Roughly 2500 skaters are in Wichita this week to take part in the largest U.S. Figure Skating competition of its kind.
Among the teams competing in the Midwestern and Pacific Coast Synchronized Skating Sectional Championships are the Rose City Crystals, from Pasadena, California.
The team, made up of 27 female skaters, arrived in Wichita at 4 a.m. on Wednesday hoping to see snow. It’s the first time they’ve traveled outside of California.
Twelve-year-old Danielle Trinh is a member of the Rose City Crystals and says she likes the facilities at Intrust Bank Arena.
"I really like the ice rink," Trinh says. "It’s really big, and it's much more advanced than ours."
Trinh has been skating for four years.
"My favorite part about skating is jumps because I think they’re the easiest," she says.
Overall, the event is expected to bring in more than 6,000 athletes, coaches and families and add an estimated $3.4 million to the Wichita economy. The competition runs through Sunday, Jan. 28.
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Carla Eckels is director of cultural diversity and the host of Soulsations. Follow her on Twitter @Eckels.
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