Prince Rupert skaters jump forward in provincial competition

For the first time in just under ten years, Prince Rupert Skating Club competed in the provincial Super Series Final in Kelowna from March 4 to 6.

The annual competition is the final contest of the skating season, where participants can obtain rankings and ratings on a report card system.

Ainsley Smithanik 9, and Paityn Dixon 12, received bronze ratings for their two-minute solo routines, with Hannah Jackson 11, placing a silver rating for hers. Cheyanne Easingwood 9, placed a gold rating for her spirals.

“It is a huge competition with at least 300 to 400 skaters,” said Tamara Ward, Prince Rupert Skating club head coach.

It was the first competition for the Prince Rupert club since December when they attended a regional event in Kitimat.

“There is nothing else for us in the north. It’s sad,” the coach said.

The Super Series offered both a live competition and a virtual aspect for skaters who could not attend in person.

“Virtual is hard because I, as a coach, have to record them, then it gets sent in. Then they stream it. And judges will score it as they see it on the TV. So it’s hard just to get that good virtual recording.”

With the logistics of coaches needing to video the skaters, the virtual option was challenging for the Prince Rupert girls. When skaters voiced to her they wanted to attend in person,Ward was all for it.

“I told my skaters that you know what you can do, you know what your abilities are, you just have to make sure you do that,” she said. “All I want is for them to do the best they know they can do.”

Ward said the girls learned that big competitions are scary but are also fun at the same time.

The 70 member club is looking forward to the following season, which officially runs from September to March, but skaters could hit the ice as early as August, depending on rink availability.

The next skating competition will be in Prince Rupert in December, for which Ward hopes there will be a good turnout.

The club is performing its first live year-end show, The Little Mermaid, on March 12 at the Jim Ciccone Civic Center Arena at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are available at the door being $10 for adults and five dollars for students, with anyone five and under being free.