For the third year in a row, the Farrell Agencies Arena hosted at least one event that really brought the crowds out.
This past Sunday, the figure skating duo of Rudi Swiegers and Paige Lawrence was one of two main shows at the arena. It was part of the 2011 Yorkton Skating Club Carnival Sunday afternoon at the Gallagher Centre.
Native of Regina, Garrett Gosselin, a silver medalist at this year's Western Challenge, also skated.
The pair who call Saskatchewan home, both coming from different hometowns, are also bronze medallists on the national stage.
Yorkton's club president, Marlene Hauser, said the show went by smoothly and that the performances by Lawrence and Swiegers was definitely a highlight; as well as one from Garrett Gosselin, a native of Regina.
The two performances were scheduled in to both halves of the show on Sunday and both received a warm reception from a crowd.
Hauser estimated it was upwards of 750.
"They get more (and more) polished," offered Hauser following the exit of the spectators from the arena.
She said it wasn't hard to arrange for the couples team to be able to skate that day.
It was more a matter of waiting until their break in their schedule, she said.
The two figure skaters, who had a huge story done in the Regina Leader-Post last month.
They had a good experience in the Chinese Taipai, where they competed in the Four Continents Competition.
"It was awesome, great competition," says Lawrence, as the couple took a few moments to talk to the paper before jumping to the autograph table where 50+ so fans requested their signatures on various skating memorabilia.
"It was amazing skating," she added recalling their time in Chinese Taipei.
Lawrence said allthough the environment was different, a lot of the skaters they saw were names and faces she and Swiegers were familiar with. That doesn't make the skating any easier or harder, she said.
"The skating is a big circuit at this level. You kind of know everyone.
Lawrence said the crowds in Chinese Taipei were "awesome" and that's part of what makes it so big for her.
She told the paper that she does not get deterred by large, noisy crowds, and even added that she makes it work to her advantage.
"It's pretty awesome."
With six years' experience skating together, the two were no doubt ready for the Four Continents competition.
She said that going into the competition, she and Swiegers were ranked near the bottom going into it and now they sit back with bronze medals around their necks.
"We were hoping to have two personal-bests scoring and place in the top five...we knew we were capable of medalling."
Lawrence said there isn't a lot of pressure except for when trying to stay focussed; she added that it's got nothing to do with being far away from their home country.
Swiegers said he was actually nervous before their show here at the Gallagher Centre.
