Bronze For Soucisse/Firus Among Highlights For Team Ireland At Edusport Trophy

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A total of four figure skaters represented Ireland at this weekend’s Edusport Trophy in Otopeni, Romania competing in three different categories.

In the Senior Ice dance rhythm dance, Carolane Soucisse and Shane Firus (Co. Wexford) commenced their James Brown routine with a midline step sequence garnering Level 3 and Level 2 respectively. Soucisse had a wobble on the sequential which led to Level 1 for her on the element and Level 4 for Firus. Their pattern type step sequence was awarded Level 2. They closed out with a choreographic rhythm step sequence and a Level 4 rotational lift. They sat in fourth place on 57.06 points after the segment.

The two-time Irish champions had their eyes on the podium as started their “When Harry Met Sally” free dance. They produced a Level 4 stationary and rotational lift combination to open and continued with Level 2 one foot turns. They next included a choreographic step sequence and a Level 4 dance spin. Their serpentine steps were Level 3 for Soucisse and Level 2 for Firus, while there were no issues with their Level 4 synchronised twizzles. They ended with a choreographic assisted jump, a Level 4 straight line lift and a choreographic dance lift. A free score of 93.51 was enough to move them up to third overall with a total of 150.57.

This marked the third competition for Dillon Judge (Co. Down) this season appearing in the Senior Men’s event. In the short programme, he began with a triple Lutz. He then landed a triple flip-double toe loop jump combination. A change foot camel spin was graded Level 2 as was a Level 2 change foot combination spin. He went on to nail a double Axel and a Level 4 flying sit spin before closing with a Level 2 step sequence to score 49.08 points. He was in fourth place overnight.

Judge opened his free skating with a triple flip. He then performed a solo triple Lutz, but singled a consecutive triple Lutz attempt. He cleanly executed a Level 4 flying sit spin and a triple Salchow-double toe loop. A change foot camel spin received a Level 1 and a second triple Salchow proved troublesome. He came unstuck on the second part of a double Lutz-double Axel combination and rounded off his routine with a Level 3 step sequence, a double loop and a change foot combination spin. With a score of 80.81 points for his free he was left with a total of 129.89 points and 5th place overall.

Sophia Tkacheva (Co. Wexford) was the first Irish team member in action when she participated in the Junior Women’s event. In her short programme, she double footed the landing of a double Axel and fell on a planned triple Salchow jump combination. She was awarded a Level 4 for a layback spin and got Level 2 for a flying camel spin. She also fell on a double flip and earned Level 3 for her step sequence. She ended with a Level 3 change foot combination spin. Her score of 29.00 points put her in 33rd after the opening segment.

Tkacheva made an inauspicious start to her free and fell on her opening double Axel and triple Salchow. She also had difficulty with the landing of a double Lutz. She performed a Level 3 flying change foot sit spin, a double loop and a double loop-Euler-double Salchow. She rounded out her programme with a Level 4 layback spin and a Level 3 change foot combination spin. With a score of 53.o4 points she took 32nd place in the free and overall with a total of 82.04 points.

Judge Third At Lounakeskus Trophy

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Dillon Judge has won a bronze medal at the Lounakeskus Trophy in Tartu, Estonia this weekend.

In the short programme, his attempt at a triple Lutz resulted in a fall. He just about held on to the landing of a triple Salchow. Both his change foot camel spin and change foot combination spin were graded Level 2. After those elements, he fell on a double Axel. He closed with a Level 4 flying sit spin and a Level 2 step sequence to score 40.79 points putting himself in third place overnight.

Judge opened his free skating with a triple flip, a new jump for him to include in his routine. He then landed a double Lutz before falling on a triple Lutz. He got back up to perform a Level 3 flying sit spin, but had to step out of a triple Salchow. A change foot camel spin was recorded as Level 1 and he fell on a second triple Salchow. He recovered with a double Lutz and a Level 2 step sequence. A double loop-double Axel jump sequence resulted in another fall. He rounded his competition out with a Level 3 chang foot combination spin. His free skating score of 69.24 points gave him a total of 110.03 points and 3rd place overall.

 

Nominations Open For 2024 Volunteers In Sport Awards

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Nominations are now being accepted for the 2024 Volunteers in Sport Awards, a national celebration of the extraordinary individuals who contribute to the vibrant fabric of Irish sports.

Hosted by the Federation of Irish Sport and supported by the National Network of 29 Local Sports Partnerships these prestigious awards recognise the selfless volunteers who dedicate their time, skills, and passion to support sports clubs and community organisations across Ireland.

The 2024 Volunteers in Sport Awards will bring together individuals from all 32 counties to celebrate their commitment to fostering participation and ensuring that sport, including ice skating, is accessible to all. Their contributions not only inspire communities but also enable clubs and organisations to thrive, supporting social cohesion and well-being across Ireland. Without their dedication, many sporting opportunities simply would not exist. The awards celebration will take place in Dublin in February 2025.

Nomination Process
Nominations for the 2024 Volunteers in Sport Awards are open from Tuesday, 12th November 2024, until Tuesday, 17th December 2024. Members of the public are encouraged to nominate deserving volunteers from their club or sporting organisation who have made a significant contribution or impact to their local club or community. For more information and to submit a nomination, visit www.volunteersinsport.ie

Soucisse/Firus Take Tallinn Trophy Seventh

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Carolane Soucisse and Shane Firus (Co. Wexford) have finished seventh at this weekend’s Tallinn Trophy, an ISU Challengers Series event, in Tallinn, Estonia.

This was the second of two competition weekend’s in a row for the two-time Irish champions and they began their James Brown themed programme with Level 3 midline step sequence for Soucisse and Level 2 for Firus. They followed with Level 3 sequential twizzles for her and Level 2 for him before clocking up a Level 2 for the pattern type step sequence. They rounded things out with their choreographic rhythm sequence and a Level 4 rotational lift. They garnered 66.26 points to put themselves in ninth place overnight.

Soucisse and Firus embarked on their “When Harry Met Sally” free dance with a Level 4 stationary and rotational lift combination and continued with Level 2 one foot turns. They performed their choreographic step sequence before nailing a Level 4 dance spin. Their serpentine steps were graded Level 3 for Soucisse and Level 2 for Firus, while they both garnered Level 4 for their synchronised twizzles. They closed out the free with a choreographic hydroblading movement, a Level 4 straight line lift and a choreographic dance lift. A score of 102.27 ranked them seventh in the free and overall with a total of 168.53 points.

 

ISAI Communication 12

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The Board of the Directors of the ISAI informs members of changes to Sections 500, 700 and 800 of the ISAI Rules and Regulations as of this season.

Irish Figure Skaters Show Their Best At Denkova-Staviski Cup

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A total of five figure skaters represented Ireland at this weekend’s Denkova-Staviski Cup in Sofia, Bulgaria competing in three different categories.

Dillon Judge (Co. Down) made his season debut at the event. In the short programme, he began with a pristine triple Lutz. He had to step out on the landing of a triple Salchow and lost points by not being able to turn into a combination. He executed a Level 3 change foot camel spin and a Level 2 change foot combination spin before landing a double Axel. He closed with a Level 4 flying sit spin and a Level 2 step sequence to score 52.66 points, the highest score he has ever posted for a short. He was in tenth place overnight.

Judge opened his free skating with a double Axel-double Axel sequence. He then reeled off a solo triple Lutz and a triple Lutz-double toe loop combination in succession before nailing a Level 4 flying sit spin. There followed a triple Salchow-double toe loop. He missed required features in change foot camel spin which resulted in the element receiving only a base level and had a hard fall on a second triple Salchow. Nevertheless he finished his routine with another career best score of 99.07 points which gave him a total of 151.73 points and 11th place overall.

Carolane Soucisse and Shane Firus (Co. Wexford) had to withdraw midway through their previous competition last month due to illness and were on the comeback trail in Sofia. They commenced their James Brown routine with a choreographic rhythm sequence and a Level 1 midline step sequence. Level 4 sequential twizzles for Soucisse and Level 3 for Firus ensued with their pattern type step sequence receiving a base level. They closed out with a strong Level 4 rotational lift and sat in seventh place on 60.10 points after the segment.

The two-time Irish champions launched into their “When Harry Met Sally” free dance with intent. They produced an excellent stationary and rotational lift combination to get proceedings under way and continued with Level 3 foot turns for Soucisse and Level 2 for Firus. They next inserted a choreographic step sequence and a Level 4 dance spin. Their serpentine steps were Level 1 for Soucisse and Level 2 for Firus, while they both achieved Level 4 for their synchronised twizzles. They wrapped up with a choreographic hydroblading movement, a Level 4 straight line lift and a choreographic dance lift. A season best score of 104.02 was good enough for third in the free and fourth overall on a total of 164.12.

Two Irish skaters competed in the Junior Women’s event. Saoirse O’Sullivan (Co. Tipperary) was first up and she started positively her short programme with a good double flip. She came undone on a double Axel attempt, but rallied with a Level 4 sit spin. She eked out a double Lutz-double toe loop combination and Level 1 for a flying camel spin. She had an unfortunate fall in her Level 2 step sequence and ended with a Level 2 change foot combination spin. Despite the technical issues, she still managed to wind up with a career best score of 29.99 points for her short and placed 33rd. Due to a cut after the short, she did not advance to the free skating.

Sophia Tkacheva (Co. Wexford) was another Irish team member making her season debut. In her short programme, she stepped out on the landing of a double Axel and put a hand down on the first part of a double Lutz-double toe loop jump combination. She was awarded a Level 4 for a layback spin and got Level 1 for a flying camel spin. She landed a double flip and earned Level 2 for her step sequence. She had an untimely ending to the routine when she fell out of a Level 3 change foot combination spin. Nevertheless, her score of 34.82 points was enough for 29th and a place in the free skating.

Tkacheva was second to skate in the free and fell on her opening double Axel and also had difficulties with her triple Salchow attempt. She settled down with a double Lutz-double toe loop combination before performing a Level 4 flying change foot sit spin, a double loop and a double loop-Euler-double Salchow. She had another fall on a double flip-double toe loop combination and rounded out her programme with a Level 3 layback spin and a Level 2 change foot combination spin. With a score of 57.73 points she took 27th place in the free and moved up to 28th with a total of 92.55 points.

O’Sullivan 18th At Tayside Trophy

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Saoirse O’Sullivan (Co. Tipperary) has finished 18th in the Junior Women’s event at this weekend’s Tayside Trophy in Dundee, Scotland.

O’Sullivan opened her short programme yesterday with a double flip. She fell on a double Axel attempt, but came back with a Level 3 sit spin. Other elements in her routine included a double loop-double toe loop combination, a Level 1 flying camel spin, a Level 2 step sequence and a Level 2 change foot combination spin. She posted a score 27.07 points for the segment which was an increase on last month’s performance at the ISU Junior Grand Prix and put her in 18th place overnight.

For her free skating this morning, O’Sullivan commenced with a double loop and a double Salchow-double toe loop combination. She continued with a double flip and a Level 4 sit spin. She fell on a subsequent double Lutz. A double flip-single Axel-single Axel jump sequence, a second double loop and a Level 2 change foot combination spin all received positive grades of execution from the judging panel. She scored 53.31 points for her free which gave her a combined total of 80.38, another improvement on her ISU Junior Grand Prix outing.

 

O’Sullivan 33rd At Gdansk Junior Grand Prix

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Saoirse O’Sullivan (Co. Tipperary) has finished 33rd at the ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating Solidarity Cup in Gdansk, Poland.

Competing in her first ever international event, O’Sullivan got under way in yesterday’s Junior Women’s short programme. Skating to “The Storm (Live)” by Havasi and Peter Pejtsik, she began with a double flip. A double Axel did not go according to plan resulting in a fall, but she picked herself up and came back with a Level 4 sit spin. She then landed a double loop-double toe loop jump combination and rounded out her routine with a Level 1 flying camel spin, a Level 1 step sequence and a Level 2 change foot combination spin. She scored 26.30 points to put herself in 34th place overnight.

This afternoon O’Sullivan returned for the free skating. Performing to “Golden River” by Parry Music, she commenced with a double loop and went on to cleanly land the rest of her jumping elements, including two jump combinations and jump sequence. Once again she maxed out with a Level 4 sit spin which was even better than the day before. She also included a choreographic step sequence and a Level 2 change foot combination spin. The only element of the programme where she struggled was with a flying camel spin that did not meet the features to be required as valid and she received no points. A free score of 53.38 was enough for 32nd in the segment and she ended her ISU Junior Grand Prix debut with a total of 79.68 points.

“I’m very pleased with my overall performance at my first Junior Grand Prix,”  O’Sullivan said. “It was a brilliant experience with so much to learn and take forward.”

Videos

Short Programme

Free Skating

O’Sullivan Set For Junior Grand Prix Debut

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Saoirse O’Sullivan (Co. Tipperary) makes her first appearance on the ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating when she competes at this week’s Solidarity Cup in Gdansk, Poland (26-28 September), the fifth stop on this year’s series.

The 2024 Irish Junior Women’s silver medallist begins in the Short Programme on Thursday, 26 September and skates again on Friday, 27 September in the Free Skating.

“I am so excited to be representing my country in my first Junior Grand Prix in Poland and am really looking forward to be competing with some of the best skaters in the world,” O’Sullivan said. “I know I will learn so much from this experience.”

The ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating Series features young skaters from all over the world. The 2024/2025 season marks the 27th edition of the ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating which was introduced in 1997. This season more than 300 skaters from over 50 different nations are expected to compete in the series.

This week’s Junior Grand Prix in Gdansk, Poland will be broadcast live on the Skating ISU YouTube channel. Direct links for each of the segments O’Sullivan will skate in are as follows:

Junior Women Short Programme (26 September)

Junior Women Free Skating (27 September)

The conversation about the series can also be followed by using the #JGPFigure and #FigureSkating hashtags on social media.

Soucisse And Firus 5th At Lombardia Trophy

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Carolane Soucisse and Shane Firus (Co. Wexford) have finished fifth at Lombardia Trophy, an ISU Challenger Series event, in Bergamo, Italy.

The two-time Irish ice dance champions made a superb start to their season yesterday when they debuted their new James Brown medley rhythm dance. They opened with a Level 2 midline step sequence and followed with Level 4 sequential twizzles. They garnered Level 2 for their pattern step sequence and next included a choreographic rhythm sequence. They closed with a Level 4 rotational lift and earned 69.52 points to put themselves in fourth place overnight.

On the second day of competition Soucisse and Firus performed their new “When Harry Met Sally” free dance for the first time internationally. They began with a Level 4 stationary lift and rotational lift combination quickly racking up technical element points. For the one foot turns sequence Soucisse was graded Level 1, while Firus received a Level 2. A choreographic step sequence ensued before the duo reeled off a Level 4 dance spin. Their serpentine step sequence merited a Level 1 before achieving Level 4 with their synchronised twizzles. They executed a choreographic hydroblading movement, a Level 4 straightline lift and a choreographic lift to wrap things up. They posted a free score of 101.82 points which combined to give them a total of 171.34 points.

“We were quite tired, but I think everybody felt the dance was long,” Soucisse said. “We had a practice in the morning and eight hours in between so I think it is something we are going to have to take into consideration in our preparations. Overall, for our first competition of the season I think it went quite well. We still have a few things to work on, but I guess we’ll wait to see the protocol sheets.”

“I thought it was a great start, so onwards and upwards from here,” Firus added.