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
Milano Cortina 2026 Nomination & Selection Policies
The Olympic Federation of Ireland has published the official Nomination and Selection Policy for the Winter Olympic Games Milano Cortina 2026, taking place from 6th to 22nd February 2026 in Italy. With the Games on the horizon, anticipation is building as Ireland’s top winter athletes gear up for qualification. The newly released policy outlines the [...]
OLYMPIC FEDERATION OF IRELAND BACKS LANDMARK WINTER SPORTS ARENA PLANS
DEVELOPMENT OF ICE FACILITY IS KEY PILLAR ON IRELAND’S WINTER SPORTS STRATEGY 2022-2026 The Olympic Federation of Ireland (OFI) today formally endorsed the proposed development of Ireland’s first Olympic standard winter sports and entertainment facility at Cherrywood, South Dublin. The €190 million project, led by Prime Arena Holdings, represents a major advance in delivering on [...]
Soucisse and Firus fly the flag for Ireland at ISU European Figure Skating Champs
Carolane Soucisse (29) and Shane Firus (30) fly the flag for Ireland again this year at the ISU European Figure Skating Championships which are being held this week (29 January to 2 February) in Tallinn, Estonia. This will be the second outing for the ice dance duo at Europeans. Last year in Kaunas, Lithuania, they [...]
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 [...]