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MARQUETTE -- This weekend was the Ron Carlson Marquette International Open at the Lakeview Arena in Marquette.

For the past 44 years boys and girls ages three to nineteen ice skate and compete to qualify for the national solo dance series and the state high school figure skating series.

Skaters also participated in free skate events where a figure skating routine is choreographed to music.

Coaches and skaters both agree that when it comes to figure skating, it takes a lot of practice and determination.

"It's hard. You know, you get there and it's almost like you're pushing yourself and when you're doing these jumps and stuff, you know, your coach is telling you what you're doing wrong but you're the one who's fixing it so it's really self-directed," said Nora Gaffney, figure skater.

This year 128 skaters were in the competition.