For the second year in a row, the Baltimore Figure Skating Club is hosting a Skate Ontario Regional Synchronized Skating Championship at the Baltimore Recreation Centre.
The event takes place from January 24th to 26th where there will be over 2,000 participants competing.
Head Coach of the Baltimore Figure Skating Club, Denine Page said there are only four of these events organized by Skate Ontario in the Province.
BFSC coach Megan Anderson filed the bid and the Club was informed in August that Skate Canada made the announcement Baltimore was one of four areas throughout Ontario that would be hosting an event.
The BFSC found out at the end of October when registration closed that there will be 131 teams, 2100 skaters competing in Baltimore over the course of three days.
“It’s a great exposure for our area,” said Page.
“The youngest skaters are around eight or nine-years-old and teams range up to their 40’s and people in their 50’s.”
Teams are coming from as far as Quebec. Last year when they hosted the same event two teams came from Newfoundland.
“It was an eye opener last year.”
“It was very, very busy with a lot of activity.”
Each day the stands are literally filled with parents and coaches cheering on the competitors who will be critiqued by a minimum of 12 judges.
“Many hands make light work,” and Page said there will be approximately 150 volunteers over the course of the three days helping out. Planning for the biggest competition in Hamilton Township in 2025 is down to the minute.
“We depend on an incredible network of volunteers that are scheduled for all these days. Not to mention Thursday afternoon we take over the whole facility to set up the stands for the judges along the west side of the ice surface, sound system, section off areas in the hall for officials to set up their laptop equipment to manage team results.”
The competitors will be going over their routines on the turf area at the facility which will also be used for the awards presentation.
When a team arrives in the front door, they check in at registration, proceed to the turf area for a scheduled off ice warm up, they are then directed to their assigned dressing room. After their performance they clear the dressing room area to a general area in the lobby until they get their results.
The top 3 teams are presented with medallions at an awards presentation.
The Hamilton township staff are kept hoping between flooding the ice surface, cleaning dressing rooms, public washrooms and the general lobby area.
Page says with a smile that the amount of toilet paper they go through over the three days set a new record last year.
With the number of people attending, parking is also at a premium.
The coach buses will drop off the teams at the Baltimore Recreation Centre, then they will be parking nearby at the school and church.
Even the bus drivers will be shuttled back to the arena to cheer on their teams.
There is a $10 entry to the competition and the public is welcome to attend over the course of the three days.
Friday events run 10am – 9pm, Saturday 6:30am – 9:30pm. Sunday 6:30am – 3pm
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love
