Synchro skaters win at carnival
Rena Tiemstra, Diane Hodges, and Karen David of the adult synchronized skating team practice their routine Jan. 19. For some, this is their first year skating. The adult team recently won silver for their efforts at the 29th annual Calgary Rose Bowl.
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Updated: April 16, 2012 4:33 PM
For some, ice-skating is a pastime that happens at an early age, and for others it’s better late than never.
This is their first year on skates for 11 Ponoka women on the adult synchronized skate team and the thought they might compete, let alone place, might never have occurred to them.
Coach Kathleen Moore said the group originally wanted to come together and enjoy skating for recreation, but she had bigger ideas.
“I brought to their attention that we can have an end goal, which is a competition. So put it all together so we’re working towards an end goal,” she explained.
For Moore, that goal was originally the Living Skies Invitational at Regina, Sask. in March; she wanted the team to have enough practice before competing. Due to scheduling conflicts the team decided to try the 29th annual Rose Bowl in Calgary Jan. 14 to 16.
They won silver.
Their theme was Desperate Housewives, and Moore said the team was surprised and proud of the win.
“We worked hard for the next couple of months and put it all together. And the reason why they were so successful is we went right back to the basics and did easier elements that looked great,” said Moore.
The trick is not necessarily in how hard the tricks are, but more how well the tricks are executed and they “showed really well.”
The ladies’ ages range from 27 into their 50s and Moore said the skate club’s purpose is for everyone to have fun and socialize. There are also several skaters from Red Deer, Lacombe and Pigeon Lake who will travel to train and compete with the Ponoka skaters.
The team is considering entering in the Regina competition, but they do plan to compete in the Western Regional Adult competition in Carstairs Feb. 4 and 5.
There were other Ponoka teams at the Rose Bowl in Calgary. The beginner 2 and pre-novice teams each placed third, and the elementary team won gold in their age group. Moore said Ponoka almost always places — partly because they are able to bring four teams to a competition when some larger cities have trouble getting one team organized.
“It’s a social event, we go to competitions and stay in hotels,” she explained.
The Ponoka Skate Club will host their own skate carnival on March 17 where Ponoka’s synchronized skaters will perform again.
