November 17, 2011
By Rob Tucker (rtucker@post-journal.com) , The Post-Journal
It's no small undertaking to host some 200 of the best figure skaters from the Eastern United States in a competition - the 2011 Eastern Sectional Figure Skating Championships - that could have significant repercussions on the young competitors' future athletic aspirations.
So far, though, the Jamestown Skating Club, the staff at the Jamestown Savings Bank Ice Arena and the community at large have proven to be more than equal to the task.
"(Hosting the championships) is great for the (Jamestown Skating Club), it's great for the rink and it's great for the community," said Ellen Darrow, Jamestown Skating Club president and the event's announcer Wednesday night. "We have a great group of volunteers here and everybody is working hard to keep it going. I have not heard one complaint yet, which is very good."
No complaints, just compliments.
"(The skaters) love the facility," Darrow said. "They've all said that it is top notch and one of the best around. And the (arena staff) has done a really good job of taking care of the rink, which we really appreciate because without them we couldn't have done this all."
With a pristine sheet of ice to work with, the young men and women taking part in the Sectional have all they need to put forth a solid effort over the championship's four days of competition. Depending on the event, a finish in either the top two or top four would mean a berth in the national competition to be held in San Jose, Calif., from Jan. 22-29.
Among those figure skaters vying for a place in the national competition include Trevor Bergqvist, a 16-year-old Erie resident, and Jordan Bauth, 13, from Buffalo. Both are former students of the Jamestown Skating Academy who now train in Buffalo.
Despite their age, the two skaters have already enjoyed a great deal of success on the ice. Last year Bergqvist placed second in the Intermediate Men's Division of the North Atlantic Regionals in Lake Placid, earning him a place in the U.S. Junior Figure Skating Championships in Salt Lake City, Utah. There he again excelled and placed - in what was his first national championship - a solid fifth overall in his division.
Bauth, meanwhile, also placed second in last year's Eastern Sectionals novice class to earn a spot in the U.S. Figure Skating National Championships in Greensboro, N.C.
On Wednesday afternoon it was Bergqvist, in front of friends from the JSC, who placed fourth in his short program and will again take the ice today at noon for his novice men's long program.
"He ended up fourth in his short program," Darrow said, "so he is still in the hunt (to go to nationals) because in that event the top four will move on."
For the JSC members it was especially exciting to see some of their former teammates on the big stage.
"Trevor skates in Amherst, but still comes down here once and a while," Darrow said. "The kids still go up there and come down here and Jordan Bauth is skating tomorrow so they'll all be coming to watch her, too. That's the one thing about kids, once they're a team it doesn't matter where you put them."
And while those two may be the only skaters with area ties, Darrow notes that the competition remains one that should not be missed.
"There is some really good skating going on here," she said. "The pairs (competition) was amazing and some of the lifts were really cool. We don't see that much because we don't have any pairs teams here, so it was really nice."
For a schedule of the remaining events, visit www.chautauquaice.com, and for more information contact the Jamestown Savings Bank Ice Arena at 484-2624. Tickets are $10 per day.
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