Fans dazzled by figure skating at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver will have a chance to see more of the sport when two Canadian championships are held in Victoria in January.
The B.C. capital will host the 2011 BMO Canadian Figure Skating Championships and the 2011 BMO Skate Canada Junior Nationals, Skate Canada said Wednesday.
More than 250 skaters are expected to compete in the two events, which will be held at the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre.
"British Columbia has been a very special place for Canadian skaters these past several years," William Thompson, Skate Canada's chief executive officer, said in a release. "We are delighted to bring these two events here and to continue such a wonderful tradition of Canadian skating in Victoria."
The junior nationals will be held Jan. 17-20. The Canadian championships will be Jan. 21-23.
Victoria previously hosted the Canadian championships in 1978 and 1988. Victoria was also the site of Skate Canada International in 1984, 1992 and 2006.
"Fans here will truly have the best of both worlds," said Thompson. "They will see some of the top skaters in the world, including our Olympic champions and world medallists compete.
"And, as we begin the next quadrennial in our spot, people will also see a preview of the talented skaters who will go on to represent Canada on the world stage and at the 2014 Olympic Winter Games."
Skaters at the competition will be vying for spots on the Skate Canada national team and the Canadian teams that will compete at the 2011 ISU world figure skating championships, the ISU Four Continents skating championships 2011 and the 2011 ISU world junior championships.
Tickets for the events will go on sale in mid-June.