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Skating Event a Huge Success at Greenwich’s Hamill Rink

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Anna Vimits of the Skating Club of Southern CT competes in the Basic 6 elements group during Sunday’s skating event at the Dorothy Hamill rink. (John Ferris Robben photo)
Anna Livits of the Skating Club of Southern CT competes in the Basic 6 elements group during Sunday’s skating event at the Dorothy Hamill rink. (John Ferris Robben photo)

By Liz Leamy
Sentinel Correspondent

If you like figure skating, the Dorothy Hamill Rink was the place to be last Sunday. More than 125 competitive figure skaters from all over the New York metropolitan region convened there for the annual Greenwich Town Competition.

The yearly event, regarded as one of the most important U.S. Figure Skating seasonal kickoffs for competitors in the tri-state area, featured all the stuff of a memorable sports showdown: dozens of talented and skilled athletes, lots of spectators, and a host of lively volunteers, coaches, officials and rink staff workers.

Louis Lorenz of the Skating Club of NY competes in the Juvenile/Open Juvenile Boys group during Sunday’s event at the Dorothy Hamill rink. (John Ferris Robben photo)
Louis Lorenz of the Skating Club of NY competes in the Juvenile/Open Juvenile Boys group during Sunday’s event at the Dorothy Hamill rink. (John Ferris Robben photo)

“This was a wonderful event in every respect,” said Rich Ernye, manager of Hamill Rink and Greenwich recreation supervisor. “It ran well, which was good for all the skaters, including many who had come from all over the area who were all good.”

Eryne, who has managed the Dorothy Hamill Skating Rink since 1994, also remarked on how big the crowd was at this event, a sign that bodes well for the sport, particularly in this area.

“The public seemed to come out even more so this year, and we had skaters who came from a wide range of skating schools all over the area, which can only be good for the sport,” he said.

“We had an increase of competitors this year, which was exciting to see,” said Chris Abbott, president of the Windy Hill Skating Club, host of the event. “It’s a friendly atmosphere and you see skaters cheering on their peers, which is great.”

Abbott said that all of the skaters, whom she describes as a focused and hard-working group, “have an appreciation for the sport as a sport, and work together to help support one another.”

The skaters echoed that sentiment.

“[The competition] was really fun and I liked seeing my friends do well,” said Madeline Besgen, 9, a Glenville Elementary School fourth grader who placed first in the Freestyle 1 Program Group B event. “I also loved competing at Dorothy Hamill, because I love the rink.”

First-Rate Showdown

Caroline Hartch of the Windy Hill Skating Club warms up prior to the start of her competition in the Basic 7 elements group during Sunday’s event at the Dorothy Hamill Skating Rink. (John Ferris Robben photo)
Caroline Hartch of the Windy Hill Skating Club warms up prior to the start of her competition in the Basic 7 elements group during Sunday’s event at the Dorothy Hamill Skating Rink. (John Ferris Robben photo)

This event, which drew skaters from all over New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, was exciting in all regards.

Throughout the day, competitors, along with their friends and families, bustled about the rink’s walkway, lobbies and warming rooms either prior to getting ready or after having finished their performances.

Meanwhile, many of the skaters could also be seen chatting, laughing and catching up with one another at the snack bar, rink area or in the bleachers during their off time, suggesting the experience was more than just about the skating.

“This is one of my favorite competitions, because it is so well run and everyone is so warm and friendly,” said Gilberto Viadana, an International Skating Union technical specialist and national and world coach who lives in Manhattan and is based out of the Ice House in Hackensack, N.J.

At the same time, there was also an enthusiastic host of rink staff workers and event volunteers who were busy either assisting the skaters, running and posting results or simply offering to help to pretty much anyone who might have had questions.

“This event comes out so well every year because of the Windy Hill staff and also my staff here,” said Eryne, who, to date, has helped oversee more than 21 total town of Greenwich competitions so far. “This is a great group of people who are committed to what they do.”

The parents of course, also played a key role in the success of this event, which only makes sense, since they comprise the support system behind all of these athletes.

Jack Sanchez of the Hudson Valley Skating Club competes in the Pre-Juvenile Boys event of Greenwich Town Competition. (John Ferris Robben photo)
Jack Sanchez of the Hudson Valley Skating Club competes in the Pre-Juvenile Boys event of Greenwich Town Competition. (John Ferris Robben photo)

For members of this contingent, their energy and efforts are essentially predicated upon their child’s joy of the sport.

“When you see how much joy [the skaters] get out of it all, that is just the best thing,” said Jenny Ristau of Greenwich, whose daughter, Felicity, 6, won gold in the Basic Skills level 6 program event. “The fact that skating makes [my daughter] so happy makes me happy.”   

An Important Building Block

The Greenwich Town Competition is a big deal for so many prominent athletes and coaches around the area because it is one of the first major non-qualifying U.S. Figure Skating New York metropolitan-area events to start the formal competitive season, one that generally begins in February, after the U.S. National Finals conclude in January.

“This competition is excellent, it’s an important part of development for the skaters and marks the beginning of the season,” said Viadana, whose student, Ashley Leahy, of the Rye Figure Skating Club, scored gold in Intermediate Ladies as well as the coveted Dorothy Hamill Cup. “It’s a perfect place to start the season and important because the skaters get good exposure and feedback. They learn a lot about what they need to work on.”

Viadana’s talented charge, Leahy, reeled off some huge double Axels, among some other impressive things, which made her a standout contender.

Whitney Ford, a Greenwich resident who was awarded the Alis W. McCurdy Cup (for showing promise and talent) and placed first in the Pre-Juvenile division, was also excellent, along with many others.

“All of the competitors here were very strong,” said Abbott. “The level of skating was outstanding.”

Meanwhile, according to the skaters, the competition was a positive experience on every front.

“I had a really great time skating because it’s my favorite activity,” said Lily Rose Vallieres, 8, a third-grader at Whitby School who placed first in the Test Track High Beginner Group A event (and was first runner-up behind Ford in the McCurdy Cup event). “Skating makes me happy.”

This statement explains why so many skaters wound up here.

“[Enthusiasm and love for] the sport is the seed,” said Viadana, who represented Italy at the 1992 and 1998 Winter Olympic Games. “It is the origin for a skater, really and the fundamental thing they need to have if they want to pursue competition.”

Without a doubt, important annual club events such as this one, which over the years has attracted some of the sport’s heavy-hitters, including former Greenwich residents Maia and Alex Shibutani, who clinched their first U.S. National senior dance title this past January, are paramount for athletes looking to achieve great things.

“This is the beginning of competition for so many of these skaters,” said Viadana. “The skaters here are important because they are the future.”

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