Skaters do well at Carstairs competition

A total of nine skaters from the Olds Figure Skating Club competed in Carstairs Jan. 27 to 29 at ICE FEST, bringing home 10 medals from the competition.

Samantha Powell and Allison Land secured gold and bronze respectively while Hayley Hall also secured a gold. On the last day of the competition, Madison Byrt (bronze), Allison Mertens (gold), Cadence Wenc-McIntyre (gold), Lauren Mertens (gold and bronze), Gracie Hodgson (two gold) and Jaida Dollo (gold) all took home hardware from the competition.

Skaters from around the region competed in a variety of different disciplines including elements, dance, free skate, interpretive and team events. All of the Olds competitors did elements or interpretive.

“The Olds (Figure) Skating Club would like to congratulate each of its members … on a job well done,” said Shannon Powell, publicity coordinator for the club.

Powell explained that while the skaters are always competing against themselves and trying to improve their own performance, at the competitions they are also competing against fellow competitors in their flight or division.

While some of the Olds skaters were competing at lower levels, Powell said most of them competed at higher levels of either CanSkate (group coaching) or StarSkate (individual coaching).

“We had our big group of CanSkaters plus, and those are ones who are at levels five to seven competing and then we had a few StarSkaters (at the competition),” she said.

The skaters ranged in age from eight to 14.

The skaters will also soon be preparing for the club's annual showcase on March 25. The theme this year is “Blades over Broadway.”

“All the skaters will be skating to some show that has been on Broadway. We're just getting started … because it's just been determined what our theme of the carnival will be about a week and a half ago,” she said, noting that coaches will be working with the skaters over the next few weeks to build the skills necessary for the show.