Derek Neary
Northern News Services

Fort Simpson (Mar 31/00) - For a figure skater, impressing the judges is paramount to success.

For either Kali Kwong or Caitlin Jaffray, further impressing the judges in Canada's Figure Skating Essay Contest could result in meeting Elvis Stojko -- one of the world's greatest figure skaters.

Kwong, 10, and Jaffray, 11, have been selected as NWT finalists in the contest called My Priceless Moment in Skating. Of the more than 500 essays submitted from across Canada, 12 will be chosen as winners, one from each province and territory.

Leslie Viske, of Yellowknife, is the only other NWT finalist.

The winners of the essay contest, who are to be selected by Friday, will get to participate in a skating clinic with Stojko. And it's clear the Fort Simpson candidates are tickled with the prospects.

"He's the king of skating like Elvis is the king of rock and roll," said Jaffray, who added she has family in the Toronto area whom she'd love to visit as well.

If she met Stojko, Kwong said she would ask him if he's nervous before competitions, how he warms up and, of course, for his autograph, she said, giggling.

Kwong's self-described most priceless moment came at the Territorial Skating Competition in Inuvik, where she competed in the Fun Meet last year. Although she struggled somewhat with her compulsory movements in the elements portion of the event, she went on to complete a toe loop, bubbles, three turns and spirals during her program and didn't fall once.

"Each one I thought was lovely. I finished gracefully ... people threw flowers on the ice and I picked them up," Kwong wrote.

"I did not win any awards but I had learned that winning is not everything. Having fun is the best thing of all!"

In her essay, Jaffray related how skating is a positive influence in her life and how it enabled her to help a struggling young skater persevere.

As an assistant to a figure skating coach, Jaffray helped the youngest of a group of three- to five-year-old skaters learn to "push, push, glide."

"I was so proud. I must have beamed!" Jaffray wrote. "I will never stop skating."