Santa Fe to welcome region's top skaters
May 19—The Genoveva Chavez Community Center will spring to life this weekend when it opens its doors for the Santa Fe Skatefest.
Taking place for the first time since 2019, the event brings together approximately 124 competitors from seven states for three days of competition starting Friday in the facility's ice rink. The top-ranked skaters will hit the ice that afternoon with most of the local competition skating Sunday.
The event is free to the public. Tammy Berendzen of the Santa Fe Skating Club anticipates the biggest crowds will come Sunday, but all three days will give spectators plenty to marvel at.
"It's an exciting thing for Santa Fe, because the top skaters from around the region who are hoping to become nationally ranked later this year are starting their work right here," she said. "This is how they start their season."
Of those in the various programs, 92 hail from New Mexico, with 23 living here in Santa Fe.
Among the bigger names are Tara Prasad, a three-time national champion from India who now trains in Colorado Springs, Colo. Her goal is to become the first skater from India to qualify for the Olympics.
Maryn Pierce will also be here. Berendzen said she competed in Russia last year, representing the U.S. at the 2021 Junior Grand Prix.
There is one entrant competing in men's seniors. Joseph Klein, a 17-year-old from Illinois who also trains in Colorado Springs, was a 2021 silver medalist in U.S. juniors. He will stake a short program on Friday at approximately 4:50 p.m. and in the free skate the following day in the early afternoon.
The senior ladies short program start at 6:25 p.m. Friday. Saturday's free skate program starts at 3:35 p.m. Doors open at 8 a.m. Sunday.
"We're just excited to have this back," Berendzen said, referring to the 2020 event getting canceled due to COVID-19 and last year's event not being held as coronavirus restrictions made large public gatherings a health risk.
For more information, visit santafeskatingclub.org.
