This year's 44th annual Sun Valley Summer Figure Skating Championships drew an enthusiastic field of 192 skaters from 35 skate clubs Thursday through Sunday, July 22-25 at Sun Valley Skating Center.
Special awards given to three outstanding Sun Valley Figure Skating Club members were a highlight of the competition—which has become one of the largest in the Northwest region. Award recipients were Nicole Pratt, Noelle Weaver and Shayna Moellenburg.
Pratt, 15, a Wood River High School junior, won the Phyllis Kourland Cup for the Most Outstanding Artistic Program at the Novice through Senior Level. Darlin Baker is Nicole's coach and choreographer.
Weaver, 9, a Community School fourth grader, won the Most Outstanding Showcase Trophy at the Basic Skills through Pre-Juvenile Level. Elena Dostatni is Noelle's coach and Gia Guddat choreographed her Showcase program.
Moellenburg, 16, SVFSC's highest level skater in this recent competition, won the engraved Silver Plate presented to the Junior Ladies Combined Free Skate Overall Champion. She is a sophomore enrolled in Connection Academy, an online school. Shayna is coached by Lisa-Marie Allen with choreography by Gia Guddat.
Another highlight of the Skating Championships was "Showcase Sunday," featuring six exceptional Group Theatrical production entries from Denver, Phoenix, Lakewood (Wa.) and Sun Valley.
Sun Valley's two professionally choreographed and elaborately costumed productions, "Alice in Wonderland" and "Penguin Posse," drew cheers from delighted Lodge Terrace guests and audience members. "Alice" took the first place trophy and "Penguin" captured second for a perfect ending to the Summer Championships.
Members of "Alice" were Moellenburg, Nicole Pratt, Alexandra Harten, Telar McClure, Caitlin Sholtis, Gracie Eagan, Claire Siderman, Arizona Semones, Emma Stuessi, Alex Stuessi, Antonia Avery and Kenny Pratt.
The following are SVFSC winners of first-place gold in individual events at the Summer Championships. Also listed are those who passed U.S. Figure Skating tests during the finals. Names of the second- through fourth-place winners will be published in Friday's Idaho Mountain Express:
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First-place gold
Individual events
Shayna Moellenburg (2 golds)—Junior Ladies Free Skate and Short Program. Nicole Pratt—Novice Ladies Artistic. Arizona Semones—Preliminary Showcase Group A.
Isabella Bourret—Pre-Preliminary Artistic Group A. Alex Stuessi—Non-Test Artistic Group A. Lane Letourneau—Nontest Artistic Group B.
Basic Skills events
Noelle Weaver (2 golds)—Free Skate 5-6 Showcase and Free Skate 4-6 Interpretive Improvisation. Kenny Pratt—Free Skate 1-3 Interpretive.
Antonia Avery—Free Skate 1 Showcase. Gracie Cleveland—Basic 5 Free Skate. Olive Gilbert—Snowplow Sam Free Skate.
USFS test results
Free Skate tests
Gracie Eagan—Pre-Juvenile Free Skate. Abby Chase—Pre-Juvenile Pairs.
Moves In the Field tests
Meredith Pintler—Novice Moves. Abby Chase—Intermediate Moves. Gracie Eagan—Pre-Juvenile Moves. Aurora Wilkinson—Preliminary.
Isabella Cronin—Pre-Preliminary Moves. Emma Oliver—Pre-Preliminary.
Ice Dancing Tests
Abby Chase—Silver Dance, American Waltz.
Lisa-Marie Allen—Three Pre Silver Dances, completing the level.
Ashley Clark—Three Bronze Dances, completing the level.
The “Penguin Posse” captured second place in the Group Showcase Theatrical Production class during the Sun Valley Summer Skating finals. Photo by Willy Cook
