FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIP RETURNS TO ABU DHABI

Ice and easy: ZSC has the only Olympic-size ice rink in the UAE.

They may not be as elegant as Michelle Kwan or as graceful as Kim Yu Na, but the third Desert Open Figure Skating Championship at Zayed Sports City could well throw up a star of the future.

Figure-skating is gaining a real sense of identity in the region and this can be seen by the skill and aptitude of some of the young skaters on the recreational rinks around the country. They are getting the coaching and professional direction needed to elevate themselves from just recreational skaters to competitive ones.

Indeed this championship alone is a telling sign of how the sport is gaining popularity. Five teams competed from the UAE last year ? Abu Dhabi Figure Skating Team (ADFST), Al Nasr Leisureland, Dubai Queen of Ice World, Sharjah Ladies Club and Al Ain Mall ? as well as one team from Cyprus.

This year there will be seven squads. Qatar is sending a team as well as Dubai Mall and Hyatt Regency Galleria. They will be joined by Al Nasr, Al Ain, ADFST and the Cyprus team.

The event will feature skaters of all ages, including children and adults, and it will look specifically at technical, artistic spotlight and footwork programmes. These categories might not mean much to you, but just watching these youngsters glide over the ice and perform these tricks and turns would be a treat ? it will be easy for you to pick out who your favourite is.

The event will start on Friday, June 28, at 12.30pm and run until 5pm that evening. The skaters will be back on the ice from 10am to 5pm the following day.

The championship takes competition in the sport to a new level as it is the only figure skating competition in the UAE to have an independent judging panel. This means so much in terms of accuracy and fairness. It also helps potential skaters to make the switch from skating recreationally into taking it up competitively.?

?As figure skating is growing in popularity in the region, we are proud to host events such as the Desert Open Figure Skating Championship and to be a leader in the development of the sport,? said Barry Bremner, general manager at ZSC.

?We are anticipating many talented skaters locally and from abroad and looking forward to a great competition.?

As the city?s only Olympic-size skating surface, ZSC?s ice rink hosts thrilling ice hockey matches and figure skating shows, but anybody can just pop in for a recreational session as well, or learn the basics of figure skating.

ZSC Ice Rink is home to the ADFST, which has over 40 members. ?Our Learn to Skate programme is very popular, a precursor to ADFST and purely recreational,? said Christine Hecht, marketing and customer services manager at ZSC.

?But ADFST has both competitive and recreational elements ? for example our annual ice show would probably be considered recreational but it also has a competitive element. We have skaters who want to be Olympians and others who are skating to learn a new skill.

?Zahra Lari competed in the 24th European Criterium Cup in Budapest where she won the first ever gold medal for the UAE. She was one of 225 skaters and this accomplishment is just one of many,? added Hecht.

WHAT:?The Desert Open Figure Skating Championship
WHEN:?Friday, June 28; 12.30-5pm. Saturday, June 29; 10am-5pm
WHERE:?Zayed Sports City Ice Rink
CONTACT:?Email?andreea.tuliga@zsc.ae

Source: http://newsaboutfigureskating.blogspot.com/2013/06/sports360com-figure-skating.html

Catching Fire trailer Marfa Texas leonhard euler venezuela Chi Cheng adam scott aurora borealis