International ice-skaters get warm Dunedin welcome

Jessica Zhao receives a warm welcome from the Kings High School-Queens High School kapa haka group, Tane Pupuke, at the opening of the Winter Games ice-skating competition yesterday.

Games organisers said it was the first official international skating competition to be held in New Zealand and it was officially opened by Dunedin Mayor Peter Chin at the Dunedin Ice Stadium.

The competition has attracted 39 competitors from Korea, Japan, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand.

The short programme, in which skaters displayed their technical prowess, was largely completed yesterday.

The free skating section takes place today and tomorrow.