About 300 figure skaters from throughout the Northwest will be in Mountlake Terrace this coming weekend, the start of a skating season that some hope will end with national championship glory.
The Olympicview Ice Arena in Mountlake Terrace and the Seattle Skating Club are hosting the 2016 Qualifying Northwest Pacific Regionals and 2015 Non-Qualifying Figure Skating Championships beginning on Friday, Oct. 9. The event continues through Tuesday, Oct. 13.
As one of nine regional events of U.S. Figure Skating, the top four skaters in the Novice, Junior and Senior categories this weekend will qualify for a 2016 sectional championship in Los Angeles in November. Those who place in the top four at the sectional competition punch their ticket for the 2016 U.S. Championships Jan. 15-26, 2016, in St. Paul, Minnesota.
The top finishing skaters in the Juvenile and Intermediate competitions this weekend move directly to the national championships in St. Paul in January.
Skaters from Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Alaska, Montana and Wyoming are expected to compete at the regional event at Olympicview Ice Arena this weekend.
“For qualifying skaters Juvenile and above, this is their starting point to move forward in their season towards Sectionals and Nationals,” said Celeste Jackson, Seattle Skating Club President and Co-Chair for the NWP Regionals. “For Non-qualifying skaters, Regionals is the opportunity to showcase their skills and programs they have been working so hard on. Seattle Skating Club is pleased to welcome them all to the area.”
Competitive skating gets underway on Saturday, Oct. 10, with the Intermediate Men short programs at 10:30 a.m. The weekend’s top competition, the Senior Ladies long programs, is scheduled for Monday, Oct. 12, at 12:45 p.m.
Tickets to the Regional competition at Olympicview Arena, 22202 70th Avenue West, will be available at the door. A one-day pass is $15 while an all-event pass is $35; children under the age of six are free when accompanied by a ticketed adult.
For more information about the Northwest Pacific Regional Figure Skating Championships, click www.nwpregionals.com.
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