Portsmouth Sisters Skate Their Way to Gold, Silver Medals at Bay State Games

Three figure-skating Portsmouth girls returned to town as champions this past January after competiting in the 26th annual Winter Bay State Games.

The event, which was held in Williamstown, MA, gives individuals the chance to compete to qualify for the State Games of America.

Three figure-skating sisters, Kera, Kristen and Nicole Takacs, proudly represented Rhode Island as the venue was opened up to neighboring states for the first time this year.
 
All three sisters competed in an artistic event and a freestyle event. The artistic event assesses the interpretation of the music with their style and grace.  In the freestyle event, they are judged not only by their presentation on the ice, but by the quality of execution of required elements.
 
Nicole, a second grade Feinstein Junior Scholar at captured a gold medal in her artistic event and a silver medal in her freestyle event. 

Older sister Kristen, a sixth grade Feinstein Junior Scholar at , qualified previously during the 2010 Bay State Games, when she earned two silver medals. This year, she skated for the first time at a higher level and received a fourth place in her artistic event and an eighth place in her freestyle event, still earning her a qualifying spot as she was the first Rhode Island athlete! 

Oldest sister, Kera, a Portsmouth High School freshman, had also qualified previously with a silver medal at the 2010 games and, this year, she decided to add two more to her collection. She earned a silver medal in her artistic event and a silver medal in her freestyle event.
 
All three sisters are ecstatic with the results and will continue their training towards the State Games of America.  As part of their training, they will skate in an exhibition to benefit Make-A-Wish Foundation on March 12.