ISU

The eagerly awaited second edition of the World Ice Skating Day (WISD) is set to dazzle on December 3, 2023. This event promises a spectacular array of global celebrations, showcasing ice skating sports in the most entertaining, imaginative, and inclusive ways. The anticipation is building as the picturesque town of Lake Placid (USA) prepares to host the crown jewel of the WISD - the World Ice Skating Day 2023 “Main Event”. This exciting event will be held at the iconic Olympic Center in Lake Placid, organized by the New York State Olympic Regional Development Authority (Olympic Authority) in collaboration with the International Skating Union (ISU) and supported by US Figure Skating and US Speed Skating.

Ragne Wiklund (NOR) won the 3000m, beating Miho Takagi’s 2020 home ice track record by a two-second margin to conclude women’s competition at the first ISU World Cup event of the season in Obihiro. With the Mixed Gender Relay making its debut on the World Cup program, the enthusiastic crowd enjoyed a spectacular finale at the at the Meiji Hokkaido Tokachi Oval on Sunday. Wesly Dijs and Femke Kok took gold for the Netherlands and were enthusiastic about the event’s future potential, despite a few hiccups.

Japanese sprinters Wataru Morishige and Tatsuya Shinhama share the World Cup lead after the first two 500m races in Obihiro. After Shinhama had won gold and Morishige silver on Friday, the two swapped places on the podium on Sunday. To conclude the men’s competition at the Meiji Hokkaido Tokachi Oval, Patrick Roest (NED) won the 5000m in a track record time of 6 minutes and 10.99s.

Being pain-free was all it took for Masaya Yamada (JPN) to join the World’s speed skating elite. Having recovered from an ankle injury that had hampered him over the past three years, he has started the ISU World Cup season with two gold medals at home in Obihiro.

Miho Takagi (JPN) thrived on the support of her home crowd to collect two gold medals on the second day of the season-opening Speed Skating World Cup at the Meiji Hokkaido Tokachi Oval. The Obihiro native left the rest of the field almost two seconds behind in the 1500m, and went on to dominate the Team Pursuit together with Momoka Horikawa and Ayano Sato. Femke Kok (NED) started the competition on Saturday with gold in the second 500m to go on top of the 500m ranking together with Kimi Goetz (USA), who came third after Friday’s win.

Japan’s skaters came out on top on home ice in the men’s field at the season-opening ISU World Cup in Obihiro on Friday. Tatsuya Shinhama, Wataru Morishige and Yuma Murakami (JPN) swept the podium in the 500m and Masaya Yamada (JPN) added gold in the 1000m at the Meiji Hokkaido Tokachi Oval. Bart Hoolwerf (NED) pipped world champion Bart Swings (BEL) to the line in the Mass Start to conclude Friday’s action. 

Kimi Goetz (USA) had a superb start to the international season, winning gold and bronze medals at the opening day of the ISU World Cup in Obihiro (JPN) on Friday. The American seized her career first 500m World Cup gold and added a bronze in her signature 1000m just a little over an hour later. Jutta Leerdam (NED) and Miho Takagi (JPN) took gold and silver in the double sprint distance, and Ivanie Blondin (CAN) concluded Friday’s women’s competition with gold in the Mass Start.  

Many skaters have already set fast times at national championships and qualifying events in the pre-season, but all at different venues and in different conditions. The start of the ISU World Cup Speed Skating Series 2023/24 in Obihiro (JPN) will put the athletes to the test internationally for the first time this season. Who will challenge three-time World Champion Jordan Stolz (USA)? And will Japan’s Miho Takagi (JPN) shine on home ice?

For the first time in four years, Asia welcomes the international Speed Skating elite to kick off the 2023/24 ISU World Cup Series. The six-leg series starts in Obihiro (JPN) this weekend, and visits the Olympic Oval in Beijing (CHN) a week later. With the addition of the Mixed Gender Relay, the ISU World Cup Speed Skating program features an exciting new competition. The ISU also this season adds commentary to the live stream of all its major events as an extra service to those who follow Speed Skating remotely (follow the ISU YouTube Channel and check the “Where to watch” webpage here).

During the ISU World Cup Short Track in Montreal on Sunday 29 October 2023 the Final A race of the Women’s 3000 meters Relay witnessed a dramatic turn of events. Skaters from all four competing teams experienced falls in the race's final stages, which extends over 27 laps (each lap is normally concluded in about 9 seconds).

The International Skating Union (ISU) is thrilled to introduce Michaela Scalisi, the former Swiss national competitor and renowned Wild Ice Skater, who is affectionately known as 'Michaela Carrot' among her followers. She has been designated as global WISD Icon for the highly anticipated World Ice Skating Day (WISD) set to take place on December 3, 2023.

On October 17, 2023, during the 141st  International Olympic Committee (IOC) Session that was held in Mumbai, India, the ISU President, Jae Youl Kim, was elected as IOC Member.

The second edition of the World Ice Skating Day (WISD) is about to take place on December 3, 2023, and promises to present a series of worldwide events celebrating ice skating sports in the most fun, creative and inclusive ways. This year, the International Skating Union (ISU) is glad to reconduct the “Best WISD Contest”, which will reward the organizers having demonstrated the most ingenuity in the activities and promotional actions undertaken. In 2022, the “Best WISD Awards” were bestowed upon  Indonesia (Federasi Ice Skating Indonesia), Mexico (Nuevo Léon Winter Sports Association) and the Ice Academy of Montreal (Canada) for their impressive initiatives. In particular, the Montreal Ice Academy excelled in the “Best #WISDance” category and was given the honor to create the new official choreography for the 2023 WISD edition.

The ISU Council met on October 6-8, 2023 and decided to provisionally allot the following ISU Championships and ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating events:

The International Skating Union (ISU) is proud to announce the American Figure Skating Coach Michelle Hong as the “WISD Icon #1” of the second World Ice Skating Day (WISD) edition, taking place on December 3, 2023. This annual festival strives to open the doors of ice skating rinks to everyone all over the world with the purpose to experience in a joyful and fun way the practice and techniques of ice skating sports. As a globally recognized Figure Skating coach, Michelle Hong with her unique teaching and mentorship style has been dedicated in making Figure Skating accessible by empowering every generation and level of skaters. Her inclusive approach perfectly resonates with the values of the World Ice Skating day creating a powerful partnership that promises to break down barriers and unleash new opportunities in the ice skating world.