MSHS Students Represent Their School at Ice Skating Nationals
January 15, 2019
Manitou Springs High School students and ice skating prodigies Davis Ortonward (10) and Romy Malcolm (9) depart for Detroit, Michigan to participate in the Ice Skating Nationals. The two will be making the 1339 mile trip to The Motor City this Thursday the 17th. Competition for the two begins January 18th and will continue until the 27th, where the national winner will be crowned.
The road has not been easy nor short for the duo. Both started skating at a young age and have continued through their adolescence to become very promising young competitors in the sport. Ortonward had a very special start to his ice skating career as it started close to home. “My dad made an ice rink outside of our house which got me started at a really young age,” said Ortonward.
These many years of practice have led Ortonward to a prime position to grasp what all athletes dream of– a win at the national level. Though it helps that Ortonward is accompanied by an equally skilled partner: Malcolm. Malcolm also started over a decade ago. The passion and love the two have for ice skating helps fuel their energy and improve their chemistry, making them a very tough duo to beat come competition time.
The workload has been painstakingly difficult for Malcolm and Ortonward, as both are impressive students with decent amounts of class work. The balance between ice skating and school hasn’t always been easy, but the duo has found an efficient way to complete both activities in the little amount of free time they have. “Most days we skate maybe three hours,” said Malcolm. “Some days we work out so sometimes it’s about five hours.”
Although the workload would be unbearable for some, Ortonward and Malcolm have put themselves in a position to be champions at an unmatched level. Yet again, the two will be showing their countless hours of practice off at the Ice Skating Nationals in Detroit, Michigan from January 18-27.
