KALAMAZOO, MI (WKZO AM/FM) – Nearly 2,000 skaters will be at Wings Event Center Saturday and Sunday for the Kalamazoo Kick-Off Classic.
This will be the 24th year for the event, which began in 1999 with 11 teams and has grown to a record number of 148 teams this year from the Midwest along with Florida and Canada.
Hosted by the Greater Kalamazoo Skating Association, the event will feature seven of their Kalamazoo Kinetic Synchronized skating teams as well as two teams from Western Michigan University.
The GKSA notes synchronized skating is a blend of artistry and athleticism and consists of teams of eight to 20 skaters, flowing as one unit at high speeds over the ice. Spectators will be able to watch skaters in more than a dozen levels from beginners to Collegiate and Masters levels.
The volunteer-run event has a big economic impact on the area, as Discover Kalamazoo estimates in 2021 with 113 teams, it brought in $1.7 million in direct visitor spending. In 2019, there were 135 teams and nearly 2,000 skaters and that had a $2.3 million impact.
This year’s even larger competition is expected to top those numbers.
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