Sunshine State Games Figure Skating on Full Display at the Florida Panthers IceDen
The Sunshine State Games Figure Skating Championships begin Friday morning with 428 skaters on the ice for 761 starts at the Florida Panthers IceDen, in Coral Springs. The skating begins at 9:00 a.m. on Friday and concludes on 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, with skaters on two rinks for duration.
The 428 skaters, ranging in ages from four to 58-years old, is an all-time high in the 35 years of Sunshine State Games Figure Skating. The numbers surpass the 406 skaters and 757 starts from 2022. A total of 22 skating clubs from around the state of Florida will be represented.
The Sunshine State Games is the largest figure skating competition in the state that features only Florida-based athletes,” said Betty Stark (pictured on far right in photo), the Sunshine State Games Figure Skating Sport Director. “At the recent Florida Open in Orlando, there were about 400 skaters but there were quite a few from out of state.”
Returning to action for 2023 are the 2022 Dorothy Dodson and Betty Stark Award Winners for Figure Skating Excellence. Nicole Skripnikov (2nd from right in photo) and Veronica Carhart (2nd from left in photo), both of the Florida Everblades FSC, were the 2022 Award Winners, respectively.
Skripnikov, now 14, advanced to the 2023 Eastern Sectionals, held in Norwood, Mass, in November 2022 and was a second-place finisher in the Intermediate Ladies Division. She was also an invitee to the 2023 U.S. Figure Skating High Performance Development Camp.
The Dodson Award recognizes the highest combined socre in the Intermediate Ladies Free Skating and Short Program events. The Stark Award is given to the Juvenile Girl with the highest points in the Free Skate Program.
The 2023 Award Winners will be announced on Saturday evening at approximately 6:30 once both competitions are complete. Admission is free and spectators are encouraged to attend.
2023 Sunshine State Games Figure Skating Championships Schedule
Friday, May 19
9:00 a.m. – Competition begins on both rinks
5:30 p.m. – Final Event on Mezzanine rink
8:20 p.m. – Final Event on Stadium rink
Saturday, May 20
8:30 a.m. – Competition begins on Stadium rink
9:00 a.m. – Competition begins on Mezzanine rink
6:10 p.m. – Final Event on Mezzanine rink
8:20 p.m. – Final Event on Stadium rink
Sunday, May 21
8:30 a.m. – Competition begins on both rinks
1:30 p.m. – Final Event on Stadium rink
2:50 p.m. – Final Event on Stadium rink
The Sunshine State Games is an annual Olympic-style Sports Festival for amateur athletes of all ages. Now in its 44th year, dating back to 1980, the Sunshine State Games is the longest continuously-running State Games in the U.S. The 2023 Sunshine State Game is held in conjunction with the Gainesville Sports Commission, Central Florida’s Polk County Sports Marketing, Visit Lauderdale, Punta Gorda/Englewood Beach Visitor & Convention Bureau (VCB) and Earl Enterprises.
Registration continues for Sunshine State Games events in June in Alachua, Charlotte, Polk and Orange County. Visit the individual sports pages of this website for competition and registration information.