Shimla: Olympic size ice skating rink is ready in just a week

Himachal Pradesh: An Olympic-sized natural ice skating rink has been built at Cheog village, just 25 km from Shimla. It is an impressive feat that has been completed within a week. The 60×30 metre rink is nestled among tall deodar trees and has soon become a centre of excitement for local children and skaters. The initiative was driven by the local community, who worked tirelessly to get the rink ready under the guidance of the district ice skating officials. “The ground was used for various sports like volleyball and badminton, but we thought it could also be used for ice skating during winters,” said Sohan Thakur, one of the major contributors to the project. The team worked night and day to freeze the ice and complete the rink in just five days. The size and quality of the rink has impressed even professional ice skaters.

International skater and former national coach Subodh Patil praised the efforts of the locals. “It is extremely difficult to prepare a natural rink of this size and quality. “I am amazed by their achievements,” he said. Patil has come to Cheong to oversee the state-level ice skating competition, which began soon after the rink was completed. The rink provides a valuable opportunity for local children to take up ice skating, as they are familiar with the cold weather and get a competitive edge. Patil believes that local children have great potential in the sport. “With three to four months of practice at this rink, they can excel at the national level,” he said. Despite being just a week old, the rink has already garnered interest from Telangana, with requests to book it for their skaters. “It is exciting to see interest from other states as well,” Thakur said. Local children and youth are equally thrilled about the opportunity to practice ice skating at their home, and many are optimistic about seeing local talents move on to national competitions soon.