Synthetic Ice Rink
Recently, I was invited to check out Singapore’s 1st Synthetic Ice Skating Rink.
I have tried Rollerblading before, so I thought to myself – This will be interesting!…And I signed up for the event!
Frankly, I have never heard of the term Synthetic Ice, and I thought that I would go well prepared for the event.
These days, after my Korea trip, when I think of ICE, I think of…
Winter Jackets and gloves…as it will be really cold!
So on that day, when I made my way to the Stamford American International School, I brought along my jacket, as I was prepared for a COLD WET EXPERIENCE.
Well, I was very surprised when I finally saw the Synthetic Ice. It was NOT COLD and NOT WET at all.
In fact, the ice skating rink was OUTDOOR, and the kids were playing in the rink with their SHORTS!
So, there wasn’t a need for any gloves or jackets at all!
To my surprise, there was no cold mist from the surface, and when I touched the surface, it felt just like smooth plastic!
Made of high-tech polymeric compounds which closely mimic the performance of real ice, synthetic ice is especially suitable for Singapore’s tropical climate as it does not require a climate-controlled environment and is significantly easier and cheaper to maintain compared to real ice surfaces. Definitely REVOLUTIONARY!
Well, to truly bring out this post and to maximize my visit…
I TRIED OUT THE ICE FOR MYSELF!
This is a daunting task, as I have never been on the ICE before. After volunteering to go, I was getting a little bit nervous, as I realized that nobody else was trying out the synthetic ice! There were only experienced skaters on the Ice!!!
Was I going to be the only person falling?!?
The Verdict
Well, the good thing was that I had Leonny (A fellow Parenting blogger) with me.
Although I was expecting to fall, I managed to prevent myself from hitting the floor, or injuring any innocent passerby! 🙂 The surface is not really that slippery, and you can stand on it, as if you were rollerblading.
Starting off is therefore harder, as you require more momentum, but once in motion, it feels like the real thing!
The kids in the school seemed to loved it, and they could not wait to get onto the ice!
If you are planning to bring your kids, I am sure that they can pick up the sport quite easily as well!
How good is the surface?
The Amazing Thing about Synthetic ice, is that it works so well, that the Singapore Ice Hockey Association is using it for their Ice Hockey practise.
In fact, the Singapore Ice Hockey Team has been training on a concrete hockey court, since the closure of Fuji Ice Palace at Jurong East Entertainment Centre.
With the 2011 Asian Winter Games in Kazakhstan fast approaching, the all-Singaporean national ice hockey team will be training on the SAIS rink thrice-weekly as they prepare to represent Singapore in the sport for the very first time.
Here’s a photo of me & Leonny with the players from the Singapore Ice Hockey Team.
Good New for all Readers
To encourage the growth of Ice Hockey in Singapore and to expose more Singaporean’s to Ice Skating, here is some EXCITING NEWS:
The Stamford American International School is extending an invitation to the public to try out the rink over the next 2 weekends:
Date: 13, 14, 20, 21 February 2010
Time: 2:00- 2:30 pm
2:30 – 3:00 pm
3:00 – 3:30 pm
3:30 – 4:00 pm
Fee: $10/half hour slot (inclusive of skate rental) Venue: Stamford American International School
Address: 11 Lorong Chuan Sing 55682
Interested members of the public can pre-register online via SAIS’ website, www.sais.com.sg.
Please contact SAIS with any questions at +65 6602 7247 or email: reception@sais.com.sg.
Confirmation is based on a first-come-first-served basis.
*Skaters need to CALL AHEAD to confirm a booking and they have to bring their own socks. They are also advised to bring gloves for safety reasons.