U.S. national champion Mariah Bell will be featured in the ISI Benefit Show at the Edge Ice Arena in Bensenville on Saturday.
One of the world’s largest figure skating competitions returns to Bensenville this week for the first time since 2015.
Nearly 750 ice skaters, ranging in age from 3 to 85, are competing in the 2022 World Recreational Team Championships, a four-day event at Bensenville’s Edge Ice Arena. The sponsor is Dallas-based international nonprofit Ice Sports Industry, and it has drawn U.S. skaters from 15 states and global competitors from as far away as Thailand to perform.
“This is our largest event of the year,” said Kim Hansen, director of Ice Sports Industry skating programs and national events. “You’re going to get quite a variety of people stepping out onto ice over the next few days.”
Hansen also was very complimentary of Bensenville because of its proximity to O’Hare International Airport and the world-class, large-capacity rinks of the Edge Ice Arena.
“It’s easy for people to get flights to come in and find places to stay,” Hansen said.
In a statement, Bensenville Village President Frank DeSimone called the event ” a great opportunity for figure skating fans of all ages to take part in what we all expect will be an incredible show.
“Along with the Edge Ice Arena and the Bo Jackson Sports Dome, Bensenville continues to be a hub for amateur sports in Illinois, and we look forward to continuing to host events like this.”
by signing up you agree to our terms of service
Hansen was keen to point out that the general competitions are free for spectators.
“(Audiences) could walk in on some highly skilled freestyle skaters, or they could walk in and see some 3-year-old tots doing a spotlight entertainment,” Hansen said. “It’s a little bit for everybody.”
But the main attraction is Ice Sports Industry’s ticketed Benefit Show on Saturday. This year, the star skater is Mariah Bell, the 2022 U.S. national champion and a competitor at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.
“We always say that every Olympic dream begins with a first lesson,” said Hansen, noting that such skating luminaries like Evan Lysacek, Michelle Kwan and Jason Brown all competed in Ice Sports Industry events on their way to stardom.
“We have a tried-and-true learn-to-skate program that has helped bring up all kinds of champions across the country.”
