The Garden State Skating Club will host its fourth annual Shore Skate Competition at its new home rink in Howell on March 19 at Howell Ice World.
According to a press release, Howell Ice World recently opened its doors to the public and to the 57-year-old skating club, offering a state-of-the-art “green” ice skating facility for the surrounding community. It is the first new ice skating rink built to serve Ocean, Monmouth and Middlesex counties in more than 20 years.
The competition will include basic skills through pre-juvenile level freestyle, dance and synchronized skating events and will attract skaters from across the state to perform and compete for awards. It will run from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and is free and open to the public for spectators.
The competition provides an opportunity for area youths to show off their figure skating talents and to introduce the sport to new skaters. Qualified skaters interested in competing can enter at www.gardenstatesc.org.
The Garden State Skating Club, an affiliate of the United States Figure Skating Association, has a long history of producing top figure skating talent, according to a press release.
The club began in 1954 with sessions being held at the Convention Hall in Asbury Park. Today, along with its home ice at Howell, the club is also affiliated with the Ocean Ice Palace in Brick Township and Winding River Skating Center in Toms River.
Garden State Skating Club President LaraWalsh said, “Moving to Howell allows us to grow with a new rink that has the mission of teaching young skaters the basics through learn-to-skate programs for children of all ages and skating abilities, all the way to more advanced figure skating and hockey programs. We are excited to be a part of these plans and to host our first competition at Howell Ice World this month.”
The purpose of the Garden State Skating Club is to encourage and foster the instruction, practice and advancement of members in free skating, pair skating, dance, moves in the field, synchronized and other areas of figure skating.
The club encourages and cultivates a community of interest among ice skaters. The club sponsors, produces and cooperates in the production of amateur ice competitions, tests and shows; and carries out the general policies of U.S. Figure Skating.
Howell Ice World is a 42,000-squarefoot facility at 269 Lakewood Farmingdale Road (Route 524/547), Howell. For more information, call 732-378-6600.