The World Cup Figures will be held in the United States for the first time when it comes to the Lynwood Sport Center Sept. 18-20, bringing 100 skaters and 40 coaches from 10 countries to compete at 2030 Glenwood-Dyer Road.
The competition marks a historic moment for the sport. The World Cup has been held since the 1930s and is very seldom held in the United States, according to Kathy VanderBeek, lead operator at Fleetwood Roller Rink and a former roller skating competitor.
“People come from all over the world for this competition,” VanderBeek said.
John Peck, owner and operator of the Lynwood Sport Center, said hosting the event at home gives American skaters a rare opportunity.
“This is an opportunity for the competitive skaters in the United States to have a chance to see the World Cup right at home,” Peck said.
Peck is also a coach at Lynwood and will have three of his skaters competing. He hopes the competition will help American skaters close the gap with stronger countries. He said Argentina, Italy and Brazil currently rank ahead of the United States in the sport.
Peck has spent much of his life in roller skating. He competed during the 1980s, won national and world championships and was inducted into the Roller Skating Hall of Fame.
“Lynwood is the only roller rink in the United States that has been a world qualifier,” Peck said.
The competition is sanctioned by World Skate and will include cadet, youth, junior and senior divisions.
Artistic roller skating combines elements of ice figure skating with the use of roller skates. Competitors perform jumps, spins, dance movements and intricate footwork to music.
“The whole structure of roller skating is done off of figures,” Peck said.
The competition begins Friday, Sept. 18, with opening ceremonies followed by the cadet men’s and ladies’ divisions. Events are scheduled from 9:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Saturday’s competition includes youth ladies, senior men and senior ladies, with events scheduled from 9 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
The final day, Sunday, Sept. 20, features junior men and ladies from 9 a.m. to 2:15 p.m.
The Lynwood Sport Center was used as a filming location for the 2005 movie “Roll Bounce,” which starred Bow Wow and Nick Cannon and followed a group of young roller skaters. Now it will host a competition featuring athletes from across the world.