The New Zealand Ice Figure Skating Championships open in Gore today, bringing more than 150 skaters from clubs across the country to the Gore Multisports Complex for four days of competition.
Ice Sports Southland is hosting the nationals from Thursday 29 October to Sunday 1 November, with the official opening ceremony at 12.30pm today. It is the first time the championships have been in Gore since 2019; the town also hosted them in 2008 and 2002.
The field covers singles, pairs and synchronised skating across the age grades. Clubs from Dunedin, Christchurch, Wellington and Auckland are competing alongside skaters from Ice Sports Southland and the Alexandra Ice Skating Club, What's On Invers reported this week.
The local contingent includes Jodie Ross, Shanae Taylor, Genevieve Webby, Tessa Ayers, Christine Stevens and Alexandra's Maia Smith for Ice Sports Southland. The Alexandra club's entries include its president Jo Tickle, technical specialist and adult skater Rachel Hope, Wānaka's Rachel Sidda, Arleigha Blissett and Astrid Smith.
The headline act is New Zealand senior men's skater Dwayne Li, who is coming to Gore from the ISU Junior Grand Prix circuit. What's On Invers reported he is ranked sixth in the world at that level and lands triple and quadruple jumps. His short programme is scheduled for 2.10pm on Friday and his long programme for 3.50pm on Saturday.
The timetable runs from 12.30pm to 5.40pm today, 12.30pm to 5.20pm on Friday, 12.10pm to 5.10pm on Saturday and 10.50am to 1.35pm on Sunday.
Synchronised skating, in which teams of skaters perform formations in unison, and pairs skating are both on the programme alongside the individual grades, giving spectators a mix of disciplines across the four days.
For the Southland skaters, the event is the culmination of a season of early-morning training sessions on the Gore ice, and several are competing at a national championship for the first time.
Gore's rink has long been the base for competitive ice sport in Southland, and hosting the nationals gives the region's skaters a rare chance to compete at home in front of family and local supporters rather than travelling to Dunedin or further north.
The championships run from Thursday 29 October to Sunday 1 November at the Gore Multisports Complex. Entry is $5 for adults and free for under-16s, paid at the door.
