Olympic-sized ice skating rink comes up in Shimla village in just a week

An Olympic-sized natural ice skating rink has been created in the village of Cheog, just 25 km from Shimla, in an impressive feat completed within a week. The rink, measuring 60x30m, is nestled among tall deodar trees and has quickly become a hub of excitement for local children and skaters alike.

The initiative was driven by the local community, who, under the guidance of district ice skating officials, worked tirelessly to prepare the rink. “The ground was used for various sports like volleyball and badminton, but we thought it could also be used for ice skating during the winter,” explained Sohan Thakur, one of the key contributors to the project. The team worked around the clock to freeze the ice and complete the rink in just five days.

The rink’s size and quality have impressed even professional ice skaters. Subodh Patil, an international skater and former national coach, praised the efforts of the locals. “It’s extremely difficult to prepare a natural rink of this size and quality. I’m amazed by what they’ve accomplished,” he said. Patil has come to Cheog to supervise a state-level ice skating competition that began immediately after the rink’s completion.

The rink offers a significant opportunity for local children to pursue ice skating, with a competitive edge due to their familiarity with the cold climate. Patil believes the local children have great potential in the sport. “With three to four months of practice on this rink, they could excel at the national level,” he added.

Despite being just a week old, the rink has already garnered interest from as far as Telangana, with a request to book it for their skaters. “It’s exciting to see interest from other states,” said Thakur. The local children and youth are equally thrilled about the opportunity to practice ice skating at their doorstep, with many optimistic about seeing local talent thrive in national competitions soon.