Having flourished since the 2002 Winter Games spawned more ice sheets across northern Utah, figure skating clubs and hockey teams are trying to build more interest in their programs through events this Olympic anniversary period.
"We’ve grown and been able to provide opportunities for skaters to continue skating for life," said Michelle Thompson, event coordinator for the Intermountain Interclub Association, which represents 12 member clubs along the Wasatch Front. "And we’re training more Olympians right here in Utah, no question."
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Events begin Friday with free skating on the two ice sheets at Peaks Ice Arena in Provo, 2002 venue for women’s and men’s hockey.
On Saturday, the Cottonwood Heights Recreation Center will have a reunion for cast members of the Opening and Closing ceremonies. An exhibition featuring solo skates to Olympic music and performances by original "Children of Light" will take place from 1 to 2 p.m., with reduced-price open skating from 2 to 4 p.m., Thompson said.
The Park City Ice Arena also will have free skating Saturday from 1 to 2:15 p.m. Prominent skaters will be available for photographs, she said.
Davis County’s anniversary celebration is set for 6 to 8 p.m. Feb. 16 at the South Davis Recreation Center, 550 N. 200 West, Bountiful. The "Re-Kindle the Fire Within" event features an ice show with Jozef Sabovcik, 1984 bronze medalist in figure skating, pin trading, food and visits by athletes and Olympic mascots.
Two events are set for Feb. 17.
At the Utah Olympic Oval in Kearns, a parade of nations, a "Children of Light" figure-skating performance, torch relighting, exhibitions of ice sports and memorabilia sales will take place from 5 to 9 p.m.
The Ogden Ice Sheet will stage a 5K snowshoe fun run across the Weber State University’s campus starting at 6 p.m., followed by a 7:05 p.m. ceremony at the Ogden Ice Sheet honoring 2002 volunteers. An Ogden Mustangs hockey game and a curling demonstration also are scheduled.
Thompson said the number of figure skating clubs in Utah has tripled from four to 12 since 2002.
"We’ve seen significant growth in numbers of overall participants as well as competitive performers," she added, attributing the growth of elite skating to the presence of ice sheets that attract more high-caliber coaches.
The growth of figure skating has benefited the state economically, Thompson said, citing the crowds brought in last year for junior and adult national competitions.
"We’d love to bring worlds back here to Salt Lake," she said. "We have the facilities to do it. And the U.S. Figure Skating Association loves our ice. We use public facilities, so the cost is affordable."
Hockey programs also have mushroomed. Utah is sending high school-age travel teams to out-of-state competitions, Thompson said, and the USA Hockey High School National Championships will be conducted March 21-25 at the Salt Lake Ice Center.
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