From Scott Hamilton to Johnny Weir, the International Skating Center of Connecticut has hosted some of the top figure skating talent from around the world in the 30 years since they've opened.
So many, in fact, it’s sometimes hard for Director of Figure Skating Daniel Petrenko to name them all.
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WATCH HERE“There's too many to name to be honest with you,” Petrenko said. “Olympics, Worlds, Nationals, any country you can name more likely came through here at least once.”
This weekend, they’re inviting the community to join them, too. For Petrenko, that’s like opening the doors to his home.
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SIGN UP His dad Vladamir Petrenko and uncle Victor Petrenko were some of the first international champion skaters to call the ice rink in Simsbury home three decades ago.
“The biggest honor is being in an office next door to the Petrenkos,” ISCC owner and General Manager Kelle Becconsall said. “They never left. They've been here the whole time.”
On Saturday, they will celebrate the facility’s 30th anniversary with a skating show and fundraiser for Scott Hamilton’s “Scott Cares Foundation," which raises money for cancer research.
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But Becconsall hopes it will be a celebration for the Petrenkos, too.
“When we talk about a 30th anniversary, I feel like we have to celebrate them as a family, just as much as we have to celebrate this facility, because they kept believing in it,” Becconsall said. “And everything that you're seeing here is because of them.”
Hamilton will be on hand to emcee the show while current and former Olympic and World champions will take center ice.
For the younger Petrenko, it’s a call back to the rink he remembers growing up in.
“You think about the past and how when the rink first opened, there were these constant shows and competitions back in the day,” Daniel Petrenko said. “Now, just trying to bring that back to, not only bring people into the door and show them we have all this new stuff… but I can show them the same thing as what I remember as a kid.”
Though Petrenko, Becconsall and the rest of the ownership group don’t just want to look back, they hope the community will see what they’re building, too.
Construction is ongoing to build two half-sheets of ice and a sports performance center for both figure skaters and hockey players.
The show is Saturday, May 3 at 6 p.m. They will also host a Frozen 5k on Friday, May 2.
You can find more information about the events and the Scott Cares Foundation here.
