Story originally printed in the La Crosse Tribune or online at www.lacrossetribune.com
Published - Thursday, March 06, 2008
Local national-qualifying skaters to show off talent at annual show
The La Crosse Figure Skating Club is growing in talent and numbers.
Cathy Sawaya, coordinator of the La Crosse Park and Recreation Department club, said eight skaters placed at the Badger State Games a month ago in Wausau, Wis., to qualify for the 2009 State Games of America in Colorado Springs, Colo.
“It is the most we’ve qualified for nationals, and this is our most talented group overall,” Sawaya said. “We got a lot of new young skaters this year, and we’re growing, with 70 members now.”
The club will show off its talent at its annual show Friday and Saturday at the Green Island Ice Arena. The show’s theme is “Roam Around the World,” and skaters will perform in costumes and to music from around the world.
Skaters qualifying for next year’s nationals are: Michelle Sawaya, Hope Pavela, Christina Blomquist, Kylie Inda, Raphaelle Siemers, Jenna Mills, Katie Mormann and Bridget Staberg. All the skaters, except Staberg, will perform at the show.
Michelle Sawaya and Pavela won gold medals in footwork in their divisions at the Badger State Games. Siemers captured the gold in moves in the field category. Blomquist placed third in footwork.
In the artistic category, Inda and Blomquist took silver medals in their divisions, and Sawaya won a bronze. In the interpretive category, Mills, Inda and Pavela won silver medals, and Blomquist and Siemers took home bronze.
Mormann qualified for nationals for the first time with a fourth-place finish in the freestyle program. Also in freestyle, Sawaya, Staberg and Blomquist took second place in their divisions, Pavela was third and Siemers placed fourth.
The La Crosse Figure Skating Club won seven medals, including a gold and three silver, at last summer’s national competition. Inda, Mills and Blomquist won medals at the 2007 Games of America as seven club members qualified for nationals.
Six skaters — Sawaya, Pavela, Inda, Blomquist, Mills and Staberg — qualified in artistic programs for the National Showcase in Rochester, Minn., in August.
Terry Rindfleisch can be reached at trindfleisch@lacrossetribune.com or (608) 791-8227.
All stories copyright 2000 - 2006 La Crosse Tribune and other attributed sources.