Skate Humboldt was busy over the weekend hosting a pair of skating events that ran from Feb. 5-7.
Regional Invitational Competition
The first event was the Regional Invitational Competition on Feb. 5 & 6 for the STARSkate skaters.
The event saw 107 registered skaters compete in approximately 60 different events and categories. The events included freeskate, interpretive, jumps, improv, spin and team events.
Skaters came from all over the province including Wolseley, Martensville, Humboldt, Wynyard, Dalmeny, St. Brieux, Clavet, Vibank, Weyburn, Dysart, Warman/Osler, Outlook, Fort Qu’Apelle and City View.
Chairperson for the invitational, Larry Durand said that he believed it went “absolutely fantastic.”
Hosting an event this size was a great for everybody involved, he said.
“It’s an opportunity to showcase the City of Humboldt, it’s an occasion for us to showcase our club and it’s a great occasion for the skaters in our club to interact with skaters from across the province and I think that’s really important to help them develop in the sport.”
Durand thought the event would help them further develop by being given the opportunity to compete against skaters they do not see very often because they get a chance to compare themselves to people outside of their own club and see where they are at.
The event was a little different than expected from a figure skating competition as the skaters were not competing against each other but were being judged for their elements and were rewarded with a standing based on how they performed that element.
The standings were gold, silver and bronze with a fourth category added for merit.
The event brought out approximately 14 different judges and data specialists from across the province as well.
Putting on an event this size is never easy and Durand said it was because of the sponsors and volunteers that it went so smoothly, for which he was very grateful.
“We’d like to thank all the volunteers that came to help all the officials, the judges, the data specialists, and all the sponsors that also supported this event most notably the title sponsor of Scotiabank.”
Funfest
Skate Humboldt had a quick turnaround before they were back to hosting a skating event as CanSkate skaters from around the area came on Feb. 7 for a Funfest.
This event did not reach as far as the Regional Invitational but it did bring in kids from various clubs in the region including Drake, Humboldt, LeRoy, Naicam, Wynyard and St. Brieux.
All told there was about 65 kids who got to participate in the Funfest.
Where the Regional Invitational was a figure skating competition, the Funfest was a fun day for kids under ten to come and continue to development the basics of how to skate.
President of Skate Humboldt, Troy Lucyshyn said that the event was a great opportunity for the kids to gain some experience being on the ice in front of large crowds with music playing. If they move on to figure skate or play hockey or ringette they will have to deal with those elements.
“It’s a safe environment for them to kind of start getting exposure to the competitive stream,” he said.
It is also a benefit for the city because it demonstrates the “tremendous facility” that they have and prepares the parents and volunteers for future events.
“You realize, yes, we have tremendous capability it just requires a bit of effort and all the parents and volunteers, it’s practice for them also so it really is a good thing all the way around,” he said.
In the morning, skaters took to the ice to learn the basics of agility, balance and control through a variety of different exercises.
The afternoon was spent playing fun games on the ice including a relay race where skaters had to skate forwards and backwards, through a semi-circle, do a spin and skate on one leg. After the race, the kids played some games of What Time is it Mr. Wolf.
The kids seemed to really enjoy themselves and were really excited to end the day with a goody bag and a medal.
Lucyshyn could not stress enough the gratitude he had for the volunteers who came out over the course of the weekend.
He estimated that there was between 40 and 50 people who volunteered their time over the three days.
“Without them this wouldn’t have run as smoothly,” says Lucyshyn.
