2023 Inclusive Skating World Championships

[gsk8]

The 2023 Inclusive Skating World Championships will take place Apr 3-7, 2023, at the Hamilton Ice Rink in Scotland. The event will held in the memory of Walter Stewart, a former British Junior Champion.

Skaters with any form of impairment may enter the competition, including visual, hearing, biomechanical, intellectual or any impairment that functionally limits ice skating. The functioning of the skater for ice skating is assessed during classification. The classification process follows the Code of Classification and the Classification Handbook for Inclusive Skating.

• Official Site
• Announcement
• Technical Handbook
• Classification Handbook

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

I'm an idiot. It didn't twig with me that because this was being held during Easter week, that the competitions would actually start on the Monday, so as to get everything finished before the weekend.

Unfortunately, I went online this morning, and then didn't go online again until tonight. So, I didn't see the message that I received mid-morning telling me that the action had started until tonight.

Here is the Coloured Time Schedule:
https://inclusiveskating.org/resources/worlds-2023-timetable-070323194040.pdf

I honestly wasn't expecting there to be a livestream, but there is!

Here is the channel the livestreaming is on:
https://www.youtube.com/@InclusiveSkating

Here is the link for yesterday's (i.e. Monday's) archived livestream:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=miGXpsmkQUA

Unfortunately, I can't find today's livestream (bet you it got a music copyright claim slapped on it!) Which has annoyed me, because my local Novice Ladies skater, Teddy (the girl being discussed in this thread), was doing her Pattern Dance today.

On the plus side, she and our Men's skaters, Pre-Novice Matthew and Novice William, all had their Compulsory Elements segments yesterday afternoon, so I should see them when I watch Monday's stream tomorrow morning. And all three of them are doing their Free Skates tomorrow afternoon.

Sorry that I am only posting now after 2 days of the event have been completed.

ALL THE BEST EVERYBODY!!!

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

Just finished watching Monday's stream, and it was the first time I had watched an entire session of Compulsory Figures or Compulsory Elements. And it just comfirmed my feelings about them.

They are an essential part of the sport, and should be included in competitions. But, they should be held behind closed doors before the main part of the event, because:

1. It is not really a spectator event
2. It is mighty hard to film effectively

​

That said, as I had not seen any of the skaters before apart from Teddy, I did find it to be a useful way to get more familiar with the skaters before seeing them do a full programme.

There was a funny moment, and by chance it involved a couple of my local skaters. Matthew and William (who have the same surname) were going consecutively, albeit with a Warm-Up group in between. Matthew was the first of them to skate, but the announcer accidentally said WIlliam's name when calling him onto the ice. And, naturally enough, this confused the wee fella and he didn't know what to do. And he had to be chased onto the ice!

Don't worry, mate. I'd have been the same!

Anyway, I found a link to yesterday's livestream (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1rg0byfkLY), and my suspicions were correct. It has indeed been zapped with a music copyright claim.

I know as figure skating fans we always feel strongly about videos and streams of our sport getting zapped. But it seems particularly despicable to do it to a video of an event for disabled people.

Shame on you, Warner Music Group!

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

Day 3 of the Inclusive Skating World Championships is starting now.

Livestream for the Free Skates is now on air.

Here is the link for the livestream:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKpTMtBTCeM

Hope this helps

ALL THE BEST EVERYBODY!!!

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

I felt so sorry for the first girl. She wheeled herself into position, but then there were technical issues with the music. And she had to just stay there in position for a long time before she could start.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

OK, it looks like there have been major changes made to the running order. Because after the first girl, there was a Warm-Up with just one skater in it. And that skater is the girl that was supposed to be closing today's action, Juliana Sweeney-Baird (SCO).

Really loved the version of "Lux Aeterna" that she was skating to.

Now we have a Warm-Up for a group that includes the youngest of the skaters from my wee country.

ALL THE BEST MATTHEW!!!

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

And just as I posted that, Matthew had a fall.

He got up of his own accord, and went straight off the ice, with just over a minute of the Warm-Up left.

I hope he's OK.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

He's come out, none the worse for it!

ALL THE BEST MATTHEW!!!

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

Awwwww!!! He skated to the Pokémon theme tune!!!

I admit that I wasn't a fan of Pokémon back in the day. But I REALLY loved the theme tune. And I often thought it would be great for skating to.

And now one of my local skaters has just proved that it is. That was a really enjoyable pogramme!

WELL DONE MATTHEW!!!

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

And he was followed by an 11 year old Scottish girl who is not anywhere in the Coloured Time Schedule!

The group was completed by the skater that was due to skate after Matthew according to the schedule. Another 11 year old Scottish girl, as it happens. So, in effect, the only thing that was changed was that an extra skater was added into the middle of the group.

You know, I am really enjoying the music choices so far. The people who choose the music for the elite level skaters could learn a lot from watching this.

That said, the music choices are the very reason that the streams here are getting zapped. So, there you have the dilemma.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

OK, this is getting confusing. The second skater in this group, Catherine Quach (AUS) was meant to be the second skater of the day.

And she was followed by the skater that was always due to finish the group, Nikki Sibeon (ENG).

EDIT: Just noticed that the skater that was listed in the Coloured Time Schedule as being second to skate in this group, Erica Richards (JAM), is also listed on the next page as being one of the Virtual entries. So, it was probably just a mistake that she was included in the running order.​

Now for an all male group. Beginning with the second of the skaters from Northern Ireland.

ALL THE BEST WILLIAM!!!

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

Another piece of music that we never hear being skated to, but which one of my fellow countrymen has shown can make for a great programme. "Space Oddity" by David Bowie.

Unfortunately, the picture kept freezing for me during William's programme, which was annoying. So, I didn't get the full effect. But, he looked to be doing alright from what I did see.

I'll try re-starting the computer. But, it won't be until we reach the resurfacing, because the last of the NI skaters is starting the next group, and I want to see her LIVE.

WELL DONE WILLIAM!!!

CaroLiza_Fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

Right. Now it's time for the girl that is the reason I found out about Inclusive Skating in the first place.

She got MASSIVE cheers when she was introduced on Monday to do her Compulsory Elements. And she got them again there now.

ALL THE BEST TEDDY!!!

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

I don't know what to say.

That was just beautiful.

Teddy was skating to a female cover of Linkin Park's "In The End". And everything was just right - the music, the dress, and most of all the skating.

I was so impressed with her on Monday, but she just blew me away today.

Oh, how I wish I had seen her Pattern Dance programme yesterday.

This girl is really good. Never mind Inclusive Skating, she could be our biggest future hope in elite level skating.

WELL DONE TEDDY!!!

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

"These Boots Are Made For Walking"

...and that's just what the music did!

Fortunately, it was just a wee hiccup at the start of the programme from Jennifer Lee (ENG). After that, it went smoothly. Which is a good job, because it was a good skate and an enjoyable programme!

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

Enjoyed that group of Men's skaters.

The stream has been behaving itself lately, but I'm going to re-start the computer during the resurfacing anyway.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

Got called away just as the resurfacing was ending, so I am currently running 11 minutes behind the LIVE coverage.

And to think, I had already made the decision to leave eating until this was over as I didn't want to be playing catch-up in case the stream gets zapped.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

Oh, Vilma Mellegård (SWE) has withdrawn.

That's disappointing, because she was supposed to be doing a duet with Teddy on Friday. And I was looking forward to seeing what she was like. I know she's older than Teddy (Vilma is 13, so 2 years oder), and I was curious to see if their skating was similar.

Oh well, at least there is still NI interest in the "Synchro" competitions, with Matthew and William doing a duet.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

Panic over. The order of skating was changed. Vilma skated after Meg McFarlane (ENG) instead of before her.

Was that Teddy talking to the cameraman in between Vilma and Jennifer Gibson (SCO)?

It certainly sounded like her!

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

You know, when Nicole Copithorne (ENG) came out, I was scared because she was wearing a really long dress. And I was worried about it catching her skate, or tripping her.

As it turned out, she did fall, although it wasn't the fault of the dress. She lost her balance on landing a jump. It was a hard fall, and when she tried to get up, she fell again. Unfortunately, it affected her confidence, and her coach came out to skate alongside her as encouragement.

That is what I love about Inclusive Skating. It allows for things like this. Yes, there is the competitive element, but the main thing is about helping and encouraging the skaters.

CaroLiza_fan