Wagon Wheel Continued

On Jan. 30, most of the once grand resort burned to the ground in the third suspicious fire on the site in six years. On Feb. 13, a fourth fire claimed what was left of the 60-year-old structure.

“It was like Brigadoon,” said Ervin, referring to the mythical Scottish village. “It was there and then it was gone.”

For Ervin, who has watched Olympic medalist skater Janet Lynn perform there in her youth, all that was left was memories.

“During the ‘60s and ‘70s, there was no place like the Wagon Wheel,” Ervin said. “It was the training center for figure skating in this country.”

The resort closed in 1989, and the U.S. established its official Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo., but there has been a vacuum for Midwest figure skating aficionados since the Wagon Wheel’s passing. Ervin, the publicity director of the Greater Milwaukee Figure Skating Club, thinks he knows how to fill that void.

The club will play host to the 27th annual W.I.M. (Wisconsin, Illinois and Minnesota) Figure Skating Competition at the Wilson Park Recreation Center this weekend. Ervin estimates 500 young skaters between the ages of 6 and mid-teens will participate in the four-

day event which begins Thursday.

The non-qualifying event, one of the largest in the nation, has grown far beyond the borders of the original three states. Ervin says he expects representatives from at least 13 states this year.

“When the event began, Minnesota had plenty of figure skating facilities and, of course,

Illinois had the Wagon Wheel,” Ervin said. “Wisconsin always had great hockey and speed-skating but it was behind in figure skating.”

Ervin thinks Wisconsin has closed the gap in recent years, however. He cites such promising young skaters as Elena Garnica of Oak Creek, Leah Holmes of Mequon, Colleen Schwab of Greenfield, Amanda Alioto of Hartland, and Matt Farina of Waukesha as proof.

The W.I.M. event, which has been held each of its previous years at Wilson Park, has always been a proving ground for some of the most promising young skaters in the nation. Ervin points out that the event features such prominent alumni as Nicole Bobek, Jill Trenary Dean, Kelly Szmurlo Rainey, Nancy Pluta and Peggy Schlater Kormylo.

Wagon Wheel skaters amassed two championships, three seconds, a third and two fourths in winning their first Memorial Trophy, which goes to the club compiling the most points. In the process, five skaters qualified for next month’s national championships in Tulsa, Okla.

“I never thought we could do it,” Miss Kohout smiled as she watched senior ladies runnerup Susanne Susic of Rockton finish smooth free skating performance Saturday night.

“I really didn’t think about getting everybody to nationals and the team trophy didn’t even enter my mind,” she continued. “I just wanted everybody to do their best.”

“This has been a great week for us, I’m very proud.”

The Wagon Wheel, led by Roger, Nancy and Leslie Glenn, scored 74 points, 13 more than runnerup Broadmoor Skating Club of Colorado Springs.

The Glenns were responsible for exactly half of the 74 points, with Roger and Nancy contributing twice. Roger actually clinched the team championship when he won the junior men’s crown Saturday night.

Nancy won the novice ladies championship Friday night and she teamed with Roger to finish second in junior pairs. Leslie added four points to the Wagon Wheel total with

a fourth place finish in intermediate ladies.

Roger and Nancy will be making their first trip to nationals in singles competition but will be making a repeat appearance in junior pairs.

In addition to Roger and Nancy, Miss Susic, Chris Kales and Kathy Malmberg earned trips to nationals. Janet Lynn, the reigning United States Ladies champion, also is entered in nationals, giving the Wagon Wheel six competitors in seven events.

Kales wound up second among novice men Saturday afternoon and Miss Malmberg took third in junior ladies Friday night. Sven Krevald got the other Wagon Wheel points with a fourth place in intermediate men Saturday morning.

Miss Kouhout said the Wagon Wheel skaters will probably take this week off from practice before resuming next Monday.

Former Wagon Wheel skaters also did well in the Midwestern championships. Cindy Watson won senior ladies, Diane Goldstein took second in junior ladies and David Santee won novice men. Former Wagon Wheel skaters Barb Hoyoss and Jodie Lee Maier finished fifth in novice ladies and seventh in intermediate ladies, respectively.