The second edition of the World Ice Skating day is sarting on December 3rd 2023, with Main Event in Lake Placid, United States. © International Skating Union
On December 3, 2023, the International Skating Union (ISU) will celebrate Ice Skating sports all around the world by launching the second edition of the World Ice Skating Day (WISD). To date, 50 countries on all continents have confirmed their participation in this initiative and will organize a variety of events hand in hand with local skating clubs, rinks and national skating federations in a spirit of inclusion and joy.
Global overview of WISD Events: What’s in store?
So far, 50 countries have registered to celebrate the World Ice Skating Day globally. Every local event will be featuring a range of free activities accessible to all ages and skating levels with the common goal to make ice a safe, fun and inclusive space. The World Ice Skating Day is also a unique opportunity to be initiated to Figure Skating, Speed Skating and Short Track Speed Skating all at the same time through special performances by professional athletes and coaching sessions offered to the public.
Hereafter is a brief overview of the main participating countries and events planned (for more details browse through the WISD Event locator here):
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Poland: A WISD event is organized by the Polish Figure Skating Association in the city of Lodz (more information here).
The 2022 World Ice Skating Day event in Lodz, Poland. @ Polish Figure Skating Association
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Switzerland: An WISD event is organized by the Vaudoise Aréna located in the Olympic capital Lausanne (more information here) with the special presence of the WISD Icon Michaela Carrot, who will be performing the #WISDance on ice with kids and skaters. Another WISD event is organized by the local ice skating club “Eisklub Luzern” in the city of Lucerne (more information here).
The 2022 first World Ice Skating Day edition with Main Event taking place in Lausanne, Switzerland. @ Vaudoise Aréna
World-renowned Swiss Olympian and Coach Stéphane Lambiel, together with his “Skating School of Switzerland” based in Champéry, is also joining the WISD movement by conducting an activation in collaboration with the academy’s professional coaches and competitive skaters (more information here).
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United Kingdom: The British Ice Skating Association is simultaneously conducting the British Championships during the WISD weekend.To mark these two special occasions, several activations will take place in London and Sheffield, including an event for skaters with special needs.
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India: The Ice Skating Association of India is organizing an exceptional event at more than 5000m of altitude at Khardung La mountain pass in the Ladakh region. Further WISD activities are also planned in India’s largest indoor ice skating rink, the “ISkate” rink at Ambience Mall Gurgaon in Gurugram district (more information here).
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Chile: The Chilean National Figure Skating Federation is hosting, together with local skating clubs and schools, WISD events taking place in Santiago, the capital city, as well as in Punta Arenas, the southernmost region of Chilean Patagonia (more information here). Other South American countries are participating this year: Brazil, Peru, Ecuador, and Argentina.
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Australia & New Zealand: Australia and New Zealand will for the first time host WISD activations happening in Perth and Liverpool, New South Wales. In Liverpool, Inclusive Skating Australia will organize an activity for people with disabilities to support inclusivity and diversity (registration required here).
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USA & Canada: Several clubs across the US & Canada will be hosting events organized in association with the US Figure Skating Association, US Speed Skating and Skate Canada (view under Event Locator here).
The 2022 World Ice Skating Day event in San Antonio, Texas, United States. @ Heart of Texas Figure Skating Club
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Indonesia: In 2022, Indonesia (through the national federation “Federasi Ice Skating Indonesia”) was awarded as the Best World Ice Skating Day Organizer (in the category of more than 500 persons in attendance) with 9 participating cities and more than 3500 attendees (read here). This year, Indonesia once again actively supports the WISD by organizing events everywhere in the country (more information here).
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Mexico: Mexico, the second-placed winner of the Best World Ice Skating Day 2022 contest (in the category with less than 500 persons in attendance), organizes this year (through the Mexican Skating Federation) WISD activations in Puebla, Mexico City, Nuevo Léon and Yucatan (more information here). In Puebla, the WISD coincides with the National Championships, that will include a Gala with featuring the recent Olympian Figure Skater Donovan Carrillo, and several Figure and Short Track Speed Skating skaters from the Mexican Special Olympics’ team.
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North Macedonia: While organizers will not be able to host the WISD event as planned due to renovation work at the ice rink in Skopje, activities will nonetheless occur off ice with trainings and a #WISDance performance.
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Japan: Japan organizes its first WISD event this year in the City of Chiba with the presence of the popular choreographers Eiki Hattori and Momoe Nagumo (more information here).
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South Africa: The Figure Skating South Africa Association will organize events across the cities of Durban, Johannesburg, Pretoria and Cape Town (more information here).
The 2022 World Ice Skating Day event in South Africa. @ South African Figure Skating Figure Skating Association
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Hungary: A WISD event is held in the capital city, Budapest, at the City Park ice skating rink (more information here).
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Vietnam: The Skating Federation of Vietnam organizes events in Hanoi (Royal Ice Rink) and in Ho Chi Minh City (Landmark Ice Rink) with the participation of the Vietnamese WISD Ambassador Doan Ngoc Bao - a handicapped Short Track skater (more information here).
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South Korea: The Pyeongchang 2018 Legacy Foundation will host a WISD event in Seoul with the participation of Korean Olympic Short Track medalists, also in support to the upcoming Gangwon 2024 Winter Youth Olympic Games. The ISU President, Jae Youl Kim, will be in attendance for this special event.
The 2022 World Ice Skating Day event in South Korea. @ Korean Speed Skating Association
The 2023 WISD Icons
The 2023 World Ice Skating Day Icons - Coach Michelle Hong and Michaela Scalisi (popularly known as “Michaela Carrot”) have supported the World Ice Skating Day mission through their insightful and awareness generating content. Michelle Hong has been providing her brilliant coaching expertise to the #WISD family through a series called “#WISDom with Coach Michelle” that includes specially curated videos beneficial to skaters of all levels and disciplines (view here).
Michaela Carrot, through her aesthetically amazing videos and captivating storytelling, not only serves as an inspiration to aspiring skaters worldwide but also stands as a testament to the importance of preserving our planet (view here).
WISD Partners & Contest Giveaways
Inclusive Skating: Like last year, Inclusive Skating renews its role as Institutional Partner for the second edition of the World Ice Skating Day (read here). The World Ice Skating Day fully aligns with the values and goals pursued by Inclusive Skating, a non-profit charity organization supporting skaters with special needs or disabilities to enjoy equitable participation in ice skating sports. Education, training and mentorship programs are offered to make them feel empowered despite physical limitations.
Jackson Ultima: The ISU is proud to partner with the Canadian-based skates company Jackson Ultima, a global leader in Figure Skating boots and blades used by professional and recreational skaters worldwide. Jackson Ultima has committed to promote accessibility to Figure Skating, as all it takes is a pair of skates for dreams to begin. Get a chance to win free Jackson Ultima skates through the World Ice Skating Day 2023 Prize Draw contest.
Ice Skating Jewellery: Popular among Figure Skaters, the brand “Ice Skating Jewellery” has created a special custom-made World Ice Skating Day necklace with an exclusive blade charm and engraved WISD medallion. Get a chance to win this limited series of WISD jewellery by participating to the World Ice Skating Day 2023 Prize Draw contest.
The 2023 WISD Main Event: Lake Placid (USA)
This year, the WISD Main Event takes place in the picturesque town of Lake Placid (USA), holding a historic role in the world of winter sports (read here). The event takes place at the iconic Olympic Center and will feature among others Speed Skating demonstrations, Relay races, Figure Skating exhibitions as well as special performances by the Skyliners Junior Synchronized Skating Team and World Junior Ice Dance Champions Oona and Gage Brown. This Main Event activation will be hosted and animated by Figure Skating legend and Olympic silver medalist Paul Wylie (more information here).
Best World Ice Skating Day Awards 2023
To award the best WISD organizers, the applicants will be assessed across two categories (according to the size of their events): the first gathering events with more than 500 people in attendance, and the second all events with less than 500 in attendance. Last year’s winners were Indonesia (first category) and Mexico (second category) awarded for the diversity and originality of the activities conducted, the educative-oriented actions undertaken, the collaborations created and extensive digital promotion achieved (read here). More information about the 2023 WISD Awards contest and participation conditions here.
Skate to the rhythm of the 2023 #WISDance
The #WISDance is the annual unifying dance in celebration of the WISD. Last year’s #WISDance winner was the Ice Academy of Montreal awarded for their unique rendition of the #WISDance 2022 choreography. As winners, they have been given the opportunity to create the new choreography for this year’s #WISDance (view here).
About International Skating Union
The International Skating Union (ISU), founded in 1892, is the oldest governing international winter sport federation and the exclusive international sport federation recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) administering the sports of Figure Skating (Single & Pair Skating and Ice Dance), Synchronized Skating, Speed Skating and Short Track Speed Skating worldwide. The objectives of the ISU are to regulate, govern, promote and develop its sports on the basis of friendship and mutual understanding between athletes. Currently three ISU disciplines are included in the Olympic Winter Games program (Figure Skating, Speed Skating and Short Track Speed Skating). For further information please visit isu.org.
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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