Figure-skating regionals hit ice at Beaconsfield Arena

BY MICHAEL PIASETZKI

The 30th annual Lac St. Louis Regional figure skating meet rolled into town Jan. 12-14.

About 350 skaters from 14 clubs attended the three-day affair at Beaconsfield Arena, split into three separate events. The first was the Eva Findlay competition, named after the late West Island resident who devoted a lifetime helping develop local figure skating. It featured skaters of all ages — including adults — from every West Island club.

The second was the Quebec Winter Games run off, aimed at determining the 13-member Lac St. Louis team that will compete in the upcoming Quebec Winter Games in L’Assomption in March. Three Special Olympic athletes were also chosen to compete for Lac St. Louis at the Games. The third was a Star Skate run off for provincial finals. The Star Skate program offers skaters the opportunity to develop basic figure-skating skills in four different areas with the option of taking Skate Canada Tests while earning awards and incentives.

When all was said and done, five area skaters qualified for the Games, including Pierrefonds Figure Skating Club’s Katherine Martin and Eric Waldvogel in juvenile dance, Dollard des Ormeaux Figure Skating Club’s (Dollard FSC) Iassen Petrov in juvenile men as well as Kirkland Figure Skating Club’s Rachelle Aubichon and Beaconsfield Figure Skating Club’s Megan Miyamoto in novice girls.

Meanwhile, as the latter five prepare for the Games, Dollard FSC’s Amanda Tvaronas and Brandon Deslauriers find themselves in Brampton, Ont., this week, competing in this BMO Financial Group Skate Canada Junior Nationals. Tvaronas and Deslauriers, who only started working together last May, captured a silver medal at summer provincials before earning bronze at the Quebec sectionals and finishing seventh at the Canadian Eastern Challenge.