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Figure Skating

UK Governing Body

- National Ice Skating Association


International Governing Body

- International Skating Union

Figure Skating Overview

Figure Skating has been around for centuries. In 1772 an Englishman Robert Jones accounted figure skating in ‘A Treatise on Skating’. Competitions were held in this English style of skating, which was very stiff and formal. In the 1860’s an American skater Jackson Haines, who is considered to be the father of modern figure skating, introduced a new style which incorporated free and expressive techniques and became known as the ‘international style’.


In 1891 the first European Championship was held and the following year the International Skating Union was created. Figure skating was included in the 1908 Olympic games. Two of Britain’s most famous figure skaters, Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean, skated to Gold at the 1984 Olympics with a memorable choreography of Ravel's "Bolero".