January 29th through the 31st, your La Furia synchronized ice skating teams set the ice on fire once again at the 2009 Midwest/Pacific Coast championships. Unlike last year, though, you can see it happen--it will be held right here in the northwest suburbs of Broomfield and Westminster.
Over 2,000 athletes, ages 5 to 73, will meet at the Broomfield Event Center and the Ice Centre at the Promenade (at 104th and Westminster Blvd.) and vie for the coveted gold medal. La Furia will be presenting all six of their teams plus their University of Colorado (collegiate) team.
Director and Coach Debbie Minter says that the teams are excited to be on home turf. "Familiar ground is always the best, and La Furia's own skating club--Rocky Mountain Figure Skating Club--is also hosting the event. So it's a little more pressure, but also very exciting for our skaters. They worked harder this year than ever before."
Coach Jamy Wetzel-Little says that she is very pleased with the progress of La Furia's teams. "We have a lot of new skaters this year, and they firmed up into cohesive teams. That took a lot of focus and work off ice as well as on. We're very proud of them all."
Fiona Rudnicki, another La Furia coach, agrees. "We're excited to show off the hard work the kids have done over the last few months. Their progress has surprised us once again, and they have shown us over and over that they belong in the larger arena of national competition."
Minter, along with Wetzel-Little and coach Stefano Stangalini, also say the adult teams are better than they have ever been. "This year we had our share of illnesses and injuries," says Stangalini, "not to mention the day jobs getting in the way at times. Still, when these skaters hit the ice for practice they mean business. It's paid off and both teams are contenders for gold."
Wetzel-Little also coaches the affiliated University of Colorado team, which is skating a new and exciting program to the music from "Across the Universe." She says they are ready, and "even more competitive than last year. Look out for CU!"
La Furia's teams will meet skaters from California to Ohio at this prestigious event. The United States Figure Skating Association will take the best performing teams from this competition and pit them against teams from the East Coast Sectional Championships for the national title in Portland, Maine, in March. Teams will be chosen from that contest to represent the United States at international competitions, which includes the 2009 World Synchronized Championships in Croatia (April 2009).
Synchro skating sound like fun? It is! In fact, synchronized skating is growing faster than any other skating sport. It combines the camaraderie of a team sport with the technique of figure skating elements. The United States Figure Skating Association reports that there are approximately 525 registered teams, 92 of which will go to the national championships.
If that's not enough great news, you can participate in a synchro team, too! La Furia will be holding tryouts in the spring, and you are invited to join us for open houses, skill sessions, and auditions. Live more than a few minutes away from the Ice Centre? No problem. Minter says that there are people coming from as far away as Fort Collins, so there will likely be a carpool somewhere available to you.
If you are interested in joining one of the La Furia teams, check out their website at www.lafuriasynchro.com, or email the team at skatelafuria@gmail.com. For more information on all skating programs at the Ice Centre, call (303) 469-2100.
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Linda Bolander is a random member of the La Furia Open Adult team.