As the winter ice season concludes, hockey players, curlers and figure skaters will be hanging up their gear and starting to thaw out.

The outdoor rink in Naseby had its last day on Saturday (August 23), and IceInline Alexandra closed to the public last weekend as well. Final games of ice hockey were played this week - including a visit from a Toronto-based women’s team.

The Leaside Wildcats made a mixed team for a social game with the Alexandra Flames.

Committee member Michelle Wallis said a lot of their young girls were aspiring to play for Leaside as part of an international exchange programme set up by Ice Hockey New Zealand in 2012.

The programme includes the billeting of international players seeking a training opportunity in Canada, playing regular season games in the Ontario Women’s Hockey League and possible team tournaments in the USA.

Michelle said many of the young Flames players were involved in representative teams and the recent ‘It’s In The Bag’ fundraiser made $13,000 to support players.

Meanwhile, the Alexandra Ice Skating Club still has several skaters involved in competitions in Dunedin and Queenstown over the next few weeks, and club president Jo Tickle qualified for the New Zealand Champs in October.

The ice plant would be turned off this Sunday, with the finale of the curling competition that night. Eight clubs have been involved, from as far away as Cardrona, Arrowtown and Cambrian.

IceInline chair Murray Miller said the $1.6M roof extended the season by three weeks at the beginning - opening in mid-April instead of early May.

But with warmer afternoons and school bookings now finished for the season, the committee couldn’t justify leaving the rink open any later.

The indoor curling rink in Alexandra would continue to take bookings until interest dwindled, he said.

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