Electric Atmosphere as Figure Skaters Take the Ice at Arctic Winter Games

Vibrant music plays while figure skaters warm up. You can hear blades scrape the ice while one of the skaters, clad in a beautiful sparkling outfit, winds up for a salchow. The crowd chatters with excitement, waiting for the free program competition to begin.

Inside the Atco rink, which is nearly at capacity with family, friends, athletes, and coaches from all across the circumpolar North, everyone is excited to cheer on their favourite skaters. Truly an electric atmosphere, the place is teeming with anticipation.

The warm and supportive crowd claps and cheers with every successful jump and spin, and every missed one too. With one skater, her Celtic inspired music had the crowd clapping on beat with pure joy, enthralled by her every move.

Between competitors I noticed a group of young children practicing their twirls and glides behind the stands. Five year old Phoebe told me she was excited to grow up and compete in the figure skating event at the Arctic Winter Games as soon as she was able to.

Her mom beamed with pride and told me how exciting it was to see her little girl be inspired by the athletes in sports that she didn’t have access to in New Zealand where she grew up. Phoebe told me her favourite part of the skaters' numbers was when they slid low to the ice in a graceful spin, and of course the pretty costumes.

Many people in the audience were overcome with pride and brought to tears while watching their family member compete in an international competition. Proof that the Arctic Winter Games is a remarkable experience for more than just the athletes.

Waiting to hit the ice for her class, Team Yukon skater Sophie Stuart said the room was welcoming and electric. She felt calm and ready to skate on familiar ice that she trained on five days a week. Her favourite part of competing here at the Canada Games Centre was being able to look up at the full stands during her number to see so many supportive faces of loved ones.

Mya Hussey, skating for Northern Alberta, said she recognizes how hard the journey to get to these games can be, and how proud she was of all the work put in by all of the competitors. Her focus for the upcoming skate in her class would be on performance and enjoying the moment. Recognizing all of the hard work has paid off, it was time to just have fun, Hussey said.

You could see her confidence and commitment to having fun when she hit the ice to warm up before her performance track even started. As Mya took her starting position, she lit up. Within the first few bars of Big Time by Linda Eder everyone watching was having as much fun as she was. Mya had the room in the palm of her hands. And the judges agreed with the audience—she took home the gold Ulu in her class with that performance, adding to her collection.

Individual competition wrapped up March 11th with Northern Alberta taking home 20 Ulus, Alaska with 8 Ulus, Yukon capturing 5, and Northwest Territories winning 3 Ulus. The team competition will be Thursday March 12th at the Canada Games Centre.

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