Fugate twins headed toward Italy for international ice-dancing competition

Warren and Clara Fugate. Photo courtesy of Michelle Fugate.

by Marsha Chartrand

Warren Fugate and his twin sister, Clara, have plenty to be excited about as they look ahead in 2025.

The pair has been skating together since they were three. They’re now 16 and competing in ice dancing. A lot of hard work, long hours, broken bones, and challenging training sessions has brought them to this point in their careers. And yet they persevere to reach their goal of taking skating as far as they can in the future — even the Olympics. “We are working on that every day,” Warren said of the rigorous training they receive at Canton’s Arctic Edge Ice Arena, where they train five days a week for three hours each day. Their team of coaches includes Charlie White, Tanith White, Greg Zerlein, and Brooke O’Keefe.

And they are well on their way to that Olympic goal they have. Currently ranked fourth nationally as they head to Wichita, Kansas, this week for national competition, they have been named to Team USA by U.S. Figure Skating, which will qualify them for Egna, Italy, as their next “assignment.” They proudly sport their Team USA gear, as it is “such a great honor, and a really good surprise,” Clara said. It may be a novice-level assignment, but they see this as a huge opportunity to compete on a larger scale, see how they stack up, and discover what they need to work on for the next season.

The ice dancing season runs from June to February, but there’s really no off season for Warren and Clara. After improving their scores throughout the recent season, they are preparing off the ice with workouts, strength training, ballet, and other pursuits. They are also starting to mentor younger skaters, which they see as an important part of their training, and they’re excited to see what the next chapter holds for them.

“They’re amazing, actually,” Michelle said of her youngest children (of 11). “They get up as early as 3am to get in some ice time. They work so hard on the ice, and they are homeschooled and also do chores on our family farm when they come home.

“We now want to get some sponsorships and exposure for them to help us be able to afford this trip to Italy.”

“Skating is our life at the moment,” Clara said unequivocally. “And not just our lives, our whole family’s life.”

Good luck to Clara and Warren in the coming weeks as they pursue their dreams!

Warren and Clara performing on the ice in Plano, Texas, in November 2024. Photo courtesy of Michelle Fugate.

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by Marsha Chartrand

Marsha Johnson Chartrand, a founder, writer, and copy editor with the Manchester Mirror, is a 50-year resident of Manchester. She has a long history of volunteer and community involvement.