Who is Alexandra Najarro?

Darren Stone, Victoria Times Colonist

Alexandra Najarro surprised many yesterday when she placed second in the ladies short program at the 2011 Canadian Figure Skating Championships. She may have even stunned herself. The petite teenager was already on a bus heading back to the competitors' hotel when she was dragged off of it to answer reporters' questions. "I'm new to all this," she apologized.

With a clean short program skate under her belt, triple toe-double toe combination, triple flip and double axel, Najarro lingers only behind Cynthia Phaneuf heading into today's long program. Although the young skater may now find herself heading to Tokyo, Japan in March as part of Canada's World team, she maintains that a trip to junior worlds would be thrilling enough.

Truth is, Najarro is already a seasoned skater on the international level, having spent three years on the junior grand prix circuit with her highest finish, a 5th place, at the 2008 John Curry Memorial. She placed 15th in the senior ladies division at the 2010 Canadians.

Here are some quick facts on Najarro.

She hails from Vaghan, Ontario.

17-year-old Najarro began skating at the age of five.

She will skate to Raul di Blasio's Otonal in today's free skate.

Short Program music: Tritsch Tratsch Plka by Johann Strauss with Second Waltz by Andre Rieu

'80s skating phenom Tracey Wainman coaches Najarro.

Choreographers: Shae-Lynn Bourne and Myke Gillman.

The teen attends a French immersion high school.

She played a small role in the Disney's Ice Princess film as Snowplow Sam.