Competitions

Competitions are a great way for a skater to exhibit his or her skills, gain self confidence, and have fun in the process. ISI competitions are held at local rinks throughout the year with the World Competition in the summer. Skaters are grouped according to level and age, so that skaters are usually competing against peers. Generally there are a maximum of three or four skaters in an event, so that everyone takes home a prize.

Viking has mainly competed in solo events which involve one skater on the ice who is judged based on his or her skating performance. Solo events include:

• Technical - which the skater completes all the elements taught at that particular level (jumps, spins, dance step) in a routine.

• Artistic - in which a skater is expected to concentrate on the artistic side, and interpret the music to some degree. There are no required elements, but a skater needs to have enough advanced elements to be competitive at that level. (Some competitions don't offer this in the over - 18 age bracket).

• Interpretive - skaters hear music for the first time, and have to make up a routine on the spot that interprets the music. Skaters are judged on the complexity of their skating, and how well they have interpreted the music.

• Spot light or entertainment - the skater usually has props or a costume, and is acting out a story while skating.

Each rink has an application form that must be completed; these include liability releases, require a coach's signature, and require paying application fees (which vary based on the number of events are being entered). Some rinks are more picky than others regarding the completeness of the applications, and your application may be rejected if incomplete. Applications should be submitted to the Team, which will submit a complete package of applications to the hosting rink. There is a deadline for submitting applications, so pay attention to dates!