- Joined
- Aug 17, 2024
https://youtu.be/EOJ7LCbQtB0?si=cX4jVCpwEyuV1kPC (Royal Reporter Lydia) reports on Torvill and Dean receiving honors from KCIII today! Congrats Sir Dean and Dame Torvill - they now are truly royal figure skaters
2025-26 British and Irish figure skating
- Thread starter FlossieH
- Start date
I believe it's Sir Christopher and Dame Jayne. Or, at a stretch, Sir Christopher Dean and Dame Jayne Torvill.
- Joined
- Oct 22, 2022
Right. I was going to say that, but didn't have time when I read it. The Sir/Dame title goes with either the first name or the full name, but not with the surname only.
- Joined
- Oct 25, 2012
When looking something else up there now, I found out that the Dundee Open was held two weeks ago. Here is the Entries / Results page:
http://www.iceresultsuk.org.uk/Dundee/2026/OpenCI/
Across the whole event, the number of skaters that are not Scottish or from Scottish clubs can be counted on one hand. But they do include the winners in Senior Ladies and (I think) Advanced Novice Ladies (I know Alexa is based on the other side of the Atlantic, but I'm not sure where her family are originally from).
Knowing that the Irish Championships are normally held in conjunction with the Dundee Open, I then went to the ISAI site to find the Entries / Results page for it. However, I instead found a communication saying that "Due to circumstances beyond our control, it is not possible for us to host the Irish National Figure Skating Nationals 2026 at the usual timeframe":
https://isai.ie/2026/04/14/isai-communication-no-15/
The ISAI hope to hold Nationals in conjunction with another event later in the year but, in the meantime, they have asked the skaters to submit videos, and they will select the Irish team based on them.
Not ideal. But, that is the danger with holding Nationals at the end of the season rather than earlier on.
CaroLiza_fan
http://www.iceresultsuk.org.uk/Dundee/2026/OpenCI/
Across the whole event, the number of skaters that are not Scottish or from Scottish clubs can be counted on one hand. But they do include the winners in Senior Ladies and (I think) Advanced Novice Ladies (I know Alexa is based on the other side of the Atlantic, but I'm not sure where her family are originally from).
Knowing that the Irish Championships are normally held in conjunction with the Dundee Open, I then went to the ISAI site to find the Entries / Results page for it. However, I instead found a communication saying that "Due to circumstances beyond our control, it is not possible for us to host the Irish National Figure Skating Nationals 2026 at the usual timeframe":
https://isai.ie/2026/04/14/isai-communication-no-15/
The ISAI hope to hold Nationals in conjunction with another event later in the year but, in the meantime, they have asked the skaters to submit videos, and they will select the Irish team based on them.
Not ideal. But, that is the danger with holding Nationals at the end of the season rather than earlier on.
CaroLiza_fan
- Joined
- Mar 3, 2015
- Joined
- Oct 25, 2012
No Soucisse & Ferris this year..
Yep. And the Fed should have prepared for them retiring by having another partnership in waiting ready to take their place. Like, there are two good half-Irish Ice Dance girls that have been without partners for the past 2 years. One of them has been on Ice Partner Search for most of that time (Milla O'Brien), and the other is now doing Solo Dance (Holly Julie Moore). If a partner could have been found for even one of them, it would have meant that Carolane and Shane's legacy in establishing Ireland on the Ice Dance map could have continued.
That said, Milla is no longer on IPS. You never know, maybe the fact that her sister is now on the Irish team has resulted in an effort being made to get Milla a partner. And we might just see her back in action again soon. Or, she might have just given up.
By the way, I don't like the new look IPS. Whilst it is nice to see pictures of the skaters in the search results, it worked much better as a table.
CaroLiza_fan
- Joined
- Oct 25, 2012
Oh, for goodness sake.
YouTube has been included in this social media ban that Kier Starmer announced this morning.
Are they thick?! YouTube isn't a social media site. It's a video sharing site. So, why on Earth has it been included?!
With the way that YouTube has in recent years become the primary way of accessing figure skating, how are kids going to get interested in the sport?!
Figure skating is already a very obscure sport in these islands. It has been suffering a slow death for years. If YouTube is included in this ban, it is going to be the final nail in the coffin for British figure skating.
CaroLiza_fan
YouTube has been included in this social media ban that Kier Starmer announced this morning.
Are they thick?! YouTube isn't a social media site. It's a video sharing site. So, why on Earth has it been included?!
With the way that YouTube has in recent years become the primary way of accessing figure skating, how are kids going to get interested in the sport?!
Figure skating is already a very obscure sport in these islands. It has been suffering a slow death for years. If YouTube is included in this ban, it is going to be the final nail in the coffin for British figure skating.
CaroLiza_fan
- Joined
- Mar 3, 2015
The Junior Grand Prix (with Mark H!) is carried in its entirety on YouTube!! What is the man thinking?! Hope he gets some pointed feedback from skating fans prontoOh, for goodness sake.
YouTube has been included in this social media ban that Kier Starmer announced this morning.
Are they thick?! YouTube isn't a social media site. It's a video sharing site. So, why on Earth has it been included?!
With the way that YouTube has in recent years become the primary way of accessing figure skating, how are kids going to get interested in the sport?!
Figure skating is already a very obscure sport in these islands. It has been suffering a slow death for years. If YouTube is included in this ban, it is going to be the final nail in the coffin for British figure skating.
CaroLiza_fan
. We live in strange times.. (the strangest being here in the US
).
- Joined
- Mar 3, 2015
I have been following Solo Ice Dance a bit lately.. some really interesting programs; seems to be a great way to keep skills sharpened til the all important partner comes along. Fingers crossed for those waiting in the wings..Oh, for goodness sake.
YouTube has been included in this social media ban that Kier Starmer announced this morning.
Are they thick?! YouTube isn't a social media site. It's a video sharing site. So, why on Earth has it been included?!
With the way that YouTube has in recent years become the primary way of accessing figure skating, how are kids going to get interested in the sport?!
Figure skating is already a very obscure sport in these islands. It has been suffering a slow death for years. If YouTube is included in this ban, it is going to be the final nail in the coffin for British figure skating.
CaroLiza_fan
- Joined
- Oct 25, 2012
The Junior Grand Prix (with Mark H!) is carried in its entirety on YouTube!! What is the man thinking?! Hope he gets some pointed feedback from skating fans pronto
Exactly.
I should have made clear for the international audience - it is not that they are banning social media for everybody. It is just being banned for those under 16. Which is a good thing, given the harm social media can do for young people (personally, I would have gone further and made it under 18).
But, YouTube is totally different to the other sites that are affected. It is not a site for connecting with people. It is a site for watching videos.
It is the under-16 age group that we need to get interested in figure skating for the sport to grow. So, we need YouTube to be available to them.
But, this is just a stunt. Starmer knows that he is going to be facing a leadership challenge in the next few weeks, so this is a last ditch attempt to save his political career. The implications haven't been properly thought out.
That said, I don't think any of the politicians would care about the effect it would have on figure skating anyway. The fact that they classed it as a hobby rather than a sport during the pandemic, resulting in skaters not being allowed to train, says everything.
I couldn't agree more. I have been enjoying the Solo Dance too, and would love to see it become a regular fixture at most events, alongside the Singles competitions, Pairs competitions, and Ice Dance competitions.
That said, I still prefer the old rules that were being used before the ISU decided to poke their noses in. I don't like the fact that so many participants are now missing out on well-deserved medals because they have now combined the girls and the boys competitions. But, any excuse to save money, and the ISU will take it.
(By the way, it did make me smile that you accidentally quoted the social media post again instead of the Ice Dance post. That is the sort of mistake that I would make!
)CaroLiza_fan
- Joined
- Mar 3, 2015
I saw the news clip on TV about the YouTube decision as well. I too agree regarding limiting social media for youngsters is a good thing (might benefit some old folks too.. ahem) but You Tube not so much. I was stressing about the JGP which I am sure has followers under age 16, especially with Mark commenting.. so shortsighted to limit that audience.Exactly.
I should have made clear for the international audience - it is not that they are banning social media for everybody. It is just being banned for those under 16. Which is a good thing, given the harm social media can do for young people (personally, I would have gone further and made it under 18).
But, YouTube is totally different to the other sites that are affected. It is not a site for connecting with people. It is a site for watching videos.
It is the under-16 age group that we need to get interested in figure skating for the sport to grow. So, we need YouTube to be available to them.
But, this is just a stunt. Starmer knows that he is going to be facing a leadership challenge in the next few weeks, so this is a last ditch attempt to save his political career. The implications haven't been properly thought out.
That said, I don't think any of the politicians would care about the effect it would have on figure skating anyway. The fact that they classed it as a hobby rather than a sport during the pandemic, resulting in skaters not being allowed to train, says everything.
I couldn't agree more. I have been enjoying the Solo Dance too, and would love to see it become a regular fixture at most events, alongside the Singles competitions, Pairs competitions, and Ice Dance competitions.
That said, I still prefer the old rules that were being used before the ISU decided to poke their noses in. I don't like the fact that so many participants are now missing out on well-deserved medals because they have now combined the girls and the boys competitions. But, any excuse to save money, and the ISU will take it.
(By the way, it did make me smile that you accidentally quoted the social media post again instead of the Ice Dance post. That is the sort of mistake that I would make!
CaroLiza_fan
- Joined
- Oct 25, 2012
Boys, but I am being very active in this thread today. And on a number of different topics.
But this time it is good news. Zarah Wood has a new partner:
https://www.instagram.com/p/DZngXU3ovqj/
Thank you to @DemTuppesSeine for letting us know over in the Splits & Partner Changes thread.
Following in the footsteps of her mother in getting a French partner. And like Chris, Flavien is from the Île-de-France region.
Looking forward to seeing what they are like.
No word yet on Alex Lapsky's plans.
CaroLiza_fan
But this time it is good news. Zarah Wood has a new partner:
https://www.instagram.com/p/DZngXU3ovqj/
Thank you to @DemTuppesSeine for letting us know over in the Splits & Partner Changes thread.
Following in the footsteps of her mother in getting a French partner. And like Chris, Flavien is from the Île-de-France region.
Looking forward to seeing what they are like.
No word yet on Alex Lapsky's plans.
CaroLiza_fan
- Joined
- Oct 25, 2012
Oh, don't start me on the old folks part. After having nothing to do with social media until he got a smart phone a few years ago, my Dad is now totally addicted. He is never off it. And my Mum and I are getting very frustrated.
My Mum has never done social media. As for me, I stopped visiting social media at the start of the pandemic. It is only in the past year or so that I started to visit again. But even now, I only go onto Facebook or Instagram if I specifically want to contact somebody who I cannot contact any other way. Which isn't often.
But I can tell you something. If any of the sites I am on ask me to verify my age, that will be me completely finished with them. I don't want these tech companies having scans of my face, or scans of my passport, or anything like that. I don't trust them.
CaroLiza_fan
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- Joined
- Mar 3, 2015
I get what is happening with your Dad; chances are he will get bored with being “hooked” at some point 
.. I dropped Instagram long ago leaving some very nice worldwide friends there .. now it’s Facebook and GS only. But FB is questionable at best. I have connected there with family members out west that we did not know existed til DNA tests so it works on that level. Late last year I shared with them (on FB) a portrait of my Dad in his WW II uniform taken before I was born and they were thrilled to see it. Then a month ago said portrait appeared out of the blue as a stand alone Meta story with AI alterations captioned “sexy”. My cousins and I were horrified but lesson learned: be careful sharing as, once posted, it is no longer private. Also FB persists in pressing me for info I don’t want to share and to save my password. I prefer to sign in each time but FB has made signing in very difficult and different each time. I get it: security is important but they take it to such a ridiculous level I suspect it’s a ruse to get more private info. So I keep FB for family reasons and short visits only.. so sad.
.. I dropped Instagram long ago leaving some very nice worldwide friends there .. now it’s Facebook and GS only. But FB is questionable at best. I have connected there with family members out west that we did not know existed til DNA tests so it works on that level. Late last year I shared with them (on FB) a portrait of my Dad in his WW II uniform taken before I was born and they were thrilled to see it. Then a month ago said portrait appeared out of the blue as a stand alone Meta story with AI alterations captioned “sexy”. My cousins and I were horrified but lesson learned: be careful sharing as, once posted, it is no longer private. Also FB persists in pressing me for info I don’t want to share and to save my password. I prefer to sign in each time but FB has made signing in very difficult and different each time. I get it: security is important but they take it to such a ridiculous level I suspect it’s a ruse to get more private info. So I keep FB for family reasons and short visits only.. so sad.
Some changes to the events schedule for skating events in Britain: https://www.iceskating.org.uk/post/bis-event-calendar-2026-27
The main change for figure skating fans is the dates and venue of the Robin Cousins Cup. It is no longer at the end of August in Sheffield, but is 11th to 13th January 2027 at the NIC Nottingham.
The main change for figure skating fans is the dates and venue of the Robin Cousins Cup. It is no longer at the end of August in Sheffield, but is 11th to 13th January 2027 at the NIC Nottingham.
- Joined
- Jun 21, 2026
Hi, this is Alexa’s Dad, Alexa was born in the UK and moved to the states when she was 2. Both myself and my wife were also born in the UK
My wife’s job is the reason we moved to Dallas then Vancouver BC then back to the USA. Alexa is now very settled and happy in California learning her craft under Rafael Arutyunyan
- Joined
- Jun 21, 2026
If anyone is interested here is the link to her long and short program from Dundee. Alexa hit the score required to make it to the Junior development team with Novice programs. Hoping she will will have triple lutz and flip in her program at nationals in December
youtu.be
youtu.be
- YouTube
Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.
youtu.be
- YouTube
Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.
youtu.be
Thanks for sharing - Alexa is such a fun skater! I love watching skaters who clearly enjoy being on the ice and performing their programs. The music choices were great too, it's always nice to see some different choices from Riverdance since the whole soundtrack is so good. I hope we'll see her on the JGP some day soon!If anyone is interested here is the link to her long and short program from Dundee. Alexa hit the score required to make it to the Junior development team with Novice programs. Hoping she will will have triple lutz and flip in her program at nationals in December
- YouTube
Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.
- YouTube
Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.
- Joined
- Jun 21, 2026
Thank you for your kind words
Alexa really does love skating and wants her programs to be fast and fun
She’s only just turned 11 (still skating age 10) so we’re still 3 years away from JGP but she will doing internationals this season which is a great opportunity to gain experience
- Joined
- Oct 25, 2012
Hello, and welcome to the forum!
Alexa first came up on my radar about a year ago, and I posted a few times about her (e.g. here) but didn't use her full name because of her age. Suffice to say, I was impressed with what I saw.
You have a very talented daughter. And working with people like Raf, Michel and Danielle is going to do wonders for her progress. I am looking forward to seeing her over the coming years.
Just a pity she isn't a bit older, because we could be doing with her on the team now!
Thank you for the info about her. And please keep us updated.
CaroLiza_fan
