A TALENTED young ice skater has won a British championship and is now following in her mum’s footsteps.

Arabella Sear Watkins, 13, won the British Ice Skating Advanced Novice Championships held at Ice Sheffield amongst a host of other Oxford winners.

The Faringdon Community College pupil trains at Oxford Ice Rink under the guidance of her mother, Tammy Sear, herself British Ladies Champion in 1999, and Tony Barron, a former coach and mentor at the Oxford School of Skating.

Arabella’s win has made history, as the victory marks the first mother and daughter to win a British Ice Skating singles championship.

Her mother, who is from Kidlington, said: “Arabella is well on the way to taking my crown, it was very emotional when she won.”

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Ms Sear’s own ice skating journey has its roots in Oxford.

She explained: “I learnt to skate in Oxford when the ice rink first opened - I was part of that generation after Torvill and Dean won at the Olympics.

“I returned to Oxfordshire nine years ago and Arabella got into ice skating.

“We used to go once a month just during the public sessions, but then we started going more and more regularly.”

Arabella’s win is all the more remarkable as earlier this year, she dislocated her ankle, leaving her unable to skate and jump for a month.

She only began training again just three weeks before the competition.

Ms Sear said: “She recovered really well and got on with all the rehabilitation, she was just so determined to get herself ready to take part in the championships.”

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Mr Barron, who started the Oxford School of Skating in 1985, said: “I coached Tammy from the ground up and now I’m working with Arabella.

“Tammy was the first lady to land a triple lutz in competition the UK so Arabella’s goal now is to do a quadruple lutz.

“Oxford had some very good reps and Lowenna Prigg won the silver medal in the same event as Arabella.

“I’m very pleased, it’s a great time for Oxford and ice skating.”

Jacob Casey won silver in the Advanced Novice boys and Harry Mattick took bronze in the Senior men’s category.

Also competing was Halah Thomas, who finished ninth in the Junior ladies.

The skaters are all part of the Oxford Elite Ice Academy and are coached by Richard Beamish and Emma Davies.