New Zealand team readies for Four Continents 5 February 2005 Ricky Cockerill Photo: NZ Skating News New Zealand representatives Ricky Cockerill, Joel Watson and Tristan Thode are training overseas in preparation for Four Continents later this month in Gangneung, Korea. Joel is training at the University of Delaware with Tracey Poletis before heading to Four Continents. After the competition, Joel heads to the Junior World Championships in Kitchener, Ontario, at the end of February. Joel Watson Photo: NZ Skating News Ricky and Tristan, along with Mathieu Wilson, have been training in Moscow with Slava Kuznetsov since mid-December. The skaters have been practicing 22 hours a week in the Russian winter. The competitors and their coach leave for Seoul on 11 February, with Mathieu returning directly to New Zealand. Slava, Ricky and Tristan will return to New Zealand 22 February after the competition closes. Depending on their performance at the competition, Ricky and Tristan may be eligible to attend the World Championships in Moscow mid-March. Four continents is an ISU competition for skaters from North and South America, Asia and Australia. This will be Tristan's fourth trip to the competition in as many years. He finished in 17th place last year. Ricky placed 16th at his last visit to the competition in 2003. This year will mark Joel's first time at the event. Tristan Thode Photo: NZ Skating News