Ontario, Calif., Selected to host 2011 Skate America

Colorado Springs, Colo. (March 3, 2011) – U.S. Figure Skating announced today the selection of Ontario, Calif., as the host city for 2011 Skate America. The international event is one of six stops in the International Skating Union (ISU) Grand Prix of Figure Skating Series. Competition will take place Oct. 21–23, 2011, at the Citizens Business Bank Arena.

“We are pleased to award this competition to Ontario,” U.S. Figure Skating President Patricia St. Peter said. “This community has embraced the U.S. Synchronized Skating Championships this week, and we know it will give the same warm welcome to Skate America.”

This will be the second time Skate America will have been held in the state of California. Oakland hosted the event in 1991.

“We look forward to providing everyone attending this magnificent event the opportunity to experience some of the best hotels, restaurants, shopping and entertainment in Southern California” said Steve Eckerson, general manager of Citizens Business Bank Arena. “We are truly honored to host 2011 Skate America and look forward to the competition and excitement of this figure skating series.”

Skate America is an Olympic-style international figure skating event featuring three days of competition in ladies, men’s, pairs and ice dancing. The event annually attracts more than 60 world-class figure skaters. Past champions include five-time World champion and two-time Olympic medalist Michelle Kwan and Olympic champions Kristi Yamaguchi, Scott Hamilton and Evan Lysacek.

Tickets for the event will go on sale later this spring and will be available at www.2011skateamerica.com.

2010 Skate America was held at the Rose Garden in Portland, Ore., where U.S. skaters won medals in three of the four disciplines and took home a total of four medals. Rachael Flatt won the ladies silver, while Armin Mahbanoozadeh garnered the men’s bronze. American ice dancers occupied two of the three podium positions in Portland, with Meryl Davis and Charlie White, the 2010 Olympic silver medalists, taking the gold medal and teammates Maia Shibutani and Alex Shibutani winning bronze.

Skate America will be the first of six events in the 2011 Grand Prix Series. Other annual stops in the Series include Skate Canada, the Cup of China, Trophée Eric Bompard (France), the Rostelecom Cup (Russia) and the NHK Trophy (Japan). The Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final takes place each December and rotates among the countries that host the Grand Prix Series events.

About U.S. Figure Skating

U.S. Figure Skating is the national governing body for the sport of figure skating in the United States as recognized by the United States Olympic Committee and the International Skating Union. U.S. Figure Skating is made up of 743 member, collegiate and school-affiliated clubs and more than 990 Basic Skills programs representing approximately 176,000 members. U.S. Figure Skating is charged with the development of the sport on all levels within the United States including athletes, officials, sanctioning of events and exhibitions, and establishing the rules and guidelines by which the sport is governed.

Contact:

20 First Street – Colorado Springs, CO 80906
Phone: (719) 635-5200 – Fax: (719) 635-9548
Web site: www.usfigureskating.org