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New designs revealed for figure skating event

Four designs, released Monday by Star USA, are the work of Zipline Communications. The images, inspired by photographs, will be used over the next 18 months as well as during the 2010 U.S. Figure Skating Championships. Courtesy of Zipline Communications (Courtesy of Zipline Communications / The Spokesman-Review)
Four designs, released Monday by Star USA, are the work of Zipline Communications. The images, inspired by photographs, will be used over the next 18 months as well as during the 2010 U.S. Figure Skating Championships. Courtesy of Zipline Communications (Courtesy of Zipline Communications / The Spokesman-Review)
By Paula Davenport paulad@spokesman.com

Spokane organizers of the 2010 U.S. Figure Skating Championships unveiled four new designs Monday and two major sponsors committed to helping promote the event.

The designs depict the disciplines of competitive ice skating – men’s, women’s, pairs and dance – and are rendered in red, white and blue.

Shawn Davis, creative director of Zipline Interactive, unveiled four posters of graceful skaters, all inspired by photographs and designed by his firm. The images will be seen on banners and other promotional materials leading up to and during the competition.

Event promoters Barb Beddor and Toby Steward, of Star USA, announced that major local sponsor River Park Square will be the site of FanFest, a free party spot through which skaters and fans will circulate. The downtown shopping center is owned by Cowles Co., publisher of The Spokesman-Review.

Meanwhile, Northern Quest Casino also has signed on as a sponsor, a role it played in 2007. Both corporate backers will sponsor respective days during the Jan. 14-24, 2010, competition.

The new logo, also by Zipline, weaves together drawings of Riverfront Park’s Clocktower, once part of the old Great Northern Railroad Depot, as well as the tent-like Pavilion, built for the 1974 World’s Fair.

In addition, wavy lines symbolizing the Spokane River take their place under an ice skate and names of the host city and the event.

Shane Maggart, a Spokane native and senior urban and regional planning major at Eastern Washington University, was among lunchtime visitors at River Park Square who stopped to listen to the announcements.

Having again landed the internationally popular skating event showcases the best of Spokane and boosts its standing, he said.

“It shows our Expo spirit,” he added. “I’m a fan of Spokane and I like to see Spokane do well.”