Jeremy Ten for 2010

Jeremy Ten

November 19, 2006
Article & Photo © J. Barry Mittan 

"That's my motto," said Vancouver's own Jeremy Ten, a 17-year-old Canadian ISU Junior Grand Prix Bronze medallist who hopes to compete in the Olympics in his home city. The talented youngster is well on his way towards achieving that goal. Starting in 2004, Ten reached the Canadian national podium in the next three years. He won the gold in pre-novice men in 2004, silver in novice men in 2005, and silver again in junior men in 2006. This season, Ten said, "Hopefully, I can win the junior gold and go to Junior Worlds."

He has had good results internationally as well, finishing third at the Junior Grand Prix in Courchevel, France and fourth in the Netherlands. That left him in 11th place in the final standings for the Junior Grand Prix Final. "If I had been second in France, I could have gone," he lamented. "I just missed it by 0.24 points. I plan to continue as long as my body will let me. I love all aspects of skating. It's my passion. Every time I go out there I want to do what it takes to be a champion. If I do well, I hope I'll get invited to do some shows."

Ten started skating when he was seven. "My brother played hockey and my Dad wanted me to play too so I started first in hockey," he recalled. "I played on defense because I could skate fast but I couldn't shoot worth anything. I got bored with hockey and started taking figure skating classes when I was nine, just as a hobby. I'd seen figure skating on TV and it caught my eye. I didn't think I'd get very far so I was just skating for fun. Then I started to win a few small competitions and I gained more passion and a love of the sport."

"I moved to Burnaby in 2003," he noted. "I skate at the British Columbia Centre of Excellence with Joanne McLeod, Jill-Marie Harvey, and Bruno Marcotte. The team is amazing. They all offer something different. I couldn't ask for anything else. Skating on the same ice with Emanuel (Sandhu) and Mira (Leung) is also really motivational." He works for about two to three hours on ice and two hours off ice five days a week, plus an hour on ice training on Sunday.

"I got my double axel and my first triple loop working with Joanne," he remembered. "I was 14. I landed a triple flip in about four days and took me two weeks to get the triple lutz. The triple toe and the triple salchow took longer but I had all five within a year and a bit." Ten does a triple lutz-triple toe in the short and long. He also adds a triple toe-double toe-double loop near the end of the long program. "This year, I'm working more on my triple axel and the quads."

McLeod choreographed his long program, which he also used last season, to music from the soundtrack of "Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events". "This is a developmental season," Ten said. "I'm trying to improve my jump content as well as develop the triple axel for next year's junior internationals and hopefully junior worlds instead of worrying about learning new programs." The short program however, which was choreographed by David Wilson, is new this season. It's to "Concerto de Berlin" from the soundtrack of the French movie, "The Seventh Target". "We sent David tapes of my skating and he made a decision to work with me. Joanne says David is a master in his craft and we trust where he is taking me. The first time we heard the music he chose Joanne and I loved it right away," Ten noted.

For his exhibition program, Ten is using Rob Thomas' "Now Comes the Night". "I choreographed it myself," Ten said. "I used it for the first time in France. I like being creative and artistic. Dramatic music fits me best but I feel like I'm up to the challenge of whatever is put in front of me. I haven't done a tango yet but I'd like to one day. When I'm listening to music, I choreograph programs in my head. It's a passion for me. I listen to anything. I always have my iPod on." Ten used to play the clarinet in school.

He is now in his final year of high school and plans to go to university to study the arts. "I'm into the arts," he said. "I love being an artist on the ice and I love to draw. I've done it since I was young." Off ice, Ten enjoys chatting with friends and finding music on the Internet. When traveling internationally he loves the cultural experience and meeting new friends. "I'm also into fashion," he said. "I respect the interesting quality and design that fashion offers." Ten also has a new puppy named Teddy. "I always wanted a dog and my brother brought one home," he said. "It's a cross between a miniature pinscher and a cocker spaniel. He's my balance and unconditional friend."