January 26, 2018 - Skating fans can get a sneak peek of what could be a future Olympic sport when the Midland Figure Skating Club hosts the 2018 Tri-States Synchronized Skating Competition on February 10. The event runs from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. at the Midland Civic Arena, 405 Fast Ice Dr. Admission is $10 for guests 12 and over.
Synchronized skating is a team sport in which 8-20 skaters perform a choreographed routine to music. There are several basic elements that must be executed during a routine, but coaches have latitude in how each element is interspersed between transitions. The result is a captivating series of intricate, changing patterns of skaters in blocks, circles, wheels and lines gliding across the ice.
Officials expect 84 teams and 1,100 skaters to participate in the Tri-States Competition. Skaters range in age from 4 to 70. With about 70 coaches and 17 officials, plus family and friends, the competition is expected to draw about 3,000 guests to the Midland area. Teams travel from Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and Kentucky to attend the competition, which is sanctioned by U.S. Figure Skating.
The Midland Figure Skating Club has three teams entered in Tri-States competition: Turning Points, which will compete in the Open Adult Level; Ice Fusion 1, a group of junior skaters ages 8-12; and Ice Fusion 2, beginner skaters ages 4-7. This will be the first synchro event for the Midland Ice Fusion teams.
Midland last hosted the Tri-States Synchro competition in 2008. Skating clubs undergo an extensive bidding process to bring it to their respective cities.
For more information about the Midland Figure Skating Club and its Learn to Skate Programs, visit http://www.midlandfigureskatingclub.org. More information on The Tri-States Council of Figure Skating Clubs, including a list of its competitions, can be found at http://www.tri-states.org/.
