Indholdsfortegnelse for August 2022 i International Figure Skating

It has been an interesting couple of months since the final competition of the 2021-2022 season concluded. One of the most important events that took place was the International Skating Union (ISU) Congress in early June. Many proposals were voted on by ISU delegates, but perhaps the most important one was raising the age limit for senior skaters from 15 to 16 in the 2023-2024 season and 17 in 2024-2025. Former Canadian pairs skater Eric Radford, the Athletes Commission representative, presented two strong arguments in favor of the change. He also requested that no secret vote be held so that “every nation can take responsibility for how they vote, regardless of the outcome.” The proposal was subsequently accepted by an overwhelming majority (100-16). We do not know which nations voted…

When the International Skating Union (ISU) first decided to combine its television and online broadcasts, the problem of finding a commentator with an in-depth knowledge of the sport, who could call competitions in a fair and reasonable manner without any bias, proved to be a challenge. None of the people initially hired by the ISU met with positive reviews by the skating fraternity, but in March 2021, when Mark Hanretty made his debut as the commentator for the World Championships in Stockholm, he became an instant hit with fans. Born in the small town of Erskine, Scotland, Hanretty began skating in 1995 as a 10-year-old after watching Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean compete at the 1994 Olympic Winter Games in Lillehammer, Norway. “I pestered my parents endlessly to enroll me…

Since winning the Olympic title, life has been a whirlwind for Nathan Chen. In early May, he was forced to miss a reception at the White House, which honored the U.S. Olympic athletes from the 2020 Summer Games and the 2022 Winter Games, after testing positive for COVID-19. Two weeks later, the Governor of Utah — Chen’s home state — declared May 18 “Nathan Chen Day.” The newly-crowned Olympic champion was honored in a ceremony held at the Salt Lake City Capitol Chamber where he was presented with the Governor’s State of Sport Award. Days later, Chen learned he had been named one of Time magazine’s Top 100 Most Influential People of 2022. In a message posted on Instagram, Chen thanked “those who paved the way so that I could…

The 58th Ordinary Congress of the International Skating Union (ISU) took place June 6-10 in Phuket, Thailand, with 258 delegates from ISU member nations in attendance. In an April 25 communique, the ISU Council acknowledged the recommendation from more than 20 member nations to ban delegates of Russia and Belarus from attending Congress and any other official ISU meetings, and that candidates from those two nations not be permitted to stand for election for any position at Congress. As no provision is contained in the ISU Statutes or in Swiss Law — where the ISU is based — it was initially planned to hold a vote on this matter at Congress. However, the day before Congress opened, the ISU was advised that should the delegates be denied the opportunity to…

When Jason Brown embarked on a four-year campaign back in 2018, he felt prepared to deal with the many challenges he knew he would encounter along the way, and while there were many unexpected twists and turns he had to navigate during this journey, the end result could not have been more fulfilling. After not competing on an international stage for 15 long months, Jason Brown was excited and relieved that figure skating was finally back on track for the 2021-2022 season. He opened his Olympic campaign with a victory in his debut appearance at Finlandia Trophy in early October. Brown followed that up with a second-place finish at his first Grand Prix event in Canada, and captured bronze at the second in France. Those results marked the first time…

Ice Theatre of New York (ITNY) returned to indoor performances with fervor and force following a two and a half year hiatus, by honoring legendary ice dancers Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean at its 35th anniversary Benefit Gala at New York’s Chelsea Piers on May 9. The annual gala celebrates the lives and careers of notable members of the skating community. “It is a great honor for us to recognize those who are accomplished within our ice dance world and have stayed connected to the field beyond their own performances,” said Moira North, ITNY founder and artistic director. “Those who have given back to our ‘icy’ world and have been a role model for others to follow. “ITNY is delighted to honor Jayne and Chris as its first ice dance…

GRAND PRIX UPDATES In late April, the International Skating Union (ISU) announced that skaters and officials from Russia and Belarus will not be permitted to officiate or compete at any ISU events next season. In line with the request from the International Olympic Committee in March to relocate all major events out of Russia due to its invasion of Ukraine, the ISU has cancelled the Grand Prix Rostelecom Cup. It will be replaced by a Grand Prix event in another country. The Chinese Skating Association advised the ISU In mid-May that it would not be able to host Cup of China this year. No reasons were made public, but the country is dealing with serious outbreaks of COVID-19 and some of its biggest cities are in extended lockdowns. The ISU…

His career has been one of highs and lows, but the five-time Italian ice dance champion is now in his groove and he could not be happier. Adecade has passed since Massimo Scali and his former ice dance partner Federica Faiella took their final bows, after which both went in different directions: Faiella became a full-time member of the Italian police force, married and had a child, while Scali turned to coaching and choreography. A few months after teaming up in 2001, Faiella and Scali surprised everyone when they danced into second place at Nebelhorn Trophy and qualified for the 2002 Olympic Winter Games. The duo finished in 18th place in Salt Lake City. The next four seasons saw them slowly climb the international ice dance ranks, and shortly after…

Kiira Korpi’s book “Surviving the Ruthless World of Championship Figure Skating” is now available in English. Korpi’s “fight until you make it” approach brought her success and fame but behind the scenes she quietly suffered with performance anxiety. Mental and physical burnout forced her to retire in 2015. Korpi’s candid memoir recounts the making and eventual undoing of a champion and reveals a darker side to the “ice princess” image of women’s figure skating. “The intention of this book is to serve the global skating community and those who work hard to create positive and ethical coaching methods,” said Korpi. The book is available on Amazon in print and eBook formats, with the paperback version retailing for US$29.95.…