Text by AMIRA GAREWAL and MARALEIS SINTON Photos by MARALEIS SINTON
Twins on Ice SOPHOMORES REACH INTERNATIONAL ICE STAGE
TWINS ON ICE: Last year Heather (left) and Bella Davies (right) competed in nationals in Birmingham, Alabama. The two pose for a picture wearing the medals they won. “The [US Figure Skating Association] board chooses two teams that are really good to compete at Nations Cup with the rest of the country,” Bella said. “Our team was picked twice,” Heather said. The Davies Twins look forward to a succesful season for this year’s nationals where their team hopes to defend their title.
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NOVEMBER 2017
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S THE SUN STARTS TO rise in the early morning sky, we open the glass doors into the San Mateo Bridgepoint Ice Rink and a rush of cold air sweeps onto our faces. Skaters, dressed in jet black leotards, spin in graceful circles to the slow melody of “The Prayer” by Celine Dion. Beyond the rink walls, parents sit back, many wearing boots or slippers to stay warm. Bagels, fruits and muffins sit on a nearby table, waiting for the skaters to return from their morning class. A coach’s voice echoes through the building as his arms direct a team of skaters. Among them, two local students blend into the beautifully synchronized crowd. Twins and Palo Alto High School sophomores Bella and Heather Davies were just five years old when they first tied up their skates and ventured onto the ice. From birthday parties at Winter Lodge to a third place victory in the Nations’ Cup International Competition, the Davies twins have fallen in love with the sport. “Sometimes when you don’t land jumps, or it’s taking a long time, you feel like ‘I’m never going to land this, it’s impossible… maybe I should just quit,’” Heather says. “But then when you do land the jump, it’s worth it because it’s so satisfying,” While some consider ice skating to be a calm wintertime activity, competitive figure skating is far from relaxing. The sport demands year-long physical and mental perseverance. The Davies twins are part of a team that specializes in theater on ice, a subset of figure skating that utilizes sets, music and costumes to tell a story. “It’s a great division of skating because you really get to support each other,” says San Fransisco Ice Theater coach Louis Vachon. “Competing singles is quite challenging [because it has] triple jumps, so this [theater on ice] gives an outlet for skaters that can’t do all these hard jumps, but are loving skating and still want to do it.” Just like any other sport, the team has traditions that bring them together. “Before we get onto the ice, we always rub our coach’s bald head — he has a lucky head and every time we do that, we get on the podium,” Bella says. The misconception that ice skating is “not a real sport” frustrates the twins, and they hope that people will come to appreciate the stamina and technique it requires.