Figure skating can look effortless from the stands: a clean take-off, a fast lift, a precise step sequence and music that seems to carry every movement. Behind…
Guides
How Referees Keep Figure Skating Competitions Fair
Decoding the judges' scoresheets from the Torino 2019 Final
When Australian fans tuned in to watch the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final in December 2019, many were watching from sun-drenched backyards while their…
Junior Pairs at the 2019 Grand Prix Final in Turin
The junior pairs competition at the 2019 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final brought together emerging athletes whose skating already showed the technical…
Inside the Kiss and Cry Area at Torino 2019 Grand Prix Final
Just metres from the ice at the Palavela arena in Turin, a small fenced rectangle holds the hopes, nerves and quiet celebrations of every skater who completes…
The Draw for Starting Orders in Figure Skating
The minutes before a skater learns where they will sit in the lineup carry a particular weight. Whether the number drawn is high or low, it frames everything…
How Skaters Manage Jet Lag on the Long Road to Turin
For Australian figure skaters, the journey to Turin begins long before the plane leaves the tarmac. A flight from Sydney or Melbourne to the foothills of the…
Short program vs free dance in ice dance: what sets them apart
The ISU Grand Prix Final in Turin offered figure skating fans a masterclass in ice dance contrasts, and nowhere are those contrasts sharper than between the…
Understanding the junior ladies' free skate at Torino 2019
Figure skating in Australia operates on a different scale than sports like cricket, AFL, or rugby league, which dominate local screens from October through to…
A Visitor's Guide to Concession Stands at the Palavela Arena
The ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final at the Palavela in Turin draws a passionate international crowd each December, and for many Australian fans the trip…
Your guide to the Grand Prix Final opening ceremony on December 5
The opening ceremony of the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final on December 5, 2019, serves as the ceremonial welcome that brings together the world's elite…