Jenna McCorkell (born 15 September 1986) is a former figure skater from Northern Ireland. She is an eleven-time British national champion (2003–05; 2007–14) and won seven senior international medals, including gold at the Ondrej Nepela Memorial and Ice Challenge. She placed as high as eighth at the European Championships (2008) and 14th at the World Championships (2010, 2012), and competed at two Winter Olympics (2010, 2014).
Personal life McCorkell was born on 15 September 1986 in Coleraine, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. She married Belgian skater Kevin van der Perren in May 2008. The couple lives in Coleraine, Northern Ireland and have a son named Ben, born in 2019.
Career McCorkell trained in Belfast, coached by Margaret McAllister and Yuri Bureiko, until the end of the 2001–02 season. In the 2002–03 season, she moved to Coventry where she was coached by Bureiko.
McCorkell competed three times, from 2002 to 2004, at the World Junior Championships, placing as high as 11th in 2003. She made her senior World and European Championships debut also in 2003.
Following the 2005–06 season, McCorkell moved to Liedekerke, Belgium where she was coached by Vera Vandecaveye.
McCorkell achieved her career-best European Championships result, 8th, in 2008. After the 2007–08 season, she rejoined Juri Bureiko and was also coached by Silvie De Rijcke. Her best Worlds finish, 14th, came in 2010 and 2012.
McCorkell changed coaches in April 2011. She decided to train with coach Simon Briggs in Ninove and Dundee. McCorkell had a torn abductor muscle at the end of 2012.
In February 2014, McCorkell competed at her second Winter Olympics. Ranked 25th in the short program, she did not advance to the free skate in Sochi, Russia. At the 2014 World Championships in Saitama, Japan, McCorkell qualified for the free skate but withdrew due to a hamstring injury.
Post–competitive career After Jenna's retirement, she became a coach and began a clothing brand named "Chique Sport", designing a sportswear collection specifically for figure skaters. The clothing brand was launched at the 2017 World Figure Skating Championships and rapidly gained recognition, receiving support from top skaters across the globe.
Programs Season Short program Free skating 2013–14 Imagined Oceans Evita 2012–13 Where Have All The Flowers Gone 2011–12 Capone 2009–11 Totentanz Voice of Violin Allegro from Music for Strings 2008–09 Harem Cirque du Soleil Journey of Man Selection 2007–08 Frida 2006–07 1001 Nights 2004–05 Meditation from Thais Swan Lake 2003–04 Poeme Toccata and Fugue in D-Minor Storm 2002–03 Piano Concerto No. 1 Xotica 2001–02 Time to Say Goodbye Legends of the Fall Antz Pearl Harbor The Mask of Zorro
Competitive highlights GP: Grand Prix; JGP: Junior Grand Prix
2001–present International Event 02–03 03–04 04–05 05–06 06–07 07–08 08–09 09–10 10–11 11–12 12–13 13–14 Olympics 29th 25th Worlds 21st 24th 22nd 25th 20th 14th 24th 14th 20th WD Europeans 19th 14th 16th 15th 8th 9th 14th 14th 18th 21st 24th Cup of China 6th Rostelecom Cup 8th France 8th 8th NHK Trophy 11th 11th Skate America 10th Skate Canada 8th 7th 10th Cup of Nice 8th 6th Finlandia Trophy 10th 10th 9th 6th 5th Golden Spin 12th 13th 3rd 4th Ice Challenge 1st Karl Schäfer 21st Nebelhorn Trophy 9th 6th 5th 5th NRW Trophy 3rd Ondrej Nepela 2nd 3rd 5th 1st 15th Volvo Open Cup 2nd International: Junior Junior Worlds 12th 11th 13th Germany 3rd Italy 5th 8th Sweden 6th National British Champ. 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st Team events Olympics 10th T 10th P WD = Withdrew
1996–2000 National Event 97–98 98–99 British Championships 2nd N 9th J 20th 11th Levels: N = Novice; J = Junior
References
External links