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INUVIK - The Lions' Club will play host to a fundraiser this Saturday night in their newly-renovated den.

The annual event allows participants to perform in front of the rest of the club.

Members of the Inuvik Figure Skating Club were excited to take part in their in-house competition this past weekend. Pictured here are, back row from left, Lovelle Simon, Tessa Kendi, Paisley Van Vliet, Sarah Seward, Sumaiyah Shaha, Annika Krizan, Nicole Ellsworth, front, Jacinta Stringer and Rachel Watters. - Dez Loreen/NNSL photo

Kristin Wenghofer, club president, said it is also a warm-up for the skaters, who will travel to Yellowknife this weekend for the territorial championship.

"It's a good practice for the skaters to show their routine," she said.

This is the third time Inuvik has held the pre-territorial competition which allows all the club's skaters a chance to experience competition.

Only a few skaters are chosen to travel to territorials when they are held outside of Inuvik.

"This is our way to ensure that every kid gets a chance to take part in friendly competition," said Wenghofer.

She said the day ends with a banquet to honour all the participants and volunteers that make the club a success.

"We hand out awards for the members of the club," she said.

Wenghofer said the first activity during the all-day competition was the free skate, which is a routine to music.

"The routine is two or three minutes long and each skater has certain elements they need to incorporate in that time," she said.

Once the free skate was done, the judges had the skaters perform in the elements competition.

Wenghofer said the elements portion of the day was when the skater must perform as the judges call out.

"There's the waltz jump, for example," she said.

One of the most anticipated events was the creative competition.

"The skater is given music and comes up with their own routine for that piece," she said.

The day ended with the CanSkate program - the youngest skaters in the program - competing in the elements and creative competitions.

There are 50 active skaters in the club. Wenghofer estimated that there were 30 participants in the event that day, not counting the CanSkate program.

"I think events like this promote team spirit for the kids," she said.

"If you're not one of the kids who travels for the territorial meet, it doesn't seem as much fun."

The event is also good practice for the board members of the club.

Next year, territorials will be hosted by Inuvik.