All eyes on ice as city set to host skating championship

GURUGRAM: For those who love the ice, this season promises to be even more festive than usual. On Monday, a six-day camp got under way, to be followed by the National Ice Skating Championship on October 1-2 - both hosted by the NCR's only all-season rink, iSKATE.

The camp will help prepare those taking part in the Nationals, which will be held under the aegis of the Ice Skating Association of India (ISAI). This is, incidentally, the 14th edition of the championship, and young men and women from across India have gathered in Gurgaon, ready to show off their skills (and poise) on ice.

Just one discipline, figure skating, will feature at the Nationals, which will include separate events for boys and girls in five categories - senior (19 years and above), junior (17-19 years), advance novice (15-17 years), novice (10-15 years), and juvenile (under 10 years).

That interest in skating is gradually picking up can be shown by the figures. Andhra Pradesh and Telangana are not regions that first come to mind when thoughts turn to ice skating, but the number of competitors from these states who have entered for the championship has seen a rise of almost 40 percent over the last edition.

For many a year, the annual skating championship was organised in January, the coldest time of the year, when ice would be guaranteed in Shimla. Now, it can be held in balmier climes. And in the time that infrastructure for figure and speed skating (and ice hockey, too) has come up to speed - a period of some six years - more endeavour has been shown in attempting to popularise winter-sport activities in India.

Worldwide, there's prestige and glamour associated with figure and speed skating. Now, India is looking to embrace the experience. "We have seen a steady, very gradual, growth, which is promising for the future with respect to not just more players coming in but also spectators who want to come and view the sport," said Karan Rai, operations head, iSKATE.

"And where earlier we used to see just a few states participating, today we have about 180 participants coming from all over India," Rai added.

The ISAI's 'Mission Olympics' aims to send Indian skaters to the 2018 Winter Olympics, in Pyeongchang, South Korea. While next year may come too soon, there's no doubt that the ice is Indian sport's next big frontier.