STURGIS - The annual Sturgis ice carnival featured the Sturgis Figure Skating Club and its achievements throughout the year. The carnival theme, Live, Love, Skate was brought to life at the Sturgis Skating Arena on March 9 and 10.
Heather Tunbridge-Jaeb was head coach with the responsibility of coaching all CanSkate skaters throughout the year. Amber Bartch was the mistress of ceremonies for the evening.
Bartch, president of the Sturgis Figure Skating Club, welcomed everyone and acknowledged all volunteers who helped make the carnival a success.
“This year has been challenging with our warm temperatures, we had a late start and many cancelled practices. Our skaters had to work extra hard to perform for us. We are proud of the skills they have learned in such a short time. We are thankful for Heather Tunbridge-Jaeb, our dedicated coach, as well as all the Star Skaters for all their help,” said Bartch.
“I have no words to describe how proud I am of my 39 skaters,” said Heather Tunbridge-Jaeb.
“They all did their carnival routines perfectly. I hope all my skaters know how proud I am of them and honoured I am that I get to spend my winter with them. I will always be the one screaming and hooting in the doorway ‘cause I’m their biggest fan. I have two that are graduating this year, my own daughter Mollie and the other is my neighborhood daughter, Jainylle Gagnon. I’ve watched them both grow through their skating, which made this carnival very emotional, as much as I told myself I wasn’t gonna cry, I did many times. Thank you Sturgis Skating Club for another great carnival,” she concluded.
O Canada and a skater’s prayer followed by opening remarks to kick off the evening and afternoon performances.
First on the ice were the star skaters, Mollie Jaeb, Layla Jaeb, Ripley Pristie, Jainylle Gagnon, Myrandah Gaganon, Karley Buchinski, Jade Beatty, Lindy Romanchuk, Lakyn Seerey, Cruz Jaeb and Maycee Johnson, who performed to Just Like Fire.
Next, were the stage two skaters: Kiara Poworoznyk-Bates, Lexi Keller, Hailey Seghers, Sophia Storoschuk, and Everleigh Anaka who skated to Break My Stride.
Henry Mills, Bentley Lario and Anthony Prokulevich, stage three and four boys, performed to Moves Like Mick Jagger.
Arielle Eagleson, stage one girls, skated a solo with the assistance of Karley Buchinski, skating to Ain’t No Mountain High Enough.
Jainylle Gagnon, a Grade 12 graduating skater, performed a solo to Long Live.
Hartley Hurlburt, Kasyn Chernyk, Connor Prestie, Abel Eagleson and Axel Eagleson, stage one boys, performed to Hakuna Matata.
Cruz Russell, Hudson Babiarz and Acesun Singh were stage two boys who skated to Eye of the Tiger.
Layla Jaeb skated a solo to Hall of Fame.
Brinley Robinson and Rayne Weinhandl were stage three and four girls who performed a duet to Girls Just Wanna Have Fun.
The stage five and six boys: Oliver Anaka, Stanley Prokulevich, Jayden Poworoznyk-Bates, Grady Lario and Leo Yachyshyn performed to All Ready For This.
Jainylle Gagnon and Myrandah Gagnon performed a duet to When Will Life Begin.
Junior star skaters who performed to Famous Friends were: Lakyn Seerey, Cruz Jaeb, Jade Beatty, Lindy Romanchuk and Maycee Johnson.
Stage two skaters Hailey Seghers, Everleigh Anaka, Kiara Poworoznyk- Bates, Sophia Storoschuk, Cruz Russell, Hudson Babiarz, Acesun Singh and Lexi Keller performed to Can’t Stop This Feeling.
Ripley Pristie skated a solo to Unstoppable.
Stage one skaters Abel Eagleson, Axel Eagleson, Arielle Eagleson, Hartley Hurlburt, Kasyn Chernyk, Connor Prestie, Jake Pinder and Jax Pinder performed to Walking on Sunshine.
Mollie Jaeb and Layla Jaeb skated a duet to What a Song Should Do.
Jayden Poworoznyk-Bates and Leo Yachyshyn, stage five skaters, performed a duet to Nothin but a Goodtime.
Stage three skaters Brinley Robinson and Anthony Prokulevich performed to Don’t Stop Believing.
Stage four skaters performing to YMCA were: Henry Mills, Rayne Weinhandl and Bentley Lario.
Stage six skaters Stanley Prokulevich, Grady Lario and Oliver Anaka rocked the ice to the music of We Will Rock You.
A special tribute performance was skated by Mollie Jaeb and Sophia Storoschuk to the music of The Climb.
The star skaters performed a flash dance feature that saw each skater executing a different routine.
The performance concluded with a grand finale skate that featured all the skaters involved in the carnival.
