Seven Sun Valley Figure Skating Club skaters traveled all the way to Arizona April 17-20 to learn if they had what it takes to compete in a larger, more competitive region.
The U.S. Figure Skating Southwest region includes southern California, Arizona, Nevada, and New Mexico, and the Coyote Skate Club's "Fiesta Skate Competition," in Arizona is a popular draw.
SVFSC skaters not only measured up, four saw the top of the podium and several medaled in multiple events.
Competing in USFS test level categories, Wood River Middle School seventh grader Telar McClure landed several difficult double jumps to win first-place trophies in Preliminary Free Skate and Preliminary Showcase Group C.
Telar also took third in Preliminary Artistic Group C.
Alexandra Harten, a Community School fifth grader, captured the first-place Showcase trophy and the second-place Artistic trophy for Preliminary Group A. Harten placed sixth in Free Skate.
Wood River Middle School student Julia Broderick won a fourth-place trophy in Juvenile Free Skate and took seventh of 11 skaters in Open Juvenile Artistic. Hemingway Elementary School student Caitlin Sholtis won fifth in Pre-Preliminary Showcase, sixth in Free Skate and sixth in Pre Preliminary Artistic.
Three promising Community School third graders were accompanied to Phoenix by their coach, Darlin Baker—and they did very well.
Taking her namesake state by storm, Arizona Semones, 9, ruled Basic Skills. Semones scored decisive victories in Basic 8 Free Skate and Showcase. She jumped off page with straight firsts awarded by all five judges in both events.
Claire Stickney continued SVFSC momentum, winning the first-place trophy for Basic 6 Showcase and adding second-place Free Skate hardware.
In his first out-of-town competion, Travis Flynt earned two trophies. He won second place in Basic 6 Showcase and third in Basic 6 Free Skate.
Meanwhile, two other SVFSC competitors, Abby and Cam Chase, headed north to McCall's "Skate by the Lake" Competition the same April 19-20 weekend. Abby, a developing ice dancer who attends third grade at Hemingway, won the Preliminary Solo Dance event. Her younger brother Cam, a preschooler, took first place in Compulsory Snow Plow Sam.
Sun Valley Figure Skating Club kids, top, from left, Telar McClure, Alexandra Harten, Julia Broderick and Caitlin Sholtis; and, bottom, from left, Arizona Semones, Claire Stickney, Travis Flynt, Abby Chase and Cam Chase.
Photo by
