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.
A collection of local events for a global festival
In less than three weeks, beginners, amateurs and professionals of all ages and cultural backgrounds will put their skates on to celebrate and share together, at the same time and on the same day, their passion for Ice Skating. The impetus behind the World Ice Skating Day (WISD) lies in the ISU’s willingness to create a common concrete worldwide action for greater accessibility, inclusion and fairness within the world of Ice Skating. Long-term development is also core to this mission, as the ISU supports events in countries that are not known for winter sports by encouraging them to set up ice skating facilities and promote related sports among young generations.
“Creating a global festival, on a local level by bringing together different communities and levels of skating so as to share a memorable and fun experience for the entire family – This is the spirit of the World Ice Skating Day”, summarizes the ISU President, Jae Youl Kim.
Lausanne – the Olympic Capital – joins the movement
To inaugurate this first World Ice Skating Day, the ISU is delighted to host an event in its home city, Lausanne, which symbolizes the Olympics and the spirit of Sport. On this occasion, the ISU is collaborating with the Vaudoise Aréna, a multipurpose arena and sports centre, that will open its doors to the public to come and enjoy a wide range of free activities on Sunday December 4th, from 10:00 to 19:00. This initiative is also supported by the City of Lausanne.
Vaudoise Aréna building, Prilly, Lausanne. @ Vaudoise Aréna
The program will include the following highlights:
- Free public skating on the exterior rink
- Special shows in the interior rink by three local Ice-Skating clubs : Club des Patineurs Lausanne Malley, Lausanne Short Track and Lausanne Ice Genesis.
- Free initiation ice skating lessons supervised by the coaches and trainers of the three abovementioned Lausanne skating clubs.
- Special performance by the Swiss Olympian Figure Skater Alexia Paganini – and photo opportunities after the show.
- “Disco on Ice” where everyone is invited to show off their best moves on the ice to the beats of the DJ.
- Christmas animations and stands all around the Vaudoise Aréna (including a Christmas photo booth, face painting, activities proposed by the Ecole de Cirque). And who knows maybe Santa will also make an appearance as an early Christmas surprise!
Alexia Paganini (SUI) skating during the 2022 Winter Olympic Games in Beijing, China.@ Getty Images
The ISU President, Jae Youl Kim, who will join in the festivities in Lausanne, states: “I am excited for the World Ice Skating Day to take shape not only in Lausanne but also across all the participating countries. Over one day, we will all be reunited together on the ice to discover this beautiful sport, to learn, improve or simply have fun. I invite everyone to celebrate this day wherever they are in the world and to find a participating rink near them! ’’.
If you are an ice-skating lover and would like to take part to the WISD festival, you can look for an event in your city or country here.
Visit the WISD website for more information and stay tuned for updates on the WISD social media accounts.
About World Ice Skating Day
The World Ice Skating Day presented by the International Skating Union (ISU), is a one-day global festival dedicated to Ice Skating celebrated on the first Sunday of December. The key objectives are to make Ice Skating sports accessible to everyone in a fun and safe environment – for first-timers, amateurs, professionals or retired competitive skaters – by creating a memorable experience for the entire family. The concept of the World Ice Skating Day stemmed from the idea to popularize and share the spirit of Ice Skating worldwide through a celebration with a vision towards development, inclusion and fairness. For further information please visit World Ice Skating Day website.
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