Skating their way to San Jose

An unlikely pair of local figure skaters from the St. Croix Valley has qualified for the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in a nontraditional way.

Peter Biver and Rita Fehr passed an intense on-ice technical examination to earn their way into the nation's most prestigious figure skating event to be held later this month in San Jose, Calif.

That's a rare feat, since most skaters who qualify for the championships have won medals or claimed high finishes in sectional or regional competitions. Some have even skated in the Olympics or World Championships.

It's also rare that a pairs figure skating team from Minnesota has qualified for the event. That has not happened since Cheryl Marker and Todd Price accomplished the feat from 1991 to 1997, said Lexie Kastner, president of the St. Paul Figure Skating Club.

"I'm really excited to bring a pairs team from the Upper Midwest," said Biver, of Stillwater. "This area is not known for pairs skating, so I'm happy to represent this area. I hope we will have a bright future for pairs skating in Minnesota."

Biver, 35, and Fehr, 15, will compete against 12 other teams in the senior pairs division Jan. 22-29 at HP Pavilion. They will be judged on choreography, execution, interpretation and skating, skills they've been practicing six hours a day, six days a week.

The pair faces long odds of winning, mostly because the duo only started skating together in the past year, and they are the only pair who are not part of a U.S. team. Their resume includes a few ice shows, but little in the way of significant competition. Still, they were technically sound enough to impress three judges who scrutinized their every move in an Aug. 11 examination in which they had to complete 12 required elements -- footwork, side-by-side jumps and throws, edge work and other skating skills -- with little margin for error.

That performance has Biver and Fehr optimistic that they will hold their own against the best of the best when they skate at the event, which has crowned winners in ladies', men's, pairs and ice dancing in junior, senior and novice levels since 1914.

"Peter and Rita have worked very hard to prepare for nationals," Kastner said.

Biver has a long skating history. He's participated in USA Figure Skating regional and sectional competitions and has skated with the touring show "Holiday on Ice." He also has coached several skaters, including Fehr. Over the past five years, he has guided through her singles certifications.

"I could see she had the potential for pair skating," Biver said.

There are currently 16 figure skating clubs in the Twin Cities, according to the Twin Cities Figure Skating Association.

Another reason might be the cost. Biver and Fehr are on their own to pay for transportation, lodging, equipment, costumes, photography, music and video. Supporters have set up a "Rita and Peter 2012 Nationals" fund to help defray expenses. Donations can be made at any TCF Bank.

"This is going to be a big experience, and we are going to go there and enjoy the whole experience," Biver said. "We want to test ourselves on the highest level we can in the country and do our elements like we've done in practice. We are not focused on results. We are focused on what we can control. You need a crystal ball to know what will happen."