Ice skating at the beach is like gorgonzola ice cream, a grinning Mike Gillis or facial hair on Sidney Crosby. Rare, improbable, and in the case of pungent, frozen blue cheese, utterly incongruous with summer.
But each has been known to happen. This weekend at Kitsilano Beach Park next to the sand and surf, youll find ice skates, hockey sticks and a three-on-three tournament on a temporary, undersized rink.
What you wont find is ice. Instead, the glossy surface is high-density polyurethane coated with a lubricant with similar properties to silicone. The non-toxic surface is slippery and skaters will glide over the surfaceand sweat profusely while wearing their full hockey kit under the August sun.
It is remarkable similar to ice, said Tim Cowley, a manager with Molson. The Canadian brewery has landmark facility in Kitsilano near the Burrard Bridge is a flagship partner of Kits Fest, the popular sport tournament and wellness festival held this weekend at Kitsilano Beach Park.
Molson has a long history with hockey in Canada and this is a unique way to allow rec hockey teams to play ice hockey in the middle of summer on one of Canada's most famous beaches, said Cowley.
The synthetic ice and 1,500-square-foot rink is costly to purchase at roughly $15 per square foot, a price tag that includes clear boards, skate sharpener and other hardware. This isnt the first time Molson is renting the specialized pseudo-sports arena from Skate-Rite, a company based in the Lower Mainland. The synthetic ice was seen at Molson Hockey House during the 2010 Winter Olympics.
When the blades of a skate meet ice, the friction generates heats and melts the surface to create a thin layer of water. The polyurethane surface seeks to recreate this effect and sensation by mimicking the heat and friction.
The rink will be open for public skate between games on the weekend. Rental skates and helmets are available on site.
Cowley said skaters will find it similar to ice but goalies will note the difference.
The gliding is not as easy and goalies will find it challenging to go side to side because [high-density polyurethane] doesn't shave off like the real stuff, he said. But given the sandy backdrop, August sunshine and bikini-clad spectators who will be hanging off the boards, less than perfect ice conditions are relative.
It's all a small price to pay for playing hockey outdoors in August at Kits Beach, said Cowley.
In addition to a mens hockey tournament, Kits Fest holds mens and womens volleyball, basketball, tennis and beach tennis competitions. The Canada One Foundation, led by influential organizer Howard Kelsey, are behind Kitsfest. Improvements to the parks facilities, including the tennis and basketball courts are among their priorities. Last year, Canada One donated approximately $50,000 to resurface the public basketball court.
Kitsfest runs Aug 12 to 14 from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. For more details, visit kitsfest.com.
Twitter: @MHStewart
