Inter-provincial figure skating action in Toti
Toti will host its first inter-provincial figure skating championships at Galleria Ice Rink from 21 to 23 February.
This is due to the temporary closure of Durban Ice Rink. “What makes this event unique is that it will be the first time this long-standing event will held in Toti,” said Marco van der Hammen, who together with his wife Wendy, started the Galleria Junior Seals Ice Skating Club in 2012 after they re-located to Toti from Somerset West.
The KZN team has entered 41 skaters, half of which are from Toti, an amazing feat considering the Galleria rink only opened in 2010 and the club’s first tests and competition took place in October, 2012. Skaters from Johannesburg and Pretoria will also compete. “Already we have defending champions at our rink, among them our outstanding pair couple, Matthew Dalmoro and Paige Cook,” said Wendy. “We also have our own Toti Seals synchro team, which is KZN’s first synchro team in over 10 years.”
Wendy recently introduced adult skating to KZN, which allows adults from the age of 25 to 60 to also compete. Fifty-three-year-old Evelyn Ballantyne will defend her KZN title this weekend. “We have wonderful skaters in almost every section and the inter-provincials will be a fantastic event for the public to come and support,” said Wendy.
Competition times are Friday, 21 February from 5pm to 7pm, Saturday, 22 February from 7am to 9am and the main event on Sunday, 23 February from 7am to 10am.
“This is a competition open to skaters from all across SA, so it should be a good one. More importantly, it’s the first major competition to be hosted by Galleria’s ice rink.”
