Four Titles Claimed At Irish Figure Skating Championships

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This weekend saw the 2025 Irish National Figure Skating Championships take place in Dundee, Scotland with titles decided in four categories.

Appearing in their third Irish Championships, Carolane Soucisse and Shane Firus (Co. Wexford) got the event under way in the Senior Ice Dance rhythm dance. Performing to a James Brown medley, the duo began with a midline step sequence garnering a Level 3 for Soucisse and a Level 2 for Firus. They followed with Level 4 sequential twizzles for Soucisse and Level 3 for Firus. Their pattern type step sequence earned a Level 3 and they closed out their routine with choreographic rhythm sequence and a Level 4 rotational lift. They were awarded a score of 66.80 points.

Soucisse and Firus were back out on the ice a few hours later for their free dance. The husband and wife team opted to debut their newly choreographed programme to music from “Riverdance” by Bill Whelan. They commenced with a Level 3 dance spin and a choreographic slide. They next executed a Level 2 one foot turn sequence and achieved Level 4 for their synchronised twizzles. Their lift combination comprised a Level 3 straight line lift and a Level 4 rotational lift. A serpentine step sequence was deemed to be Level 2 and a stationary lift Level 3 by the technical panel. They rounded out the performance with a choreographic step sequence and a choreographic assisted jump. A score of 100.88 gave them a total of 167.68 and a third consecutive Irish national title.

“This was a special Irish Championships for us because it was our first three-peat,” Firus said. “We got to debut our new free to ‘Riverdance’. Growing up my mom was adamant that I learn Irish dancing. This led to Irish dance competitions across North America and it’s been fun bringing back some of those memories and moves for this programme.”

“We are very happy and proud to have won our third national title this year,” Soucisse said. “We always leave Dundee with lots of great memories and this year is even better because we got to debut our new free dance to ‘Riverdance’, one that we are extremely excited to show off. We feel truly grateful to the ISAI for every opportunity that was given to us and this free dance is a special thank you for their support.”

After missing out on last year’s championships through injury, Dillon Judge (Co. Antrim) returned this year seeking a second national title in the Senior Men’s competition. He started solidly by landing a triple Lutz-double toe loop jump combination, but fell on a subsequent triple flip. He registered Level 2 for a change foot camel spin and Level 3 for a change foot combination spin. He popped a planned double Axel into a single which meant he received no points for that element. He concluded his routine with a Level 3 flying sit spin and a Level 3 step sequence. He received a score of 44.99 points.

Judge returned for the free skating later this afternoon and set out his stall from the start with a triple flip. He landed an excellent solo triple Lutz, but came undone on a second one immediately after that was supposed to be in combination. After a Level 3 flying sit spin, he fell on a popped double Salchow. He did rally and succeeded in landing a triple Salchow on the second go round. He fought hard towards the end of the routine and came away with a free skating score of 79.39 points. This left him with a total of 124.38 points and a second senior title.

“I really enjoyed being back at Nationals this year after suffering from an injury last season leaving me unable to compete,” Judge said. “I’m happy I got to show my new free programme albeit there’s further improvements to be made on it. The atmosphere was great getting to see some familiar faces again and some new ones.”

The Junior Women’s category was contested between two skaters making their Irish Championship debut.

Julianna Farrell (Co. Cork) landed a triple Salchow-double toe loop jump combination for a strong start to her short programme and backed that up with a double flip and a Level 2 sit spin. She nailed a double Axel and reeled off a Level 2 flying camel spin, a Level 3 step sequence and a Level 2 change foot combination spin. She garnered a score of 42.11 points that put her in first place overnight.

Eeva O’Brien (Co. Wicklow) began her short with a double Axel that was called short on rotation by the technical panel. She included a double Lutz-double toe loop as a jump combination which was followed by a Level 3 flying camel spin. She executed a double flip and finished with a Level 1 change foot combination spin, a Level 3 step sequence and a Level 3 layback spin. Her score of 33.77 points put her in second place at the midway point of the competition.

Farrell made a solid start to her free skating with a triple Salchow-double toe loop combination, a double flip and a triple loop-single Axel sequence with all elements receiving a positive grade of execution. However, she did struggle in the middle part of her routine with falls on a solo triple Salchow and triple loop. She battled back with a double Axel on its own, a double Axel-double Salchow sequence and a Level 4 change foot combination spin. With a free score of 72.43 points and a combined total of 114.54 points she became the first skater representing Cork to win an Irish title.

“I had a great experience at the competition,” Farrell said. “Everyone was super nice and welcoming. The team dinner was also super fun!”

O’Brien was first up in the free skating and she began with a double loop and a double Lutz-double toe loop for which she earned positive grades of execution. She had difficulty with both of her double Axel attempts, but rebounded with a Level 3 layback spin and a double flip. She negotiated the second half of her programme well with double Lutz-Euler-double Salchow jump sequence, a Level 2 flying change foot combination spin, a double flip-double toe loop combination and a Level 4 flying sit spin to end. Her free score of 62.77 points gave her a final total of 96.54 points and the silver medal.

“I really enjoyed the competition and getting to know everyone,” O’Brien said. “It was my first time at Irish Nationals and it was a great event.”

Lexie Graham (Co. Carlow) was the sole entrant in the Advanced Novice Girls category. She opened her short programme with a Level 2 change foot combination spin and went on to cleanly land a double loop, a double flip-double toe loop combination and a single Axel. She wrapped her performance up with a Level 3 sit spin and a Level 2 step sequence and received a score of 27.28 points.

As in her short, Graham also started her free skating with a change foot combination spin. This time it was a higher Level 3. She then landed two double Lutz jumps on their own in quick succession and then completed a double loop-single Axel-single Axel jump sequence. She attempted two solo double flips later on in her routine as well as a double loop-single toe loop combination with a Level 3 flying change foot camel spin thrown in amidst those latter elements. A free score of 51.42 points gave her a final total 78.70 points.

“I was very proud to represent Carlow this weekend,” Graham said. “I was really happy with how I skated and I enjoyed watching and meeting the other Irish skaters. It has given me motivation to work hard and to come back next year. I feel very welcomed into the Irish skating community.”

Irish Figure Skaters Set To Close Out Season At Nationals

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The top figure skating talent from Ireland take to the ice this weekend (7-8 June) for the Irish National Figure Skating Championships which will be held at the Dundee Ice Arena. A total of seven skaters compete at the championships across four separate categories.

Dillon Judge (Co. Antrim) is the 2023 Senior Men’s champion. He was unable to compete at last year’s championships due to injury. This season he finished third at the Lõunakeskus Trophy in Tartu, Estonia. He is coached by Barbara Luoni at Ice Lab in Bergamo, Italy, an ISU Centre of Excellence.

Carolane Soucisse and Shane Firus (Co. Wexford) are two-time Irish ice dance champions. The team picked up a bronze medal at Edusport Trophy in Otopeni, Romania back in December. They represented Ireland at both the 2025 European and World Championships earlier this year. The husband and wife duo train in Toronto, Canada with Carol Lane, Jon Lane, Juris Razgulajevs and Marc Andre Servant.

Julianna Farrell (Co. Cork) makes her Irish Championships debut this year in the Junior Women’s category. Born in the United States of America to a north County Cork born father, she remains close with her relatives in Cork, Limerick and Mayo. She is coached by Alex Zahradnicek at IceWorks Skating Club in Aston. Pennsylvania and Irina Romanova at the Skating Club of Wilmington, Delaware.

Eeva O’Brien (Co. Wicklow) is also appearing in the Junior Women’s event at her first ever Irish Championships. She was born in Switzerland to a Finnish mother and an Irish father from Glenealy, Wicklow. She moved from Switzerland in 2022 to the United States of America and now trains in Montclair, New Jersey with coaches Alex Beletsky and Igor Lukanin. She is a member of the Skating Club of New York.

Lexie Graham (Co. Carlow) skates in the Advanced Novice Girls event in her first ever Nationals. Born in Albertville, France to an Irish father with family in Borris and Dublin, she works with Laëtitia Hubert and Laëtitia Gaiddon at the Olympic Glace Club Albertville (OGCA).

Regular updates from the Irish National Figure Skating Championships will be posted on the Ice Skating Association of Ireland’s social media accounts.

Starting Order/Results Page

ISAI Communication 13

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The Ice Skating Association of Ireland announces measures to ensure the eligibility of individuals applying for ISAI membership.

ISAI Communication 13

Soucisse and Firus 28th In World Rhythm Dance

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Carolane Soucisse (30) and Shane Firus (31) have finished in 28th place in the rhythm dance at the ISU World Figure Skating Championships in Boston, United States of America.

The two-time Irish national champions took to the ice in the home arena of the Boston Celtics as the first to skate in Warm-Up Group 4.  They began their James Brown medley programme with a Level 2 midline step sequence. For the sequential twizzle sequence Soucisse was given a Level 3 while Firus was Level 2. They earned a Level 1 for their pattern type step sequence, followed it with their choreographic rhythmic sequence and closed with a rousing Level 4 rotational lift. Their score of 58.68 points was not what they had hoped for coming into the event and was unfortunately not enough to advance to tomorrow’s free dance.

“We thought the energy was very good,” Firus said. “Obviously we had two small errors – an error on the twizzle and on the pattern type step sequence. Overall though we are very happy with how we attacked it. It was unfortunate that we did have the errors on those two elements. We couldn’t have been more prepared for this event, so we’ll just have to go back, go home and start working again and hop to it.”

“I think besides our own personal goal also a goal we have had since we started representing Ireland is to bring awareness of the sport and help the next generation to get a better shot,” Soucisse said.

 

Soucisse And Firus In Quest To Show Season Best At Worlds

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Carolane Soucisse (30) and Shane Firus (31) carry Ireland’s hopes in the ice dance event at the ISU World Figure Skating Championships which are being held this week (26 March to 30 March) in Boston, United States of America.

This will be the second time the ice dance duo represent Ireland at Worlds. Last year in Montreal, Canada, they finished 20th and will be aiming for an even better showing this time round. The two-time Irish national champions train in Toronto, Canada with their coaches Carol Lane, Jon Lane, Juris Razgulajevs and Marc-Andre Servant.

Soucisse and Firus get their competition under way in the rhythm dance which begins at 15:15 (Irish time) on Friday, 28 March. Thirty-six teams from 27 nations will fight for the 20 spots available in the free dance on Saturday, 29 March. This year’s Worlds carry a special significance in that 19 of the 23 quota places available for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina will be decided in Boston.

“We want to strongly represent Ireland and skate to the best of our abilities,” Firus said. “The Irish community is so present here in Boston that it feels like we are at a home Worlds.”

“Having our best showing of the season is the main goal here in Boston and we hope that if we accomplish that we can place ourselves in the top twenty and secure Ireland a spot for the upcoming Olympic Games,” Soucisse added.

The ISU World Figure Skating Championships were first held in 1896. Ireland made its debut at the championships in 2009 when Clara Peters skated in the women’s event. Peters also participated in the 2010, 2011 and 2012 editions.  Last year Soucisse and Firus became the first ice dance team from Ireland to compete at Worlds.

In order to earn entry to the championships, eligible skaters must attain a combined minimum technical element score of both their programmes during the current or preceding season. The championships are held annually and this is the second time they take place in Boston.

The ISU World Figure Skating Championships will be broadcast on the Skating ISU YouTube channel. Geographical restrictions may apply. The results of the championships can be followed on the event results page and on social media via the #WorldFigure and #FigureSkating hashtags.

Irish National Figure Skating Championships 2025

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The Ice Skating Association of Ireland (ISAI) is pleased to announce that the Irish National Figure Skating Championships 2025 will take place between 7-8 June at the Dundee Ice Arena in Dundee, Scotland.

This will be the fourth time the Dundee Ice Arena has hosted the event. Entries are open to competitors in Advanced Novice singles and Junior and Senior singles and ice dance.

The Championship Announcement and Entry Form can be found on the dedicated event page. The entry deadline is 5pm, 2 May 2025.

Membership Renewal

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Annual memberships are now up for renewal!

As per ISAI Communication 11, there will be an extended term of 16 month membership for 2025/2026 running from 1 March 2025 till 30 June 2026.

Reflecting the longer membership year, the 2025/2026 membership fee will be €130. Membership can be renewed via the Sportlomo website registration portal.

Judge 12th At Road To 26 Trophy Olympic Test Event

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Dillon Judge (Co. Down) has finished 12th at the Road to 26 Trophy, the figure skating test event for next year’s Milano Cortina Olympic Games, in Milan, Italy.

Judge opened the men’s event in the short programme yesterday evening with a triple Lutz that he unfortunately stepped out of the landing. He landed a triple Salchow-double toe loop combination and performed a Level 3 change foot camel spin and a Level 3 change foot combination spin. He came unstuck on a double Axel having to put a hand down to save the landing. He closed out the routine with a Level 4 flying sit spin and a Level 2 step sequence. He scored 46.37 points which put him in 12th place overnight.

The 2023 Irish champion was back this evening to take on the free skating inside the Unipol Forum. He got off to an excellent start nailing a triple flip and a triple Lutz with both receiving postive grades of execution from the judging panel. He popped a second triple Lutz into a single before completing a Level 3 flying sit spin and  clean triple Salchow. The programme then began to unravel for him after that and he had issues on all three of his final jumping passes. He ended with a Level 3 change foot combination spin. He earned 79.98 points for his free which gave him a combined total of 126.35 points.

Judge 14th; Tkacheva 23rd At Merano Ice Trophy

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Figure skaters in two different categories represented Ireland at this weekend’s Merano Ice Trophy in Merano, Italy.

This was Dillon Judge’s 2025 debut and he took on the Senior Men’s short programme yesterday afternoon. He fell on an opening triple Lutz at the start of his routine to “Northern Attitude” by Noah Kahan and Gabe Simon. He was just about able to eke out the landing of the first part of a triple flip-double toe loop combination and then was given a base level for his change foot camel spin. He was awarded Level 3 for a subsequent change foot combination spin. He had to put a hand down to save a double Axel and closed out with a Level 2 flying sit spin and a Level 2 step sequence. He scored 40.50 points and was in 15th place overnight.

Earlier today the Irish champion was back for the free skating portion of the event. He started his programme to “My Homeland” by HAVASI and Peter Pejtsik with a fall on a triple flip. He hung on to the landings of both a triple Lutz-double toe loop combination and a solo triple Lutz. He achieved Level 3 on a flying sit spin and nailed a triple Salchow. A change foot camel spin was just as in the short adjudicated to be base level and he ended with elements that included a triple Salchow-double toe loop combination, a Level 2 step sequence and a Level 3 change foot combination spin. He came 14th in the free with a score of 85.44 points to finish with a total of 125.94 points in 14th place overall.

It was an early start for Sophia Tkacheva as she was entered in the Junior Women’s event. In her short programme, she put a hand down on a double Axel and fell out of a planned triple Salchow jump combination. She was earned a Level 4 for a layback spin and got Level 2 for a flying camel spin. She also landed on a double flip and picked up a Level 3 for her step sequence. She concluded with a Level 3 change foot combination spin. Her score of 31.88 points put her in 22nd overnight.

Tkacheva began her free skating this morning with an attempted double Axel-Euler-double Salchow jump sequence. She fell on a triple Salchow, but settled down with a double Lutz-double toe loop combination. She performed a Level 3 flying change foot sit spin, a double loop. She had a blip when she fell on a double Axel. She rounded out her programme with a Level 2 layback spin and a Level 3 change foot combination spin. With a score of 52.46 points she took 24th place in the free and was 23rd overall with a total of 84.34 points.

Peterson 19th At European Youth Olympic Festival

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Allie Peterson (Co. Galway) has finished 19th in the Junior Girls’ event at the 2025 European Youth Olympic Festival (EYOF) in Bakuriani, Georgia.

The Irish Junior champion opened her competition yesterday in the short programme. Skating to “Right Now” by The Pussycat Dolls (NBA Version), she began with a double flip and hung on to the landing of a double Axel. She next executed a Level 3 sit spin and a Level 2 step sequence. The first part of her triple Salchow-double toe loop jump combination was deemed to be under rotated by the technical panel. She closed out her routine with a Level 3 flying camel spin and a Level 3 change foot combination spin. Her score of 39.87 points left her in 22nd place overnight.

Peterson took to the ice earlier today for her free skating and skated last in Warm-Up Group Two. She started with a double Lutz and then stepped out on the landing of a triple Salchow. She fell on a double Axel that was downgraded. She fought back with a Level 4 flying change foot combination spin and put down a triple toe loop, but was only able to tack on a single toe loop in combination. She also went for a triple Salchow-double toe loop combination and a solo triple toe loop, falling on the latter. She earned a free score of 68.85 points which gave her a final total of 108.72 points and moved up to 19th place.

“It was not my best performance today, jump wise, but I think the overall performance was pretty strong,” Peterson said about her free. “I think I definitely have improved from my competitions in the beginning of the season, so I’m pretty happy overall.

“I really want to thank the Olympic Federation of Ireland, the Irish Skating Association of Ireland for supporting me. And also my coaches in Colorado, Tammy Gambill and her team, and of course my mom, for being here with me and supporting me.”

“Despite some obvious mistakes in today’s free programme, she maintained her presence of mind, fighting through each element and delivering a strong performance to the end,” EYOF Figure Skating Team Leader Andrew Smith said. “That resilience is a testament to her team in Colorado, who have prepared her well for these events and conditions.”