THE SEARCH for the next Michael Martinez kicks into high gear as the Philippine National Figure Skating Championships fires off today at the international skating rink of the SM Mall of Asia.

A two-day event, mounted by the SM Group and the Philippine Skating Union (PSU), the competition is designed to come up with a pool of skaters positioned to represent the country in upcoming international skating competitions.

Earlier this year, 18-year-old Martinez made history as the first Southeast Asian figure skater to enter the Winter Olympics.

Organizers of the national figure skating championship are hoping to find another gem of a talent like Martinez while at the same time continue to provide a platform for aspiring skaters to showcase their talents.

“Michael Martinez was a big boost for our skaters. People got more interested in figure skating because of what he did,” Manuel Veguillas, PSU president, said during the press conference for the event yesterday.

He pointed, however, that with or without Martinez’s achievements the nationals is very much committed to its thrust of developing athletes specializing in the winter-based sport.

The national championship this year has 30 competitors, who will see action in various categories, namely Senior, Junior, Basic Junior, Novice, Juvenile and Pre-Juvenile.

The first day of the event serves as a pre-final round for skaters wherein all are required to perform interpretative routines or short programs.

The second day of competition will showcase the skaters’ free-skating program.

Each skaters’ routines will be observed keenly by judges from the International Skating Union.

One of the competitors, Jules Vince Alpe, 16, said he is very excited for this year’s nationals. “I’m very excited because we get to showcase our talents in figure skating,” Alpe, who incidentally is the lone male competitor this year, told BusinessWorld in an interview on the sidelines of the press conference.

While he said it is going to be tough being the lone male, he nonetheless is confident of his chances.

Alpe also added that he looks up to Martinez for what he has accomplished and hopes to someday duplicate, if not exceed, it in the future.

The Philippine National Figure Skating Championships is from Nov. 26-27. Tournaments begin at 9 a.m. till 4 p.m. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo