Figure skaters pick up summer experience

It was a busy summer for the Spruce City Skating Club.

Rory Allen, director of skating and a team coach at the club, said several of the club's skaters have made huge strides competing with some of the best figure skaters in western Canada and the world at events in Edmonton and Vancouver.
"It was a really big eye-opener for them," said Allen about the team's accomplishments.

Emma Bajestani, 11, and Chelsea Raful, 13, both competed at the Wild Rose competition in Leduc, Alta., two weeks ago. Raful, competing in the pre-novice women's category finished 12th out of 25 skaters.
Last weekend, Justin Hampole, 10, Olivia Wankling, 8, and Danielle Sidworth, 14, took part in the British Columbia summer skate event, an international competition in Burnaby.

Sidworth placed 31st (out of 73 skaters) for pre-novice women -- a category only three levels below Olympic competition.
Allen said the showing was impressive, because Sidworth just recently moved up to the level.

Hampole placed seventh for pre-juvenile men, while Wankling was eighth for pre-preliminary women.
The summer events aren't unusual for skaters or clubs that want to improve their standards, said Allen.

"When you want to play with the big boys and girls, it's important to compete in the summer," he said.
The skaters will leave the ice behind for the next couple of weeks to take part in some theory classes and off ice training of ballet and gymnastics at UNBC. Allen said everyone will be back on the ice after Labour Day.

"I'm just really optimistic about the future of skating in Prince George," he said.
The club is currently registering new members for all levels -- from age two to adults 

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