The 2011 Sunshine Invitational hosted by the Mentor Figure Skating Club drew about 1,000 spectators, including 300 skaters who competed in 176 competitive events at the Mentor Civic Arena on Saturday and Sunday.

The 18th annual invitational is a sanctioned event by the United States Figure Skating Association. The skaters represented 45 clubs and Learn To Skate programs from Florida, Kentucky, Tennessee, Indianapolis, Illinois, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio.

“The figure skaters include very young children to adults who are judged on a variety of elements including technical abilities, skating skills and performance,” said Lisa Franz, co-chair of the Mentor Sunshine Invitational. “There are a variety of competition events that feature single and pair skaters, as well as solo dances and group ensembles.”

Sue Clemente and Erika Folk also served as committee co-chairs. Other committee members who helped organize the skating competition were: Deanna DiCola, Denise Scheeser, Catlin Gallagher, Athea Salomone, Dave Bennett and Susan Petit.

“The Mentor Figure Skating Club is also excited about hosting the Eastern Great Lakes Regional Figure Skating Championship from September 28 to Oct. 4 at Mentor Civic Arena,” Franz said. “We expect more than 500 skaters to compete in that event, which is the first qualifying event for the national figure skating championship.”