Rocky Hill Resident to Compete in Figure Skating Championships

The 2016 Eastern Sectional Figure Skating Championships, hosted by The Charter Oak Figure Skating Club (COFSC), will take place Tuesday, Nov. 17 through Saturday, Nov. 21 at the International Skating Center of Connecticut at 1375 Hopmeadow Street, Simsbury.

The event will feature over 200 competitors from the East Coast, from Maine to Florida.

The road to the U.S. Championships each year, and to the Olympic Winter Games every four years, begins with the U.S. Figure Skating qualifying structure of regional and sectional events. The structure is comprised of nine regional events and three sectional events (see chart below for clarification). Skaters who place in the top four at a regional competition qualify for the sectional championships; skaters who place in the top four at a sectional qualify for the U.S. Championships.

“We invite residents from throughout Southern New England to the 2016 Eastern Sectional Figure Skating Championships,” states Amy Fairchild, chair of the organizing committee. “This is a very prestigious and important event to host, as the finalists will advance to the National Championships, and then, International competitions including Worlds. In the figure skating world, this is as big as it gets for this area. Over 1,000 people, some local, but most from across the country, are expected to participate in the event. During this time, skaters, coaches, officials and family members will be enjoying the beautiful fall scenery and all that the Farmington Valley has to offer.”

Local skaters expected to compete include: Maxim Naumov of Simsbury, 2013 U.S. National Juvenile Boys Champion and 2016 New England Regional Novice Men’s Champion; Taylor Rae Rocco of Rocky Hill, 2016 New England Regional Junior Ladies Bronze medalist; and former Nationals ice dance competitors Maxwell Gart of Avon and Avonley Nguyen of Virginia at the Intermediate level, and Rachel Gart of Avon and Lance Stanley of Avon at the Novice level.