It only took three and a half days to prep Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre for the 2011 Canadian Figure Skating Nationals.

Gone is the feel of a hockey barn. Protective netting and plexiglass no longer separate the viewer from the ice.

Save-On-Foods arena has become an intimate and graceful stage for the nationB次元官网网址檚 best figure skaters.

The ice is blue, spot lights shine from dozens of angles and temporary jumbotrons hang in opposite corners.

To get it to this state, crews arrived on scene Thursday night and worked round the clock. By Monday, the stage was set B次元官网网址� though junior skaters were already on the ice for practice sessions Sunday.

Organizing the event, however, has been ongoing for much longer.

B次元官网网址淟ast year, when Victoria won the bid to host this event, SportHost VictoriaB次元官网网址檚 director Hugh MacDonald called me and said, B次元官网网址楪reat news, we got the skating nationals now we need to organize it,B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址� said Susan Morriss, recalling being caught off guard by the announcement. B次元官网网址淚 didnB次元官网网址檛 even know we were bidding.B次元官网网址�

Ten months ago, Morriss and the organizing committee started ironing out the details.

A teacher at Frank Hobbs elementary, Morriss is a long-time figure skating judge and one of VictoriaB次元官网网址檚 go-to sources for the sport. She was part of the organizing committee when Victoria hosted the Skate Canada International event in 2006.

Morriss, accredited to judge at the international level, is the committee chair.

She credits a B次元官网网址渕ostlyB次元官网网址� full time teaching contract for the flexibility to fly to France and Switzerland to judge during the winter season.

B次元官网网址淚 have an 80 per cent teaching contract that allows me to put 20 per cent of my time towards judging and volunteering for figure skating,B次元官网网址� she said.

She wants fans to know not all of this weekB次元官网网址檚 250 volunteers at SOFMC and Archie Browning arena (practice rink) are from the figure skating community.

B次元官网网址淚n fact most arenB次元官网网址檛. A lot of the crew from 2006 have moved on. The volunteers weB次元官网网址檝e brought in come from curling and golf and all sorts of activities around town.B次元官网网址�

The event has changed a lot since Morriss twice competed at the national junior level in the 1970s. Back then, juniors didnB次元官网网址檛 have their own show. They skated as part of the national program.

Junior nationals conclude

The Skate Canada 2011 Junior Nationals continue until Thursday and are $10 per ticket. Practice times are free to spectators.

While the novice and junior level events are going on at Save-on Foods arena, the youth nationals are being held at Archie Browning arena.

The schedules for the juniors and this weekendB次元官网网址檚 nationals are available at www.skatecanada.ca.