Taking the ice
Glacier Skate Academy is taking a contingent of skaters to the Glacier Challenge competition in Missoula this weekend. Skaters are, in back from left, Kate Freeman, Shatara Boye, Muriel Mercer, Sophia Burrough, Maggie Mercer, Emma Marlowe, Kaile Jensen and Sophia Elden; in front from left, Jack Berg, Madison Dockery, Harper MacIntyre and Cosette Berg. Not pictured are Willem Gray, Maci Safir, Elijah Walrath, Gabriel Walrath and Melanie Ruth. (Heidi Desch/Whitefish Pilot)
Harper MacIntyre speeds across the ice during a warm-up session Friday afternoon at Stumptown Ice Den. (Heidi Desch/Whitefish Pilot)
Shatara Boye skates across the ice Friday afternoon at Stumptown Ice Den. (Heidi Desch/Whitefish Pilot)
Sophia Elden spins while practicing her routine on the ice Friday afternoon at Stumptown Ice Den. Elden, 11, has been skating for five years. (Heidi Desch/Whitefish Pilot)
Madison Dockery is all smiles while practicing her routine on the ice Friday at Stumptown Ice Den. (Heidi Desch/Whitefish Pilot)
Kaile Jensen strikes a pose on the ice at the end of her routine Friday at the Stumptown Ice Den. (Heidi Desch/Whitefish Pilot)
Sophia Burrough glides across the ice while practicing Friday at the Stumptown Ice Den. (Heidi Desch/Whitefish Pilot)
Muriel Mercer smiles while performing her routine during practice Friday afternoon at Stumptown Ice Den. (Heidi Desch/Whitefish Pilot)
A group of ice skaters from the Glacier Skate Academy is headed to Missoula this weekend for their first skating competition of the season.
The skaters, ages 6 and up, will compete in the Glacier Challenge, which is sanctioned by the U.S. Figure Skating and Skate Canada.
Skating Director Sean Wirtz said for many of the young skaters this will be their first competition. He expects to take skaters to a half dozen competitions around the country during the season.
“This is beginners all the way up to highly competitive skaters with the goal of going to nationals,” he said. “They’ve put in the hard work and this is the time to enjoy it — this is the fun part.”
Skater Sophia Elden, 11, has been skating for five years and says her favorite part of skating is performing jumps.
“I love how graceful skating is and that you get to express yourself,” she said.
Skaters on Friday held a practice session in full costume performing for friends and family at the Stumptown Ice Den in preparation for the competition, followed by a team party.
“They are competing, but it’s important that we go as a team and having a send off party is part of that,” Wirtz said.