a national level,” Mackinnon said. “Everyone is really excited she is going to the Olympics.”

Mackinnon says Cynthia has opened up a lot of doors for skaters in the Maritimes. She knows a lot of people and creates a lot of opportunities. Mackinnon says the girls work hard because they know how hard Cynthia is working for them. Everything from providing new matching outfits to helping injured skaters find doctors.

“We had a girl with an injured foot who couldn’t get an appointment. Cynthia got her some numbers in Toronto with a specialist,” Mackinnon said. “She definitely goes above and beyond.”

With the whole world watching, Benson says she plans to keep a low profile. With all her commitments during the two weeks in Vancouver, she might not have time to catch any of the other Olympic events. She just hopes the Canadian skaters do their best.

Benson is looking forward to the experience and the achievement of judging at the games. She hopes she can take away some valuable experience that will help her at the grassroots level.

She will enjoy her time in Vancouver but says she is just as happy judging local events and seeing young skaters compete and have fun.

“It will be the Olympics one week and back home in Saint John the next,” Benson said. “I’m just as happy judging figure skating at my home arena in Quispamsis.”

Mackinnon is Junior New Brunswick Champion

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Posted by Jason Murray on Nov 2, 2009. Filed under Features. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.