NEWS RELEASE
Media Contact:
Julie Smith, City of Colorado Springs, 719-385-5256
Mark Jones, United States Olympic Committee, 719-866-2226
Andrea Nyquist, World Arena, 719-477-2117
Barbara Reichert, U.S. Figure Skating, 719-228-3466
WORLD ARENA ICE HALL DESIGNATED AS
OFFICIAL U.S. OLYMPIC TRAINING SITE FOR FIGURE SKATING
Colorado Springs, Colo. (March 21, 2012) – The U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC) announced today that the Colorado Springs World Arena Ice Hall has been awarded official designation as a U.S. Olympic Training Site for Figure Skating. Through a partnership with the USOC, U.S. Figure Skating and the World Arena Ice Hall, the seven-year agreement recognizes the quality of the Ice Hall facility and will help ensure world-class training for elite athletes in the future.
“The City of Colorado Springs has had a lengthy and rewarding relationship with the USOC and U.S. Figure Skating. This recognition brings great honor to Colorado Springs and the World Arena Ice Hall. We’re proud of this world-class facility and the formal designation as a U.S. Olympic Training Site. This is another great way to celebrate the Spirit of the Springs,” Colorado Springs Mayor Steve Bach said.
Colorado Springs has been home to the USOC since 1978 and a center for international figure skating since the creation of the Broadmoor Skating Club in 1938. The City has hosted numerous international figure skating events, most recently the 2012 ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships and the 2010 World Synchronized Figure Skating Championships. It has presented five World Championships, two World Junior Championships, three ISU Skate Americas and six U.S. Championships.
Today’s announcement will enhance the strong relationship between the City and Olympic sports.
“We’re thrilled to announce the World Arena Ice Hall as a new U.S. Olympic Training Site in partnership with U.S. Figure Skating,” said USOC CEO Scott Blackmun. “Colorado Springs has a long and storied history of figure skating success and we appreciate the World Arena’s continued support of America’s elite athletes.”
The designation of the World Arena Ice Hall as a U.S. Olympic Training Site benefits the entire community – the City of Colorado Springs, U.S. Figure Skating, resident coaching staff and World Arena Ice Hall – by continuing to draw world-class figure skaters to Colorado Springs.
The mission of U.S. Olympic Training Sites is to access additional resources, services and facilities for athletes and National Governing Bodies (NGBs) while providing an elite athlete training environment that positively impacts performance.
World Arena Ice Hall – U.S. Olympic Training Site
Training centers, such as the World Arena Ice Hall, that have received the U.S. Olympic Training Site designation have invested millions of dollars in facility, operating, staffing, equipment and athlete training costs.
Dot Lischick, General Manager of the Colorado Springs World Arena and Ice Hall, recognizes the honor and effort that comes with this designation.
“It takes strong partnerships, top-rated coaches, elite-level skaters and dedicated staff to earn this designation,” Lischick said. “We are proud of our ongoing commitment to excellence and the recognition of our efforts by the USOC. We couldn’t do this without the ongoing vision and support of our World Arena Board of Directors and our local partners – Broadmoor Skating Club, and National Strength and Conditioning. This is another unique honor for Colorado Springs.”
At the media conference March 21, Mayor Bach will present a Spirit of the Springs “Celebrate” Award to U.S. Figure Skating athletes Caydee Denney and John Coughlin, the 2012 U.S. pairs champions. Denney and Coughlin, who train at the Colorado Springs World Arena Ice Hall, will represent Team USA at the World Championships in Nice, France, beginning March 26. Mayor Bach’s “Celebrate” Award is given to members of the Colorado Springs community for noteworthy achievements that bring great honor and pride to the City of Colorado Springs.
About the World Arena Ice Hall:
The World Arena Ice Hall is a training facility that caters to the needs of highly skilled and emerging athletes. Together the Broadmoor Skating Club, U.S. Figure Skating, world-renowned coaches and the World Arena Ice Hall have a history of producing U.S. champions, such as Rachel Flatt and Ryan Bradley. The complex is home to dozens of world-class figure skaters and coaches, the Broadmoor Skating Club and the NCAA Division I Colorado College men’s hockey team. With two sheets of ice (one NHL, one Olympic), three jump harnesses, video analysis and a ballet studio, the World Arena Ice Hall offers a comprehensive off- and on-ice training program that has attracted athletes from across the U.S. and the world.
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