ISU

For the launch of the first-ever World Ice Skating Day (WISD) on December 4th 2022, the International Skating Union (ISU) is proud to count among its partners the charity organization Inclusive Skating, dedicated to providing skaters with any form of disability or impairment an equitable participation in ice skating sports. This collaboration naturally came to life, as Inclusive Skating’s mission perfectly aligns with the World Ice Skating Day initiative: a global annual festival opening up the world of Ice Skating to everyone regardless of any social, economic, cultural or physical considerations.  

The last spots for the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final in Torino (December 8-11, 2022) are on the line as ISU World silver medallist Loena Hendrickx (BEL), rising star, and Skate America Champion Ilia Malinin (USA) as well as ISU World medalists Piper Gilles/Paul Poirier (CAN) will compete at the sixth and last ISU Grand Prix event in Espoo, Finland, this week.

The ISU is delighted to launch our Recast Channel, joining a rapidly growing list of rights holders on the pioneering Over-The-Top (OTT) sports platform, enabling fans to watch content.

On December 4, the ISU will be celebrating Ice Skating sports all around the world by launching the first edition of the World Ice Skating Day. To date, more than 30 countries on all continents will take part in this initiative and will organize a variety of events hand in hand with local skating clubs, rinks and national skating federations. Lausanne (SUI), the Olympic Capital and home of international sports organizations, will join this Ice Skating festival by hosting a special event at the Vaudoise Aréna rink with Alexia Paganini (SUI) – the Swiss national Figure Skating champion – as guest-star.

Irene Schouten(NED) bounced back with a track record in Heerenveen, after a surprise loss in the 3000m in Stavanger (NOR) last week. “You learn from your mistakes and thanks to last week’s mistakes, I skated a track record today,” she said. Earlier on Sunday, Min Sun Kim (KOR) took back-to-back gold in the 500m, edging out Vanessa Herzog (AUT) and Jutta Leerdam (NED) on the final day of the ISU World Cup in Thialf.

Pacing is the name of the game in the 1500m and Connor Howe (CAN) executed it to perfection in Thialf on Sunday. The 22-year-old Canadian took his first World Cup victory in 1 minute and 43.38s, beating Olympic champion Kjeld Nuis (NED) by 0.26s. In the final event of this season’s second ISU World Cup, Ning Zhongyan took China by the hand to edge out the Netherlands by 0.27s for gold in the Team Sprint.

The Dutch women gave the home crowd something to cheer for at Thialf stadium on Saturday. Antoinette Rijpma-de Jong (NED) surprised Miho Takagi (JPN) in the 1500m, while Marrit Fledderus, Michelle de Jong and Femke Kok (NED) left Canada and the United States behind in the Team Sprint to conclude the second day of the ISU World Cup in Heerenveen. 

Challenged by three Norwegian youngsters, Patrick Roest (NED) dug deep and found his best self in the 5000m at the ISU World Cup in Heerenveen on Saturday. The Olympic silver medalist shaved almost a second off his own 2021 track record, finishing in 6 minutes and 4.36s. Sander Eitrem and Hallgeir Engebråten (NOR) came second and third, while their compatriot Sigurd Henriksen set a new junior world record in 6:17.67. Earlier on Saturday, Laurent Dubreuil (CAN) took revenge for a failed 1000m on Friday, winning the 500m in a convincing time of 34.34s.   

ISU World Champion Shoma Uno of Japan fought back in the Free Skating to score a runaway victory at the Grand Prix NHK Trophy. Teammate Sota Yamamoto collected the silver medal while Korea’s Junhwan Cha rose from sixth to earn the bronze.

Canada’s Laurence Fournier Beaudry/Nikolaj Soerensen clinched their first ISU Grand Prix gold medal in Sapporo on Saturday, beating favorites and three-time ISU World medalists Madison Chock/Evan Bates (USA) at the NHK Trophy.

Yelim Kim skated to women’s gold in Sapporo, winning the first ISU Grand Prix title for Korea in 13 years. Japan’s reigning ISU World Champion Kaori Sakamoto had to settle for the silver medal while her teammate Rion Sumiyoshi claimed bronze.

2022 ISU World silver medalists Riku Miura/Ryuichi Kihara of Japan cruised to the second ISU Grand Prix gold medal of their careers in style with a strong performance on home ice in Sapporo on Saturday.

A new generation is shaking up international men’s speed skating. Last week’s sensation Jordan Stolz (USA) crashed in the 1000m on the first day of the second ISU World Cup in Heerenveen. But with silver medalist Joep Wennemars (NED) and bronze medalist Marten Liiv (EST) there were two new faces on the World Cup podium behind golden Ning Zhongyan (CHN) in the 1000m. In the Mass Start, Dutch youngster Bart Hoolwerf took his career second World Cup win. 

A crash in training and a bent skate could not stop Jutta Leerdam (NED) taking 1000m gold at the second ISU World Cup leg in Heerenveen on Friday. The Dutch Olympic silver medalist beat Beijing 2022 champion Miho Takagi (JPN) for the second week in a row. In the Mass Start Irene Schouten (NED) bounced back after last week’s bronze with gold after an impressive solo escape. 

Sota Yamamoto shone on home ice in the Men’s Short Program to come out on top as the first day of competition at the ISU Grand Prix NHK Trophy came to a close in Sapporo. He surpassed his teammate and ISU World Champion, Shoma Uno, and France’s Adam Siao Him Fa in a competition of many mistakes.