Delta Skating Club's newly formed synchronized ice skating team "Solar Ice" won gold in the group's very first competitive outing at the Skate Canada Synchronized Skating Competition, held in South Surrey Jan. 12.
"I am proud of each of the girls for believing in themselves, learning to work together as a team to perform and achieving their first step in synchronized skating", says their coach Janet Gillespie, a member of the Skate Canada coaching staff at the Delta club.
The Solar Ice team began training together with Gillespie in September as part of the Skate Canada programs that are available through the club to all kids, youth and adults in the Delta community.
The girls made her debut at the Beginners Level of the competition.
"It is exciting to see the team grow together and continue to achieve new skills", says Gillespie of her skaters who are all at various levels of individual skill development.
Synchronized skating, or "Synchro," is a specialized discipline of skating involving groups of eight or more skaters performing choreographed group formations and technical skating maneuvers as one unit.
Visually spectacular, the sport has grown in popularity and audience appeal around the world since its launch as an international sport in 2000. Canada, with its depth of ice skating talent at the youth level, is considered a world leader in this up-and-coming category of ice-skating that will likely be up for inclusion at the Olympics.
The Delta Skating Club is actively looking for young female skaters who are interested in developing the skating skills they'll need to be a member of Solar Ice Team.
For more information, contact administrator Barb Berg about the various Skate Canada programs the club offers at 604-946-3021 or visit www.deltaskatingclub.com
The Delta Skating Club's next public event is its March 15 spring show at the Ladner Leisure Centre, featuring the music from the musical Grease and performances by club members.
