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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

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.

2024/2025 National Team Members Named

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The Ice Skating Association of Ireland has selected the following athletes to represent Ireland in international competitions during the 2024/2025 season:

Figure Skating

Senior Men – Dillon Judge* (County Armagh)

Senior Ice Dance – Carolane Soucisse/Shane Firus (County Wexford)

Junior Women – Saoirse O’Sullivan (County Tipperary), Allie Peterson (County Galway), Sophia Tkacheva* (County Wexford)

*Selected under Section 800 Paragraph 801.6

Short Track Speed Skating

Senior Men – Ryan McAnuff (County Antrim), Sean McAnuff (County Antrim), Liam O’Brien (County Cavan)

2023 Another Remarkable Year For Irish Ice Skating

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2023 witnessed ice skating in Ireland continue its forward progression as more milestones were achieved.

The year began in sensational fashion in January at the ISU European Short Track Speed Skating Championships in Gdansk, Poland. Sean McAnuff became the first athlete from Ireland to nab a place in the main session of the championships when he advanced to the 500 metres quarterfinals. Liam O’Brien then went on to do the same by booking himself a spot in the 1500 metres semifinals. Later in the same month, Sam McAllister finally made his ISU European Figure Skating Championships debut at the third time of asking in Espoo, Finland. He finished in 28th place. At home, the ISAI board announced the appointment of Karen O’Sullivan as Chief Executive Officer and Yvonne Brett as Chief Financial Officer. The first post-Covid Emerald Skate test session was held at Dundrum On Ice.

February saw our short track speed skaters Sean McAnuff and Ryan McAnuff in action at events in Germany and Canada respectively, while figure skaters Dillon Judge and Laura Hegarty and Kevin Hegarty competed in the Netherlands at the Challenge Cup.

Liam O’Brien participated in the ISU World Short Track Speed Skating Championships for the third consecutive time when the event was held in Seoul, South Korea in March. Sam McAllister announced his retirement from competitive skating during the month.

Four-time European competitor Conor Stakelum was appointed ISAI Anti-Doping Officer in May.

Rounding out the 2022/2023 season, the Irish Figure Skating Championships were held for the second at the Dundee Ice Arena in June. Titles were decided in five categories with Carolane Soucisse and Shane Firus becoming the first ever Senior Ice Dance champions in the history of the event.

The 2023/2024 season got into full swing in September with two-time Irish Junior Champion Sophia Tkacheva competing at the ISU Junior Grand Prix in Istanbul, Türkiye. The appointment of Stephen Judge as ISAI Privacy Officer was announced. Margery Hilko became the first person from Ireland to qualify as an ISU judge when she passed the ISU examination in Oberstdorf, Germany.

Ciera Turner-Frick represented Ireland at the ISU Junior Grand Prix in Yerevan, Armenia in October. Dillon Judge made his international senior debut at the Tayside Trophy in Dundee, United Kingdom where he was joined by Sophia Tkacheva who skated in the Junior Women’s event. The season got under way for our short track speed skaters at World Cup 1 in Montreal, Canada where Ryan McAnuff and Liam O’Brien raced. O’Brien also entered World Cup 2 again in Montreal where he not only set a new Irish record in the 1000 metres, but also advanced to the 1000 metres quarterfinals.

In November, the 2023/2024 Emerald Skate learn to skate lessons commenced at Dundrum On Ice. Dillon Judge competed at the Denkova-Staviski Cup in Sofia, Bulgaria where he finished 10th. The ISAI Annual General Meeting was held on 29 November in Dublin. It was the first in-person AGM since 2019.

Carolane Soucisse and Shane Firus kicked off December and their season when they participated in the Bosphorus Cup in Istanbul, Türkiye. The second World Ice Skating Day took place on 3 December with bigger and better celebrations than in the previous year here in Ireland. Soucisse and Firus and Dillon Judge took part in the ISU Challenger Golden Spin of Zagreb in Croatia. Liam O’Brien was named as a recipient of a Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Scholarship and wrapped up 2023 with back to back World Cups in China and South Korea.

2024 promises to be an even more exciting year for the ISAI as the pace picks up on the development of Ireland as an ice skating nation both domestically and on the international stage.

2023/2024 Speed Skating National Team Announced

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Three speed skaters have been named by the Ice Skating Association of Ireland (ISAI) to represent Ireland during the 2023/2024 season.

Ryan McAnuff has been a National Team member since 2016 when, along with his brother Sean, they became the first speed skaters to compete for Ireland in international competition. He is a University of Limerick medical school graduate and is currently a resident physician in Hamilton, Canada.

“It is again an honour to represent Ireland for this upcoming short track speed skating season,” Ryan McAnuff said. “I am looking forward to competing alongside my teammates against the fastest skaters in the world. This season I look to continue to be competitive on the global stage as well as continue to enjoy racing, travelling, connecting with fellow racers and representing Ireland.”

This is the eighth consecutive season Sean McAnuff has been selected for the National Team. He made it to the quarterfinals in the 500 metres at the 2023 European Short Track Speed Skating Championships in Gdansk, Poland and placed 19th in the distance, his best ever result at Europeans. Since December 2020, he has been training in Budapest, Hungary.

“I feel privileged to represent Ireland again this year,” Sean McAnuff said. “It has been a long journey of now eight years representing the country and I am excited to have another year to improve and bring more awareness to the sport in Ireland. This season I have the goal of training smarter and more effectively. I plan to skate new record times and work hard in order to achieve my maximum potential through focusing on technique improvement and racing with confidence!”

Liam O’Brien has been a National Team member since 2019. At the 2023 European Short Track Speed Skating Championships, he advanced to the semi-finals of the 1500 metres for the first time. He also represented Ireland at the 2023 World Short Track Speed Skating Championships in Seoul, Republic of Korea. He currently trains in Seongnam, Republic of Korea.

“As always, I am delighted to be selected and given the chance to represent Ireland,” O’Brien said. “Last season had an unfortunate ending and I have gone away and worked hard to improve my abilities over the off-season. My goals for this season are to not only improve on personal bests, but to gain higher field ranking and to be competitive against the best in the world.

National Team Members (Short Track Speed Skating):

Senior Men – Ryan McAnuff (County Antrim), Sean McAnuff (County Antrim), Liam O’Brien (County Cavan)

You can learn more about our national team members here.

Sean McAnuff Closes Out Strong At Dresden World Cup

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This weekend Sean McAnuff was the sole Irish representative at the ISU World Cup Short Track Speed Skating in Dresden, Germany where he raced over two distances.

First up for McAnuff were the 1000 metres Preliminaries where he was drawn in Heat 10. Fourth place in a time of 1:27.702 just saw him narrowly missing out on advancing to the Heats later on that morning.

McAnuff’s second event of the opening day of competition was the 500 metres Prelimaries where he again was unlucky not advance from Heat 12 after finishing third with a time of 42.669.

He was back on the second day of the World Cup for the 1000 metres Repechage Quarterfinals lining up in Heat 5. In a close tussle for third place, he was edged out and came fourth in a time of 1:28.815.

The 500 metres Repechage Quarterfinals took place on the third and final day of racing. McAnuff came close to breaking his own Irish record when he crossed the line in 42.478 for fourth place.

“Although I did not advance on to the afternoon races this weekend, I am very pleased with my improvements in racing and how I executed my race strategies,” McAnuff said. “My times were competitive and consistent, and my 500 metre time was within fractions of breaking the Irish record, that I hold. My coaches have encouraged me that I remain very much on track with their training and race plans to achieve peak performance. Back to training tomorrow!

Sean McAnuff Lines Up For Dresden World Cup

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This weekend Sean McAnuff is back racing at the ISU World Cup Short Track Speeding Skating in Dresden, Germany (3-5 February).Following his successful outing at last month’s European Championships, the Irish skater races first in the qualifying rounds which will be held on Friday through to the subsequent rounds on Saturday and Sunday. This will be the first time he competes on the World Cup circuit since November 2021.“Dresden is one of my favourite cities to race in,” McAnuff said. “I have so many great memories of previous competitions here and the venue is very large and high quality! I have already spent lots of time catching up with athletes from other countries and am excited to meet new faces and continue encouraging them over race weekend.“This weekend I will compete in the 500 and 1000 metre distances and have the goal of skating new personal best times in these distances while focusing on finishing well in the rankings.”

Watch McAnuff race live on Eurosport and the ISU’s YouTube channel (geographic restrictions may apply) and follow the event via the #ShortTrackSkating hashtag on social media.