Octoberfest competition starts today at Allandale Recreation Centre

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Event draws globally
By Marg. Bruineman – Barrie Examiner

More than 600 figure skaters are about to descend upon Barrie for four days of competitions.

The annual Octoberfest competition, presented by the Barrie Skating Club and Mariposa School of Skating, runs Thursday until Sunday at Barrie's Allandale Recreation Centre.

"This is an event for competitive skaters to present this year's program to a panel of national and international judges," said organizer Lesley Buttle. "It's immediate feedback to the skaters."

Skaters from across Canada and even other countries use the event as a warm-up for the competitive season. The new scoring system requires judges to present a sort of report card to the skaters, explaining how the marks were determined.

The event also serves as a fundraiser for the local clubs.

"The money that we raise goes back to offsetting the cost of ice expenses," Buttle said. "In the last couple of years, we've raised in excess of $40,000. That's a lot of chocolate bars."