Whirlwind admits that it was originally intended. “But on Sunday I’m flying to Canada for the Junior World Championships…” Ah, aim much higher then don’t do crazy things a few days ago. Even more powerful, this nerdy 16-year-old would rather give way to such pacts. Yes, he says reluctantly, the school is suffering too. Anyway last year, when she stayed on HAVO-4 because she did nothing between December and May. Yes, figure skating…
With a new set of materials and good, clear guidance from the school, the process is now back to normal. She takes lessons for about fourteen hours, and the remaining time is spent on training (six times a week on the snow in Dordrecht) and competitions. The combination works well, because Julia continues to take the steps her trainers/coaches had in mind for herself. Marieke Ter-Kruithof, one of the supervisors, explains that the learning cadence has been modified somewhat by snowboarding. “Of course Julia has to go to school normally. But she’s a little girl. Now and then you can see what your ceiling is in figure skating. How high is her peak? At 25, that’s no longer possible. But then, it’s still Julia can continue her studies at a higher professional education or university, whatever her dreams may be.
She certainly doesn’t disguise herself as a figure skater. “Hopefully, the Winter Games will be in 2026. I’m working hard on that. Put everything aside for it.” It is almost natural that it refers to the typical party from under the rivers, the carnival which Brabant and the surrounding area were full of last week. She replied, “No, I did not celebrate.” Fellow county Lindsay Van Zandert, a year older and farther along the long and winding road to the top of the world, is known to love throwing herself into the party.
Van Dijk, in a charming tone: “I don’t really do it. Yeah, when I was 10 I got involved. Since I’ve been in the big leagues it’s over. It doesn’t bother me at all. I get a lot in return. Last season I went To the World Cup in Tallinn. Nobody can say that. It’s not a big deal that I miss the carnival or things like that. I’m going to Canada now. How nice? Then I’m only in bed at half past nine.”
She wants to shine in Calgary, showing from the first moment to the last why her world is primarily on the ice hockey rink. Ter-Kruithof was cautious in her predictions, fearful of putting too much pressure on her student. “Julia is in good shape, she is driving well, but we also looked at the field together, in terms of self-achieved technical values. Based entirely on the results this season, she should be able to reach the final of the championship (FP, ed.). Also I succeeded in Tallinn.
“Well, I won’t become a world champion,” Van Dijk immediately exclaimed. “At school they ask for it sometimes when they hear I can take part in the World Cup. I’m a realist. I’m doing my best, that’s all I can do.” This is done in a short, free style that expresses her playful and somewhat reckless personality. “When I put it together, that busy part of me had to stand out. In the long program, with the Spanish music, an attempt was made to build in a little more calm, because I’m like a speeding train, haha,” she laughs.
On Wednesday, she can kick off the Winsport ArenaA in Calgary, along with 39 other youth caps from around the world. Freestyle awaits on Friday. There is usually little to say against the representatives of the great powers Japan, America and Korea. Julia knows this, convinced her coach Nicole Goossens. However, things must go wrong if she doesn’t want to override the result of her debut (20) year ago….
More information about the Junior World Championships can be found here.
