iceSheffield will be hosting yet another major figure skating event, 31st – 5th September 2009, the IJS event! What is the IJS event? The IJS is a national qualifying competition for the British Nationals which will also be held at the SIV venue, 23rd – 28th November of this year. Skaters will be not only competing in various categories, Novice, Junior and Senior but will be trying to gain the required number of points to qualify for the British Championships.

The name IJS stands for ‘International Judging System’, this is the new judging system for figure skating. The old ‘6’ zero is now a thing of the past. Today, skaters accrue points based on the level of the technical elements performed, the grade of execution of those elements and the way in which the programme is performed – the component score.

Skaters will be trying to impress the judges in order to qualify for the British Championships but further obtain International assignments which will go towards qualification for the European, World and the 2010 Olympic Games.

Ice Sheffield is proud to have a large number of competitors taking part in the IJS event including European competitors Chrissy Chitwood and Mark Hanretty, Katie Powell, Peter Hallam, Rachael Barley, Karla Quinn, Sophie Kent, Bethany Powell, Lawrence Evans and others will also be participating.

How it all began
Figure skating tested a skater's control and balance but demanded lots of practice, patience and time: figure eights, three-circle figures and loops had to be traced on the ice in perfect patterns. It remained the sport of the aristocracy for only they - being short of neither time nor money - could afford the very expensive lessons!

The English style of figure skating began towards the end of the 18th century. Unlike the International style seen on the television today, where the skater is continually moving position, the English style involved holding graceful positions until a turn or change of direction. Skaters kept an upright posture with arms often held at their sides. Great concentration was on the figures being traced on the ice.

Did You Know?
Speed skating and figure skating became two of the first sports to compete at international level following the formation of the International Skating Union (ISU) in 1892. Today, the ISU oversees all major international ice skating competitions and championships.

Under the general term of 'figure skating' there are five separate competitions at International Level:

1.       Men's singles skating
2.       Ladies' singles skating
3.       Ice dancing
4.       Pairs skating
5.       Synchronized skating

International figure skating today, with its graceful beauty and creativity, could be described by its audiences as a performing art. However, figure skating has been a competitive sport for over a hundred years.

Today competition skaters aim to:

1.       Perform as difficult a routine as possible – Levels and Grade of Execution
2.       Present the routine so that it looks its best  - component score

Figure skating is forever making sporting leaps because it constantly offers new challenges, such as higher jumps and more rotations. With their amazing levels of fitness, agility and artistic talent, top skaters strive to be the world's best.

Ice dancing is a popular recreational sport as well as a major focal point of international competitions. Like competition-level pairs skating, it is elegant and dazzling, but it does not have the jumps, over-head lifts or extended spins. Ice dancing has different rules and a greater emphasis on the way people move to the music.