Soucisse/Firus Eighth At Bosphorus Cup

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In their 2023/2024 season debut, ice dancers Carolane Soucisse and Shane Firus have finished eighth at the Bosphorus Cup in Istanbul,  Türkiye.

For their rhythm dance, the Irish national champions opted to use a selection of music by Rick James. They opened with a midline step sequence which was rated Level 2. Unfortunately, in the sequential twizzle sequence that followed Soucisse fell which cost the team in terms of points for that element. Their pattern step sequence was graded Level 2 while they received four points for their choreographic rhythm sequence. They closed out with a Level 4 rotational lift. A score of 56.41 points had them in 14th place overnight.

Soucisse and Firus commenced their free dance with a choreographic step sequence. Skating to “Hier Encore” sung by Charles Aznavour and an instrumental version of “La Boheme”, they next included Level 4 straight line and rotational lifts which were followed by a diagonal step sequence graded Level 2 for Soucisse and Level 3 for Firus. Their one foot turns sequence received a Level 3 for Soucisse and a Level 2 for Firus, while they were awarded Level 4 and Level 3 for their synchronised twizzles. Two choreographic elements, a slide and a spin, were sandwiched between a Level 4 dance spin and a Level 4 stationary lift which wrapped up their routine. They finished seventh in the free scoring 101.77 points and an overall total of 158.18 points.

Soucisse and Firus will compete again next week at Golden Spin of Zagreb, an ISU Challenger Series event.

 

Judge 10th At Denkova Staviski Cup

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Dillon Judge has finished in 10th place overall at this weekend’s Denkova-Staviski Cup in Sofia, Bulgaria.

It was a tough start for Judge in the short programme as he fell on an opening triple Salchow. However, he came back to tack on a double toe loop to his originally planned solo triple toe loop jump. He continued with a Level 2 change foot camel spin and a Level 4 change foot combination spin before stepping out on the landing of a double Axel. He concluded with a Level 3 flying sit spin and a Level 2 step sequence to earn a score of 42.85 points and putting him in 11th place overnight.

In contrast to the short, Judge got his free skating off to a flying start by landing a triple toe loop and then nailing a triple Lutz cleanly for the first time in his competitive career. A subsequent double Axel had a step out, but he settled down to execute a Level 4 flying sit spin. He just about pulled off a triple Salchow-double Axel sequence and followed that with a Level 1 change foot camel spin and a choreographic step sequence. His final jumping passes were a triple Salchow, a double Lutz-Euler-double Salchow and a double loop. He ended with a change foot combination spin and was awarded a free score of 95.58 points for ninth place in the segment and a total of 138.43.

Annual General Meeting 2023

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The Ice Skating Association of Ireland (ISAI) will hold its Annual General Meeting (AGM) on 29 November 2023 in person in Dublin. Current members will have received a notice via e-mail with the AGM Agenda attached.

Tkacheva Receives Kingspan Kickstart Sports Fund Award

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Sophia Tkacheva has been named as a recipient of a Kingspan Kickstart Sports Fund award. The County Wexford based figure skater will be presented with €1000 through the fund which has been created to assist up and coming athletes on the island of Ireland achieve their goals.

“Being awarded this scholarship is like a window of opportunity opening up for my figure skating career,” Tkacheva said. “Of course, I had hopes for the scholarship, but I never thought they would become a reality and I am so thrilled that they did! Now some of the barriers that I’ve faced in this sport will be easier to get around and I am so honoured to be rewarded in such a way for doing something that I really cherish. I would also like to thank the ISAI for alerting me to this scholarship.”

“I cannot think of a more deserving athlete than Sophia to benefit from this fund,” ISAI President Seán Gillis said. “Despite the challenging journey she has faced in her skating career, she has shown true dedication to her sport. I know that Sophia will put this fund to great use in helping reach her full potential.”

Judge 16th; Tkacheva 11th at Tayside Trophy

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Dillon Judge and Sophia Tkacheva were in action this weekend at the Tayside Trophy in Dundee, United Kingdom representing Ireland in the Scottish city.

In his international debut as a senior competitor, Judge began the event with his short programme skated to “Smile” by Nat King Cole. He opened with a triple Salchow-double toe loop combination, stepping out of the landing on the double toe. He fell out of a triple toe loop subsequently and his change foot camel spin was graded Level 1. He cleanly landed a double Axel and his change change foot combination spin, flying sit spin and step sequence all received Level 3. His score of 43.30 put him in 15th place overnight.

Judge chose to perform to “My Homeland” by Havasi for his free skating. At the top of his routine he landed a triple toe loop, a triple Salchow-double Axel sequence and a solo double Axel in quick succession. He followed through with a Level 4 flying sit spin and a triple Salchow. His change foot spin and step sequence both garnered Level 2, while he closed out his programme with a Level 3 change foot combination spin. He posted a score of 84.30 for the free which gave him a total of 127.60 and placed him in 16th overall.

This was Tkacheva’s second competition of the season and she showed significant progress in both segments. She commenced her “Bust Your Knee Caps (Johnny Don’t Leave Me)” by Pomplamoose short programme with an attempted double Axel that was underrotated. She then landed a double flip-double toe loop combination and executed a Level 4 flying sit spin. She also performed a double Lutz and finished her programme with a Level 4 change foot combination spin. She scored 35.68 points and was ranked in 12th place at the midway point of the event.

The two-time Irish Junior champion started her Romeo and Juliet medley free skating inauspiciously with a fall on a double Axel, an underrotated triple Salchow and another fall on a double Lutz-double toe loop combination. However, she settled back into the routine with a Level 4 layback spin and then landed a double loop and double loop-Euler-double Salchow jump sequence. Tkacheva concluded her performance with her choreo step sequence, a Level 3 flying change foot sit spin and a Level 2 change foot combination spin. A free score of 54.78 points left her with a total of 90.46 points and she moved up to 11th place in the final standings

Turner-Frick 32nd At Yerevan Junior Grand Prix

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In her first outing on the ISU Junior Grand Prix circuit, Ciera Turner-Frick has finished 32nd at the Armenian Cup in Yerevan, Armenia.

Turner-Frick opened the entire competition when she took to the ice for the Junior Women’s short programme. Skating to “Prima Vera” and “Divenire” by Ludovico Einaudi, she began with a cleanly landed double Axel and a double Lutz to follow. She also included a double flip-double toe loop combination and she closed with a change foot combination spin which garnered Level 4. A score of 32.97 points left her in 31st place overnight.

In her free skating routine to “Victory Battle Cry” by Two Steps from Hell, Turner-Frick had a nervy start and unfortunately fell on the same double Axel she had successfully landed in the short. She gradually settled down got full value for a double Lutz-single Axel jump sequence and positive grades execution for a double loop and a Level 3 sit spin. A change foot combination spin once again received Level 4 from the technical panel. She earned 50.10 points for the free to give her a total of 83.07 to end up in 32nd overall.

“Thank you so much to the Ice Skating Association of Ireland for selecting me for my first competition representing Ireland,” Turner-Frick said. “I was delighted to have a good solid start with my short programme, Being the opening skater at my first international and this showed in my spins and steps. I lost confidence in my free when I fell on my double Axel combo jump at the start which I’d been landing well all week. I then struggled to centre my jumps though I managed to achieve 50.10 in my free despite losing careless points. Scoring over 83 as a debut skate is a good start, but I hope to be able to rapidly improve that total for Ireland at my next competition.”

Short Programme

Free Skating

Turner-Frick Making Her Junior Grand Prix Debut For Ireland

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This week Ciera Turner-Frick represents Ireland for the first time at the ISU Junior Grand Prix Armenian Cup in Yerevan, Armenia (5-7 October) which is the final stop of this season’s seven stage series.Turner-Frick competes in the Junior Women’s Short Programme on the afternoon of Thursday, 5 October and will return to the ice on the evening of Friday, 6 October for the Free Skating.“I am very proud to be representing Ireland at my first Junior Grand Prix,” Turner-Frick said. “I hope to achieve two clean skates and to be able to fully appreciate my first opportunity on the circuit.”The ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating Series features skaters aged 13 to 19 (21 for male Ice Dance and Pair Skating partners) from all over the world. The 2023/2024 season marks the 26th edition of the ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating that 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 Yerevan, Armenia will be broadcast live on the ISU’s dedicated YouTube channel. Direct links for each of the segments Turner-Frick will skate in are as follows:Junior Women Short Programme (5 October)Junior Women Free Skating (6 October)The conversation about the series can also be followed by using the #JGPFigure hashtag on social media.

Margery Hilko Qualifies As First Ever Irish ISU Judge

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Margery Hilko has this weekend become the first Irish person to qualify as an ISU Judge in Single and Pair Skating after she successfully passed the ISU Examination held on the occasion of the Nebelhorn Trophy in Oberstdorf, Germany.

Hilko has been an International Judge since 2013 and her new qualification now makes her eligible for inclusion in the draw for judging panels at ISU Championships.

“My journey to becoming an ISU Judge has been very hard, but I am incredibly happy to have passed and become Ireland’s first,” Hilko said. “Skating is such a passion for me, and I look forward to serving all the skaters at Championships and hope to see more Irish skaters there in future.”

“On behalf of the ISAI, I would like to offer my warmest congratulations to Margery on this fantastic achievement,” ISAI President Seán Gillis. “Anyone involved in skating in Ireland will know of her dedication at all levels of the sport here. She is also well respected and liked by her international colleagues. I am delighted that she will be able to bring her enthusiasm for skating and professionalism to future ISU Championships.”

Tkacheva Finishes 32nd at Istanbul Junior Grand Prix

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Sophia Tkacheva has made her 2023/2024 season debut at the ISU Junior Grand Prix in Istanbul, Türkiye and placed 32nd in the Junior Women’s event.

The two-time Irish junior champion skated on the first day of competition in the short programme. Performing to “Bust Your Knee Caps (Johnny Don’t Leave Me)” by Pomplamoose, she attempted a double Axel and a triple Salchow to begin, but unfortunately fell on both elements. She next completed a Level 2 flying sit spin and a Level 1 layback spin. She singled a planned double Lutz jump which meant that she received no points for that elements. She closed out with a Level 1 step sequence and a Level 3 change foot combination spin. Her score for the short was 21.88 which put her in 33rd place overnight.

The following afternoon the County Wexford skater was back at the Silivrikapi Ice Rink for the free skating. She was unveiling her new free, a Romeo and Juliet choreographed by her coach and two-time European bronze medallist Kevin van der Perren. Initially, she valiantly attempted the double Axel and triple Salchow that had not come off in the short. Although they did not come off again this time, she rallied with a double Lutz-double toe loop jump that received full value from the judging panel. She also received positive grades of execution for her Level 2 layback spin and choreographic sequence. She earned a free score of 49.35 points which is a new ISU personal best and placed her 30th in the free. Her total score was 71.23 points.

You can catch Tkacheva’s performances below:

Short Programme

Free Skating

Tkacheva Glides Into New Season At Istanbul Junior Grand Prix

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Sophia Tkacheva (County Wexford) is the first Irish figure skater to compete this season as she takes to the ice this week in the Junior Women’s event at the ISU Junior Grand Prix in Istanbul, Türkiye (6-9 September).

Tkacheva will first skate in the short programme, which opens proceeding at the event on the morning of Thursday, 7 September. She will be back on the ice the following afternoon (Friday, 8 September) for the free skating.

“Over the summer, I got a new free programme, choreographed by my coach Kevin van der Perren,” Tkacheva said. “This will be my first time skating it at a competition, so my main goals for the JGP in Istanbul will be show this new programme and all the skills and elements that come with it to the best of my ability. I am aiming to be expressive and show emotion through my skating while also concentrating on the technical aspect of my skating.”

The ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating Series features skaters aged 13 to 19 (21 for male Ice Dance and Pair Skating partners) from all over the world. The 2023/2024 season marks the 26th edition of the ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating that 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 Istanbul, Türkiye will be broadcast live on the ISU’s dedicated YouTube channel. Direct links for each of the segments Tkacheva will skate in are as follows:

Junior Women Short Programme (7 September)

Junior Women Free Skating (8 September)

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