Unfavourable weather delays start of annual ice skating at Shimla’s historic rink
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The Newz Radar
SHIMLA: The eagerly anticipated annual commencement of ice skating at the historic Ice Skating Rink in Himachal Pradesh capital Shimla faces a delay this year as adverse weather conditions have been hampering the freezing of ice.
Traditionally kicking off in the second week of December, the trials were scheduled for Friday (December 15, 2023) but had to be postponed.
Rajat Malhotra, organising secretary of the Ice Skating Club, expressed disappointment as the ice failed to freeze on the rink due to inclement weather, preventing the scheduled trials. Despite the setback, the club remains optimistic, aiming to conduct the trials within the next one to two days, depending upon favourable weather conditions.
Malhotra highlighted the historical significance of the ice skating rink and its dependence on weather conditions. Usually, trials begin around December 10 each year, marking the onset of the ice skating season. The rink is multifunctional, accommodating laser skating, figure skating, speed skating, and ice hockey. Children aged four and above can participate, contributing to the development of talent. Children from here have represented the state at national levels in various categories, including ice hockey.
About the challenges posed by weather dependency, Malhotra revealed ongoing efforts to establish an artificial rink, ensuring year-round availability for skating enthusiasts. The tender process for this initiative has already commenced, raising hopes that an artificial rink will soon become a reality for the Shimla Ice Skating Club.
Malhotra said that the club has been demanding for a long time to build an artificial rink so that all-weather skating can be done here. The tender process has been started for this. He expressed hope that work on this would be done soon and Shimla Ice Skating Club will turn an all-weather affair.
