2026-27 British and Irish figure skating

[FlossieH]

New season, new thread...! What are you looking forwards to for this coming season? What concerns do you have?

This thread covers both GBR and IRL and all figure skating disciplines.

I tried to hold off starting this thread until we had more clarity on which skaters were continuing and whether the potential transfers had international clearance, but that clarity doesn't seem to want to reveal itself.

Kristen Spours has definitely retired and I want to take this opportunity to acknowledge the commitment and resilience she has shown and the role model she has been. Anastasia Vaipan-Law and Luke Digby have also retired and their role in the development of British pairs skating needs to be acknowledged. I hope all three skaters will have a happy and successful future. Kristen has already started coaching and I am sure she will excel in that role.

At the junior level we are welcoming Anna Waugh and Matthew Jacoby (ID, IRL) who have transferred from the USA and Catherine Pinkerton (Ladies, IRL) who is joining from Canada.

Aleksandra Golovkina had indicated an intention to switch from Lithuania to GBR, but I do not know whether she has international clearance. She last competed for LTU in early December, so would not be able to represent us internationally (if she has clearance) until this coming December.

 

[FlossieH]

International assignments

post under construction

 

[FlossieH]

Technical minimums - Men

post under construction

 

[FlossieH]

Technical minimums - Ladies

post under construction

 

[FlossieH]

Technical minimums - Pairs

post under construction

 

[FlossieH]

Technical minimums - Ice Dance

post under construction

 

[Weetos]

Thanks for the new thread! Counting down to the JGP getting underway already...

 

[FlossieH]

Thanks for the new thread! Counting down to the JGP getting underway already...

It feels like it's taking forever to reach that point this year! I know that it's me being impatient, though...

 

[Along4theRide]

Very excited to see the entry list for the August qualifiers on Sportity today. I'm especially looking forward to seeing Zarah Wood and Flavien Giniaux as a new partnership and also the new programmes of all three junior ice dance teams. Hopefully there will be no late withdrawals.

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

Very excited to see the entry list for the August qualifiers on Sportity today. I'm especially looking forward to seeing Zarah Wood and Flavien Giniaux as a new partnership and also the new programmes of all three junior ice dance teams. Hopefully there will be no late withdrawals.

Oooh, I forgot that the Qualifiers would be coming up soon!

It's next Monday (17th August) to next Friday (21st August).

Here are the links:

• Announcement
• Schedule
• Sportity (Password: BIS_AUG_2026)
• Entries / Results
• Streaming Channel

Fingers crossed that there will be streaming on the Fed's YouTube channel.

EDIT: There is, but on a separate YouTube channel that the Fed is now using specifically for livestreams.​

Impressed with the size of the field in Senior Ladies. Although, there is no sign of Aleksandra Golovkina. (She put this video up on Friday. And this video up yesterday).

And, being totally biased, it is so good to see a decent sized contingent from the Dundonald club. (I was a couple of miles down the road from the rink last Thursday, but by the time we were finished, it was too late to call there. But I saw a timelapse video recently of the building of the new rink, and they are getting on well).

All the best to everybody taking part.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[Ruthypegs]

Very excited to see the entry list for the August qualifiers on Sportity today. I'm especially looking forward to seeing Zarah Wood and Flavien Giniaux as a new partnership and also the new programmes of all three junior ice dance teams. Hopefully there will be no late withdrawals.

I'm very happy to see Harry Mattick listed as competing in singles again at the qualifiers - I always enjoyed his skating, whether as a solo skater or with Lydia in pairs

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

After splitting with his German partner, Mia Lee MAYER, Atl ONGAY-PEREZ has now got a Canadian partner.

New Ice Dance teams from the Souvenir Georges-Ethier entry list as of August 11:

Aurea Cincon-Debout and Atl Ongay-Perez
Leane Landripet and Luke Anderson
Eliane Foroglou-Gadourey and Eric Alis Bosquet

They're all listed under Canadian clubs on the list at the moment, but that is not confirmation that they are representing Canada.

Auréa CINÇON-DEBOUT used to skate with Earl Jesse CELESTINO (Edrian Paul CELESTINO's brother) for Canada. Their last international event was last year's Junior GP in Ankara, so if Auréa is switching country, she'll be free from embargo in just over 2 weeks time. Unfortunately, Atl won't be free until January, so if he is coming back to Great Britain or switching to Canada, he'll have to wait 4 months.

Incidentally, Luke ANDERSON used to skate with Emily PHILLIPS for the USA, who used to skate with Jayin PANESAR for Great Britain.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[Weetos]

Some really nice surprises on the entry list for the August qualifier, I hope we will be able to watch. How nice to see Harry Mattick back.

It's lovely to see the senior women's field full including a few who weren't at the March qualifier - and a couple more new seniors! The men also looks fun, with Arin Yorke going for a senior qualifier. There are a couple of new names in the junior men also which is good to see.

Really looking forward to seeing how the junior ice dance teams and the new pairs team look!

 

[FlossieH]

Leilah Patten is still missing. Has she quit, or is she changing countries again? (edit: yes, I know I might have spelt her name incorrectly)

 

[t0pfan]

Leilah Patten is still missing. Has she quit, or is she changing countries again? (edit: yes, I know I might have spelt her name incorrectly)

As far as I know she stopped training about a year ago. Her sister Eleanor is now competing in Junior Ladies though.

 

[Along4theRide]

Some really nice surprises on the entry list for the August qualifier, I hope we will be able to watch. How nice to see Harry Mattick back.

It looks like there are live links to upcoming events on YouTube if you type in British Ice Skating Live, select view channel and then click the live tab. I hope it has sound.

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

I'm very happy to see Harry Mattick listed as competing in singles again at the qualifiers - I always enjoyed his skating, whether as a solo skater or with Lydia in pairs

How nice to see Harry Mattick back.

Funny, I just come across my Word document containing the draft for the Fan Fest for the aborted partnership between him and Zinia Wood. And I was debating whether to re-use that file to be the draft for the new partnership between Zarah Wood and Flavien Giniaux. Because I didn't actually get very far with it last year. (Just the first post for the partnership had been completed. I hadn't even started on the additional posts, which were to be specifically about Harry).

I'd love to see Lydia come back too...

It looks like there are live links to upcoming events on YouTube if you type in British Ice Skating Live, select view channel and then click the live tab. I hope it has sound.

Thank you. I've added the link to my previous post with the other details.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[ladyjane]

Just read that Nina Povey is retiring.

 

[FlossieH]

That is a shame, but not unexpected.

Thank you Nina for everything you have done, and don't stop designing those costumes.