A high-level skater is a busy person between training on and off the ice, camps, competitions and other activities. A medical doctor, working in the emergency room of a hospital is a busy person, dealing with patients in sometimes extreme situations. How busy is someone, who is both?
Elite Figure Skaters perform in front of ten thousands of people in arenas and millions of TV viewers. They win medals, they bathe in applause, flowers and toys cover the ice, fans cheer for them, the media covers them. This is one side of the coin. The other side is not as shiny. There is a lot of pressure coming from the public, the national federations, the media, the athletes themselves. There are injuries and illnesses, failures and shattered confidence. There is hate pouring out of the ever-present internet. Russian Figure Skater Mikhail Kolyada has experienced it all – the good, the bad and the ugly sides of being an international top-level athlete.
Estonia might be a small country in Norther Europe with a population of just 1.3 million people, which is about half of the population of Paris, but it has a rich tradition in Figure Skating. Estonian skaters have competed internationally ever since the country gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.
2020 has been a very tough year as almost everybody has been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic in one or way or another, directly or indirectly. Athletes were unable to train and to compete and some contracted the virus. However, not everything connected to 2020 is negative and the Skaters are happy to share their #OneGoodThing – on the ice and off the ice.
As we come to the end of the year, the ISU President, Mr. Jan Dijkema, would like to address a message to all skating friends.
As the end of year approaches it is time to think of 2021. The ISU has produced an Official Wall Calendar that will help you plan your year, while keeping track of the day and the ISU schedule.
Tara Lipinski (USA) was only 14 years old when she struck gold at the ISU World Figure Skating Championships 1997 in Lausanne (SUI). She became the youngest Figure Skater to take the World title then as she was two months younger than the legendary Sonja Henie (NOR) who won her first World title in 1927 not long before her 15th birthday.
The ISU welcomes the annulment by the General Court judgment on 16 December 2020 (Case T-93/18) of the provisions of the European Commission of 8 December 2017 requiring the ISU to amend its Eligibility Rules with respect to the CAS arbitration system. The General Court has confirmed that the CAS arbitration system is fully consistent with EU law.
Watch the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Series Movies.
The ISU Council met on Thursday December 10, 2021. Among other decisions that will be published in due course in an ISU Communication Decisions of the Council, the Council decided to cancel certain ISU Events in view of the worsening worldwide Covid-19 pandemic situation and the consequent increasing risks for organizers and participants.
The ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating NHK Trophy in Osaka (JPN) was the last of the four remaining ISU Grand Prix series events in the 2020/21 season and turned out to be an exciting event.
The ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating NHK Trophy took place in Osaka (JPN) this weekend. Check out a selection of the best pictures.
Reigning ISU World Junior silver medalist Yuma Kagiyama of Japan smashed the competition to win by nearly 50 points at the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating NHK Trophy in Osaka (JPN) on Saturday. Japan’s Kazuki Tomono claimed the silver medal and Lucas Tsuyoshi Honda of Japan captured the bronze.
Japanese Champions Misato Komatsubara/Tim Koleto dominated the Ice Dance competition at the ISU Grand Prix NHK Trophy in Osaka (JPN) on Saturday, claiming gold a mammoth 22 points ahead of silver medalists Rikako Fukase/Eichu Cho of Japan. Japan’s new team of Kana Muramoto/Daisuke Takahashi settled for third place on their competition debut.