Chestermere’s Ice Edge Skating Club celebrated its 20th anniversary in style with a showcase that highlighted the region’s emerging skating talent at the recreation centre.
A full house of locals were treated to a dazzling display of finesse and prowess that wrapped up what organizers say was a banner year.
According to club president Donnette Bren, the event is a chance for about 75 club members to highlight the skills they’ve learned after a long season. About 75 of the club’s 150 members — from novice to advanced — participated in the event.
“I’, really happy for all the people who came to see what we have to offer and celebrate their success,” she told the Anchor. “It’s just like a Stars on Ice.”
The Ice Edge club is Skate Canada certified, which means that graduates of the program will have the opportunity to compete and perform internationally. Past graduates include Olympic gold medalist Jamie Sale.
The program featured a performance from guest skater Lindey Lord, a Strathmore local who went on to train in California and Ontario at the national and international level. In 2007 she became Novice Champion of Alberta and represented Alberta as a Senior Lady for three years. She’s presently coaching in Nanton.
The program wasn’t without hitches: music cut in and out, costume changes took longer than expected, the usual missed cues. But as announcer and emcee Bruce McCallister noted, it all added an element of authenticity that was warmly received by the audience.
Bren said she personally wanted to thank the volunteers who made it possible. In lieu of an annual meeting the club also used the event as its annual awards ceremony.
The awards were as follows:
Colby Orton was awarded the club’s CanSkater of the year (an award sanctioned by the SkateCanada national governing body); Ava Jacobs and Anam Sahota shared the CanSkate Champions title; Harlow Bren is the Junior StarSkater of the Year; StarSkater of the Year is Grace Doren; Senior StarSkater is Katlynn Murray; the Most Improved StarSkater was Jasnoor Chauhan; the Ice Edge Skating Club’s internal Overall Skater of the Year was Samantha Aboud; Trinity Van Ham was the Most Improved Junior; Most Improved Senior is Grace Peori; and Personal Assistant of Year Natalie Miller.
Registration for the Fall season that begins in September will open in July.
