SAN RAMON, California – The Christy Yamaguchi Seasonal Holiday Ice Rink held its opening ceremony on November 17 this year with special ice skating performances.
The outdoor ice rink, located at the City Center Bishop Ranch in San Ramon, California, was closed last year due to the pandemic. This year, people told NTD TV that they are happy to come back and go ice skating again for the holidays.
“You’re going to fall a little, but it’s all part of the learning curve. It’s fun, ”said Eileen Wales from Dublin, California.
“I love skating. I haven’t skated for a long time, ”said Wales’ daughter.
“We love San Ramon. We thought, why not go for a bike ride down the street and go ice skating? How cool is that? ”Said Brooke Barnum from San Ramon.
“This is our first time here,” said Cheryl Sawyer of Pleasanton.
“It might be like how I started out on my bike without training wheels because you have to balance it,” said her daughter Aurora.
The Yamaguchi Always Dream Foundation also celebrated its 25th anniversary. The organization strives to ensure that “underprivileged children have access to high-quality books at home and full support from their families,” according to its website.
“If we can really help families create consistent reading routines at home, all we ask is about 15 minutes a day, 3-5 times a week, and this will have a significant impact on their academic success,” said Christie. Yamaguchi. Olympic champion in 1992, figure skater.
The 1992 Olympic gold medalist said a portion of the rink’s proceeds would go to the Always Dream Foundation.
“I think this is a great way to get people together this Christmas season and you know everyone loves figure skating during their holidays and it’s fun to put on a show,” said 17-year-old Sophie Peters, a competitor. figure skater. “I think it is so much fun to be able to jump and spin, and so much fun to learn new skills.”
“Every time I go out on the ice … I feel like this is my home. And entering this ice is like homemade freshness. So I really enjoy skating, ”said 13-year-old figure skater Anaya Doshi.
“I just love sports because I think it’s basically my home. I feel comfortable and I just enjoy skating, ”said 12-year-old figure skater Renha Kim.
“I’m also very nervous, so I don’t usually look directly at anyone. I’m just staring at empty space, ”said 12-year-old figure skater Bridget Gervais.
Yamaguchi gave some expert advice, such as choosing skates one size smaller to provide reliable support.
“And make sure they lace up well and tightly so that once you get on the ice you can start marching in place, and then pretty soon when you get comfortable with this sliding movement you can start sliding some more. Yamaguchi said.
The skating rink is open daily from noon to 9:30 pm, rain or shine, although it may close during heavy rain. Reservations are highly recommended. Tickets are purchased for 90-minute sessions.
The skating rink will be open until January 2.
The grand opening of Kristi Yamaguchi Downtown Ice in San Jose is scheduled for November 22.
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Ilene is a San Francisco Bay Area reporter covering Northern California news.
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