ICE SKATING

Skating events at the Olympic Games include figure skating and speed skating.

Figure skating was first part of the Summer Olympic programme in 1908 but moved to the Winter Olympic Games in 1924.

The medal events include singles, pairs and ice dance. Ice dance is a version of pairs skating which draws on ballroom dancing and has been included as a medal event since the 1976 Games in Innsbruck, Austria.

Speed skating (long track speed skating) has been part of the Winter Olympic programme since 1924. The sport involves athletes being timed over a specific distance around a 400m oval ice track. Skaters race in pairs, counter-clockwise and change lanes during each lap over a variety of distances ranging from 500m – 5000m.

Short Track Speed Skating was introduced to the Winter Olympic programme in 1992. It involves a pack of four to six skaters racing against each other in heats on a tight oval track (111.12m) over a variety of racing distances ranging from 100m – 1000m and also includes a relay event.

National Federation: Ice Skating Ireland

International Federation: International Skating Union

ICE SKATING NEWS

Irish Wolfhounds Conclude North American Leg Of World Tour

The Irish Wolfhounds rounded out the second stage of this season’s ISU Short Track World Tour in Montreal, Canada this weekend. In the qualification rounds on the opening day of the event, Sean McAnuff (Co. Antrim) and Liam O’Brien (Co. Cavan) were put through their paces in all three distances. The Wolfhounds were drawn in [...]

Carolane Soucisse and Shane Firus Qualify Ireland For Free Dance At European Figure Skating Championships

Ice dancers Carolane Soucisse and Shane Firus this afternoon continued to make history for Ireland as they finished 12th in the rhythm dance segment of the ice dance event at the ISU European Figure Skating Championships in Kaunas, Lithuania to qualify for the free dance tomorrow evening (13 January).   Soucisse and Firus skated 23rd of the […]

RECIPIENTS OF €200,000 IOC SCHOLARSHIP FUND REVEALED – MILANO CORTINA 2026

The Olympic Federation of Ireland today revealed the recipients of the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Scholarships, with a total pot of almost €200,000 to be distributed among eight athletes, to assist them with their preparations for the next Winter Olympic Games which takes place in Italy in 2026. The athletes represent seven different disciplines, representing [...]

Liam O’Brien Seoul Competitor For Ireland At Short Track Speed Skating Worlds

Liam O’Brien (24) is all set to close out the season this weekend (10-12 March) as he represents Ireland at the KB Financial Group ISU World Short Track Speed Skating Championships in Seoul, South Korea. The Irish skater will be among a field of over 80 athletes from 34 countries racing for top honours in the […]

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