Archive for category: Figure Skating

Sam McAllister participated at the Volvo Open Cup in Riga, Latvia this week in his third competition of the season.

McAllister began with his short programme where he recorded a season best score of 53.60 points. He included a triple Lutz-double toe loop combination, a triple flip and a double Axel as well as a Level 4 flying sit spin in his routine to put himself in 12th place at the interim stage of the event.

The Ballymoney, Co. Antrim native attempted four triple jumps in his free skating programme and the technical panel graded his change foot combination spin Level 4. He scored 89.18 points to give himself an overall total of 142.78 and 17th place.

“I am pleased with the new season’s best in the short,” McAllister said. “I am looking forward to an even better performance at my next event in a few weeks time.”

This weekend saw Ireland’s national figure skating team compete at the Halloween Cup in Budapest, Hungary with Conor Stakelum and Sam McAllister both earning top ten finishes in the senior men’s event.

Stakelum was the first to take to the ice in the short programme on the first day of competition. The Dubliner included a triple loop, triple toe loop-triple toe loop combination and double Axel in his “Clair de Lune” routine and also executed three Level 4 spins. He received 51.80 points to put himself in sixth place.

McAllister was the final skater to compete in the short. Skating to “Take Five” by the Dave Brubeck Quartet, the Ballymoney, County Antrim native opted for a triple Lutz, triple flip-double toe loop combination and a double Axel for his jumps. He was also awarded a Level 4 for his flying sit spin and accrued 52.17 points to slot himself in fifth place midway through the competition.

In the free skating, Stakelum performed to “The Show Must Go On” and rotated five triple jumps as well as two double Axels. His change foot combination spin was also graded Level 4. He scored 100.85 points for his free to accumulate a total of 152.65. This left him in sixth place at the conclusion of the event.

McAllister skated in the final group for the free to “The Young Lady and the Hooligan”. He attempted three triple jumps and two double Axels. The technical panel deemed his change foot combination spin to be Level 4. A free score of 94.30 points gave him a total of 146.47 points and eighth place.

In only her second competition since moving up to the junior ranks, Elizabeth Golding finished in 14th place in both segments of her event. She scored a total of 85.00 points for 14th overall.

You can view the full and detailed results for the Halloween Cup here.

Conor Stakelum (25) and Sam McAllister (19) competed in the Autumn Classic International in Oakville, Canada where they finished 11th and 17th respectively.

In the short programme, Stakelum included a triple loop, a triple toe loop-triple toe loop combination in his routine to “Clair de lune” by Claude Debussy. He also had all three of his spins graded Level 4 and he earned 54.71, a new International Skating Union (ISU) personal best, to position himself in 10th midway through the event.

McAllister skated his short to “Take Five” by the Dave Brubeck Quartet. He attempted a triple Lutz-double toe loop combination, a triple flip and a double Axel in his programme. Two of his spins received Level 4 from the technical panel. His score of 47.89 was also a new ISU PB and it put him in 13th going into the free skating.

Stakelum began his free to “The Show Must Go On” with a triple Salchow-double toe loop combination and he attempted a triple flip, a triple toe loop-double toe loop combination and a solo triple toe loop among other jumps during the course of his skate. He posted a free score of 99.19 to give himself a total of 153.90 and two more new ISU PBs to end the event in 11th place.

McAllister performed his free to “The Young Lady and the Hooligan” and attempted a triple Lutz on its own and in sequence, as well as a triple flip and a double Axel. He received a Level 3 and positive grade of execution for his flying sit spin. He scored 78.42 for his free which gave him a total of 126.31. The latter mark was a new ISU PB and meant he finished 17th overall.

This week sees Irish figure skater Sam McAllister make his season debut at the International Skating Union (ISU) Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating in Riga, Latvia.

The two-time Irish Junior national champion will skate his short programme on the evening of Thursday, 7 September and his free skating routine on the afternoon of Saturday, 9 September. He will be one of 26 competitors from 21 countries at the event in Latvia.

This is McAllister’s second season competing on the ISU Junior Grand Prix circuit. During the summer, McAllister participated in a training camp in Madrid with Spain’s two-time world champion Javier Fernandez.

The ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating Series started in 1997 and has become one of the most prestigious events to which young figure skaters can be invited. There are seven Grand Prixs annually and each skater will normally compete at two of these to accumulate points in order to qualify for the Grand Prix Final in December.

The Junior Grand Prix in Latvia will be broadcast entirely live online on the ISU’s YouTube channel from Thursday, 7 September.

Sam McAllister ISU Bio

ISU YouTube Channel

Entries/Results

The selection of the Irish Figure Skating National Team for the 2018-2019 season has been made by the Board of Directors of the Ice Skating Association of Ireland (ISAI).

The following ISAI members have been chosen to represent Ireland on the international stage at International Skating Union (ISU) events:

Senior Men – Sam McAllister

Senior Men – Conor Stakelum

Junior Ladies – Elizabeth Golding

Conor Stakelum is a five-time Senior National champion. A native of Dublin, he trains in Dundee, Scotland with Simon and Debi Briggs. In January 2018, he became the first male skater to represent Ireland at the European Figure Skating Championships in Moscow, Russia

Sam McAllister is moving up to the senior ranks this season. From Ballymoney, Northern Ireland, he is coached by Margaret O’Neill in Nottingham and Sheffield, England. In March 2018, he competed at the 2018 World Junior Figure Skating Championships in Sofia, Bulgaria, the first Irish skater to participate in the event since 2010.

Elizabeth Golding picked up her third Advanced Novice title at the Irish Figure Skating Championships in March 2018 and from this season will compete at the junior level internationally. In January 2018, she won the Advanced Novice event at the FBMA Trophy in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.