Skate Canada regional competition this weekend at the Shamrock
Over 150 skaters gathering from across western Manitoba for the big event
BY KIM LANGEN
Staff numbers at the local rec centre have been increased in readiness for this weekend’s big skating event.
Saturday and Sunday will be Skate Canada’s 2022 West Regional Competition, hosted in conjunction with the Killarney Figure Skating Club.
General manager of the Shamrock Centre, Liana Smith, said she is thrilled to finally be hosting a major event at the facility.
“It’s been so long,” she said. “And now we can finally operate at full capacity. It’s our first no capacity limit event in two years. Our staff has been doubled for this weekend event, because it is going to be really busy. It’s going to be great.”
Smith added that arena maintenance man Miguel Boulet, a master of the ice, is also going to be run off his feet during the two days.
“Miguel will be busy all weekend, keeping everything perfect,” she said. “Today he is doing ice maintenance, in preparation for the event.”
Boulet said the ice needed for figure skating was different to the ice needed for hockey, and a little softer. So he was not only doing regular maintenance on Thursday morning, after filling up the Zamboni water tank with hot water, but he was also going to be adding extra ice layers to the surface for the skaters.
Smith said that Skate Canada would be arriving soon with a tech crew of their own for the event, which is usually hosted in a bigger venue than the Shamrock Centre.
“We have also boosted our WiFi speed, at least double, for the event,” she added. “That is something we now have permanently at the Shamrock.”
Tickets will be available at the Shamrock Centre doors for the event, and entry is $5 for adults, $3 for seniors, and $3 for kids aged six to 17. Kids five and under get in free.
The doors open at 7:30 a.m. on both days, and masks are still required in the facility. Proof of vaccine, however, is now just required for those aged 18 and up, said organizers.
THE ICE MAN COMETH – Miguel Boulet was busy at the Shamrock Centre arena on Thursday morning, preparing the perfect ice for this weekend’s 2022 West Regional Competition, hosted by Skate Canada Manitoba and the Killarney Figure Skating Club. It’s the first full capacity event to be held in the centre since the restrictions regarding COVID-19 came into effect two years ago, and organizers are thrilled.
STAR-STUDDED MEDALS GALORE – Melissa Blixhavn, local chair for the 2022 Skate Canada Manitoba West Regional Competition being held this weekend at the Shamrock Centre, took this photo of the massive line-up of coveted medals that will be awarded to the winning figure skaters.