UCLA Figure Skating had a great competition this past weekend, finishing in 1^st place by 13 points and qualifying for nationals.

The Bruins had 13 skaters compete across two days, with many of the team competing in 3 or more events.

The first day started out strong, with the Bruins sweeping the podium in Preliminary Ladies. Cecilia Li skated with great energy to place first, while 2^nd year Renee Xue landed some beautiful jumps to place 2^nd, and freshman Noelle Cho dazzled her way to 3^rd.

This was followed up with several more medals on Saturday, meaning that the Bruins had the lead going into the final day of competition.
 

Sunday started out strong again with the Bruins earning 3 medals in Preliminary dance, with President Ally Overy placing 1^st, Sydney Kusumoputro placing 2^nd, and Renee Xue placing 3^rd.  The Bruins managed to continue their winning streak throughout the day, although the points remained close between the top three schools.

Going into the final events, team maneuver, UCLA had a sizable lead, but that didn't stop the skaters from bringing their all. Low Team skated with some beautifully fast spins and elegant steps to place 3^rd out of 7 teams. Intermediate Team had some great jumps and a lovely straight line step sequence to win gold. High Team also brought out all the stops, fighting through some tough competition to place second.

All the skaters did really well, and their hard work paid off this weekend. Special mentions should go to senior, Ai Ohno, and sophomore Elena Pulkinen. Ai Ohno won gold in all three of her events, at her final qualifying competition. She skated with beauty and determination, helping the team earn a massive 15 points.

Elena Pulkinen also worked hard over the weekend, showcasing her beautiful skating and landing an amazing 5 double axels over the course of the competition.  

Treasurer Julia Feng was proud of how the team did, saying, "Denver can be a really tough competition, because of the altitude, but everyone fought through and put out their best performances." She is also looking ahead to nationals, "I think we have a strong team going forward, and we're all really excited to compete!"

This puts UCLA Figure Skating in a great position going into nationals, as they have never won the Pacific Coast Section before. Look out for them competing in Ohio, April 1^st-2^nd!