Ice skating takes Delhiites on a roll

Titled Blades for Glory, the second edition of National Ice Skating Championship, Delhi chapter, was held at iSKATE, Gurgoan. The event saw 65 participants from different states of the country like Andhra Pradesh, Maharastra, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana.

In association with Ice Skating Association of India, the three-day championship included 27 competitions in three categories — short track speed skating, figure skating and free style. In short track speed skating, the contestants had to skate on an oval ice track with a definite circumference. Figure skating included spins, jumps, moves in the field, lifts, throw jumps, death spirals, and other elements or moves. Freestyle skating however was not restricted to one but referred to skating alone and doing jumps and spins to ice dancing.

The competition was divided in different age groups like beginners (below nine years), sub juniors (below 13 years), juniors (14-19 years) and seniors (above 19 years). There were also separate events for boys and girls. The first day of the championship saw the participants’ from the four age categories competing for the short track speed skating.

Figure skating competition for beginners and sub juniors was held on the following day. The last day included the same competition for juniors and seniors in solo and pair; and also freestyle skating, which was an open competition.

The panel of five judges included sportspersons, former national level champions as well as international accomplished Ice Skaters from Japan and Russia, who announced one male and a female winner in each of the categories.

Prior to the championship,  iSKATE held a training camp, where the athletes got a chance to develop and polish their skills in flexibility, jump and spins, crossovers, spiral and enhancement of posture, under the guidance of national level trainers from India and Russia.

Karan Rai, operations manager at iSKATE, says “The event aimed to promote this winter sport activity and open the doors for talented and aspiring athletes to International events. There has been tremendous response from the participants who geared up for this event. Also, we incorporated the freestyle skating which most of the people don’t know about. Events like these help to bring them in focus.”Rai informs that following this Delhi chapter, a national championship will be held across the country in April.