Irish Wolfhounds Conclude North American Leg Of World Tour

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The Irish Wolfhounds rounded out the second stage of this season’s ISU Short Track World Tour in Montreal, Canada this weekend.

In the qualification rounds on the opening day of the event, Sean McAnuff (Co. Antrim) and Liam O’Brien (Co. Cavan) were put through their paces in all three distances. The Wolfhounds were drawn in back-to-back heats in the 1500m heats. McAnuff came home sixth in Heat 7 with a time of 2:30.801, while O’Brien clinched 2nd place in Heat 8 in a time of 2:23.307 to earn himself a big Q and advance to the afternoon’s quarterfinals. O’Brien lined up in Heat 7 which turned into a pacey affair and he ultimately finished fifth in a time of 2:20.392.

There was Irish interest right from the off in the 500m preliminaries with McAnuff in Heat 1. In a swift race, he crashed into the barriers, but managed to get up and cross the line in fifth. O’Brien contested Heat 7 and was fourth in a time of 43.042.

Last up were the 1000m preliminaries and as with the 500m McAnuff found himself in Heat 1. He closed out his account for the qualifiers with a fourth place and a time of 1:30.222. O’Brien showed up in Heat 3 and came fifth with a time of 1:32.221.

O’Brien was the sole Irish Wolfhound to race in the 1500m and 500m repechages on the second day of the event. In Heat 1 of the 1500m repechage quarterfinals, he posted a time of 2:20.769 to come fourth. It was then on to the 500m repechage quarterfinals for O’Brien. He was right in the mix in Heat 6 for most of the race, but just did not quite have enough at the end and had to settle for fourth in a time of 42.972.

“I’m happy with my racing over the last two weeks,” O’Brien said. “It’s been a week of racing with injury, but I am confident I can bounce back before the Asian leg of the World Tour events. I know I need to improve my strength and endurance if I want to be able to compete with the top and will continue to build on that through the remainder of the season.”

McAnuff was back on the last day of competition for the 1000m repechages. In the repechage quarterfinal Heat 7, he raced positively to secure fourth place with a time of 1:29.251.

“The first two World Tour events were very exciting,” McAnuff said. “I was able to skate competitively in the racing pool and I see the areas that need more focus and improvement. I wasn’t able to break any personal best times, but I do see this on the horizon for me. I will be working very hard over the next weeks in preparation for the next World Tour events!”

The ISU Short Track World Tour moves on to Asia next month with stops in Beijing, China (6-8 December) and Seoul, South Korea (13-15 December).

Take Two For Irish Wolfhounds In Montreal

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Two Irish Wolfhounds get another opportunity to race at the second stop of the ISU Short Track World Tour in Montreal, Canada this weekend (1-3 November).

Sean McAnuff (Co. Antrim) and Liam O’Brien (Co. Cavan) return to the Maurice Richard Arena to contest the 500, 1000 and 1500 metre distances over three days. McAnuff is on the come back trail after being forced to sit out last season due to injury. O’Brien had a fall in the 1500 heats that took him out of the subsequent racing last weekend and will be aiming to have a fuller event this time round.

The ISU Short Track World Tour can be followed live on the Skating ISU YouTube channel and via the #ShortTrackWorldTour and #ShortTrackSkating hashtags on social media.

Competition Schedule (Montreal, Canada)

Friday, 1 November – Qualification Rounds

Saturday, 2 November – 500m/1500m

Sunday, 3 November – 1000m

Irish Wolfhounds Wrap Up First Ever Short Track World Tour Event

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The Irish Wolfhounds had their first foray of the season this weekend at the ISU Short Track World Tour in Montreal, Canada.

Qualification day saw all three skaters compete over the three distances. Liam O’Brien was first out of the gate in Heat 2 of the 1500m heats. In a messy race, he came in fifth place in a time of 2:55.697 due to being impeded by another skater and he was advanced to the next round. Ryan McAnuff was next up in Heat 5 placing 6th. Sean McAnuff raced in Heat 6 immediately after and came home in 5th place with a time of 2:23.373. O’Brien was the sole Wolfhound to return for the 1500m quarterfinals. Unfortunately, things did not go his way and he finished in fifth in Heat in a time of 3:13.585.

The 500m preliminaries were next on the agenda for the Wolfhounds. Ryan McAnuff posted a time of 44.658 to come fifth in Heat 5. O’Brien ended up recording the swiftest time of the trio with 42.558 for fourth place in Heat 8. Sean McAnuff also came fourth in Heat 9 in a time of 42.873.

The Wolfhounds closed out Day One with the 1000m preliminaries. O’Brien incurred a rule infringement in Heat 7 that meant he was penalised. Sean McAnuff just narrowly missed out on advancing when he came second in Heat 8 with a time of 1:30.993. Ryan McAnuff came fifth in Heat 10 in a time of 1:34.004.

Sean McAnuff was the only Wolfhound to contest the 1500m and 500m repechages rounds on Day Two. He came 6th in Heat 2 of the 1500m repechage quarterfinals in a time of 2:31.552 and 4th in Heat 4 of the 500m repechage quarterfinals with a time of 47.565.

Sean McAnuff was back again on the final day of competition for the 1000m repechages. He was up in Heat 7 where he finished 4th in a time of 1:29.812.

“It was a good start to the World Tour,” Sean McAnuff said. “I felt big improvements in my strength and technique. My goal for next weekend is to focus on my racing strategy and I believe focusing on this will help me advance further on in the rounds.”

“Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to skate the repechage following a fall in the 1500m heats, but I felt like there were promising signs in the lead up to that event,” O’Brien said. “I will build on the racing experience this weekend and push towards better results next week.”

“It was a privilege to once again represent Team Ireland and race alongside my teammates, Sean and Liam,” Ryan McAnuff said. “I enjoyed racing, skated hard and loved being challenged physically and mentally as I raced the top skaters in the world. I’m looking forward to racing again on the World Tour and representing the Irish Wolfhounds!”

The Irish Wolfhounds will be in action again next weekend for the second stage of the ISU Short Track World Tour which will be held once more in Montreal.

 

 

Irish Wolfhounds Ready To Be Unleashed On Short Track World Tour

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A trio of Irish skaters line up to race this weekend as the inaugural ISU Short Track World Tour gets under way in Montreal, Canada (25-27 October).

Ryan McAnuff (Co. Antrim), Sean McAnuff (Co. Antrim) and Liam O’Brien (Co. Cavan) will also be sporting racing suits that incorporate a new identity for the World Tour. As part of the rebranding of what was the ISU Short Track Speed Skating World Cup series, in conjunction with the International Skating Union (ISU) and top designers, each national federation was tasked with choosing an identity that conveyed the competitive drive of their athletes and encapsulated the passion they bring to the ice in representing their countries on the international stage. The Irish Wolfhound, with its imposing stature, bold and fearless nature and legendary status in our national folklore, was deemed to embody Team Ireland to perfection.

The Irish Wolfhounds will be part of the journey that sees the World Tour traverse three continents over the coming months racing over the 500, 1000 and 1500 metre distances. As well as Montreal, there will also be stops in Salt Lake City, USA (1-3 November), Beijing, China (6-8 December), Seoul, South Korea (13-December), Tilburg, The Netherlands (7-9 February) and Milan, Italy (14-16 February). While this season’s World Tour will have no bearing on qualification for the 2026 Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics, the final stage in Milan will serve as a test event for those swiftly approaching Games.

In addition to the striking new team identities, the Short Track World Tour will feature enhanced broadcasts that will immerse longtime and new fans of this thrilling sport in every aspect of the competitions both on and off the ice.

“This is an exciting World Tour competition here in Montreal,” Sean McAnuff said. “This area holds a big place in my heart as I went to university and got married a short drive from here. This is the debut of the Irish Wolfhounds and we have a lot of friends and family who are coming to cheer us on! We may look sweet and calm…but by definition we have a strong prey drive!”

“It’s very exciting not only for the new season, but also to see what the World Tour has to offer,” O’Brien said. “Looking around the venue, there’s definitely a new fresh look and it will be great to get out there and race on Friday. I can’t wait to pull on the Wolfhounds suit and leave it all out on the ice.”

“The new World Tour racing circuit should bring even more excitement to the racing calendar and I look to enjoy racing and continue to skate hard and fast,” Ryan McAnuff said.

The ISU Short Track World Tour can be followed live on the Skating ISU YouTube channel and via the #ShortTrackWorldTour and #ShortTrackSkating hashtags on social media.

Competition Schedule (Montreal, Canada)

Friday, 25 October – Qualification Rounds

Saturday, 26 October – 500m/1500m

Sunday, 27 October – 1000m

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.

 

McAnuff and O’Brien Get Season Under Way

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Irish short trackers Liam O’Brien (Co. Cavan) and Sean McAnuff (Co. Antrim) got their seasons under way this weekend respectively at Shanghai Trophy in Shanghai, China and Dutch Open Short Track in Heerenveen, The Netherlands.

O’Brien was first off the mark in Shanghai where he raced over the course of three days with his best finish coming in the 1500 metres where he advanced to the final and came fifth. He also raced as part of Team Ireland in a Mixed Team Relay with three skaters from other federations. The team ended up fourth in the final.

Meanwhile McAnuff made his comeback to international competition at the Dutch Open after being forced to sit last season out through injury. It was a busy return as he competed in 11 races over the course of the three days. He ended up classified 29th in the 500 metres, 34th in the 1000 metres and 40th in the 1500 metres with the highlight coming when he won his 500 metre quarterfinals. He took 36th place in the overall classification.

Introducing The Irish Wolfhounds

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The Ice Skating Association of Ireland is pleased to introduce the Irish Wolfhounds, our new Team Ireland identity for this season’s inaugural ISU Short Track World Tour.

In collaboration with the International Skating Union and a team of designers, each national federation competing on the tour was charged with the task of coming up with a symbol that encapsulates the spirit of their nation’s skaters. Steeped in our ancient history and mythology, the bold and brave Irish Wolfhound is a perfect embodiment of the ambition and drive our short trackers bring to the ice in competition.

“We are thrilled to be a part of this striking and innovative initiative by the ISU and our colleagues worldwide for this year’s ISU Short Track World Tour,” ISAI President  Seán Gillis said. “We look forward to the new team identities bringing even stronger engagement with the public and attracting new fans to our incredibly exciting sport.”

This season’s ISU Short Track World Tour launces in Montreal, Canada and will stop in the United States of America, China, Republic of Korea and the Netherlands before culminating in Milan, Italy for the test event of the 2026 Milano-Cortina Winter Olympic Games.

To keep up to date with the ISU Short Track World Tour visit https://short-track.com/

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.