Adult figure skating

Adult figure skating is a term used by skating organizations to refer to tests and competitions for amateur ice skaters over 21. The category was originally aimed at skaters who had taken up the sport as adults, but more recently has expanded to include adult skaters performing and competing at an 'elite' level (Adult Masters), many of whom had skated competitively as children or adolescents. Adults who are learning to skate without prior experience are also included. In addition, a "Young Adult" category (ages 18 – 20) has been added to many Adult events.

In 2011, figure skating historian James R. Hines called adult figure skating "one of the newest and fastest growing areas of competitive figure skating".[1]

United States

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US Figure Skating was the earliest sport governing body to codify tests and competition standards for adult skating.

Adult freeskate tests were introduced in the mid-1996s, and adult moves in the field (MITF) tests followed in 2002.

Testing

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Standard track tests are open to skaters of any age, but because adults who take up skating have more limitations than young beginners, the U.S. Figure Skating introduced special tests for this category. The tests have roughly the same elements as the standard track Pre-Preliminary through Juvenile, but with a more relaxed judging standard and some moves rearranged.

There are both moves in the field and freeskate tests at the following levels:

Adult Test Level Standard Test 'Equivalent'
Adult Pre-Bronze Pre-Preliminary
Adult Bronze Preliminary
Adult Silver Pre-Juvenile
Adult Gold Juvenile
Skaters who wish to continue beyond Gold may switch to the
standard test track beginning with Intermediate moves in the field*.

Skaters must pass the moves in the field test before testing the corresponding freeskate test.

There is also an adult component to ice dancing and pair skating tests.

Beginning with the pre-bronze dances, adult skaters may switch to the adult track (age 21+) or masters track (age 50+).

  • Effective September 2, 2010, USFS has added an adult test track to Intermediate - Senior moves in the field tests. The patterns in these tests are identical to standard tests, however, the tester is marked on a lower passing average.

Adult and masters dance tests are identical to standard tests, but do not require the tester to also perform a solo pattern of the dance, and the tester is marked on a lower passing average. Preliminary dances are tested standard track.

Adult Pairs tests are the Adult Bronze, Adult Silver and Adult Gold.

Competitions

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The first adult figure skating competition in the U.S. was held in 1995.[1]

For competitions, skaters are grouped in events by age. (The age groups may be merged depending on the number of entries). In May 2014, the age ranges in US Figure Skating were changed to the following:

Age Classification Age Range
I 21–35 years old
II 36–45 years old
III 46–55 years old
IV 56–65 years old
V 66+ years old

Many Adult events now include a "Young Adult" category for skaters from 18 – 20 years old.

U.S. Figure Skating has four official adult competitions: Eastern, Midwestern, and Pacific Coast Sectionals, and the U.S. Adult Championships (Adult Nationals). Adult Sectionals offer qualifying events called "Championship," which are required events for skaters attempting to qualify to compete in the Championship events at Adult Nationals. The top four skaters in each Championship event qualify for the Championship event at Nationals. Other non-qualifying (open) events are also held at Sectionals. Prior to the creation of Sectionals in the late 1990s, adult skaters had their events at standard regional competitions.

The U.S. Adult Championships includes the Championship events, as well as open Adult level events (Bronze through Gold) and Masters level events (Intermediate through Senior). Along with the freeskate events, pairs, dance, solo dance, and showcase events are held. The Showcase events are split between Artistic/Dramatic and Light Entertainment for each level. All Championship and Gold or higher events are scored using the ISU Judging System. All other events, including Showcase, are scored with the 6.0 judging system.

Skaters who have passed the standard track Intermediate freeskate or 2nd figure test must compete at the Masters level (Intermediate, Novice, Junior and Senior level skaters). Masters levels include: Masters Intermediate, Masters Novice, Masters Junior, Masters Senior, Championship Intermediate/Novice, and Championship Junior/Senior.

List of US Adult Figure Skating Championships

Year Location Dates Results
2024 Cleveland, OH April 3-6, 2024
2023 Salt Lake City, UT April 12-15, 2023
2022 Newark, DE April 6–9, 2022
2021 Rochester, MI June 23–26, 2021 [1]
2020 Newark, DE April 14–18, 2020 Canceled
2019 Salt Lake City, UT April 3–6, 2019 [2]
2018 Marlborough, MA April 11–14, 2018 [3]
2017 Wake Forest, NC[2] April 18–22, 2017 [4]
2016 Ann Arbor, MI[3] April 5–9, 2016 [5]
2015 Salt Lake City, UT[4] April 14–18, 2015 [6]
2014 Hyannis, MA[5] April 8–12, 2014 [7]
2013 Scottsdale, AZ[6] April 9–13, 2013 [8]
2012 Bensenville (Chicago), IL[7] April 10–14, 2012 [9]
2011 Salt Lake City, UT [8] April 12–16, 2011 [10]
2010 Bloomington, MN [9] April 13–17, 2010 [11]
2009 Grand Rapids, MI[10] April 22 - 15, 2009 [12]
2008 Lake Placid, NY[11] April 9–12, 2008 [13]
2007 Bensenville (Chicago), IL[12] April 11–14, 2007 [14]
2006 Dallas, TX[13] March 29 - April 1, 2006 [15]
2005 Overland Park, KS[14] April 13–16, 2005 [16]
2004 Lake Placid, NY[15] April 14–18, 2004 [17]
2003 Ann Arbor, MI[16] April 9–12, 2003 [18]
2002 Ann Arbor, MI[17] April 3–6, 2002 [19]
2001 Marlborough, MA April 25–29, 2001
2000 Lake Placid, NY [18] April 13–16, 2000 Highlights
1999 Ann Arbor, MI [19] April 8–11, 1999
1998 Oakland, CA April 16–19, 1998
1997 Lake Placid, NY April 17–20, 1997 Highlights
1996 Lake Placid, NY April 18–21, 1996 Highlights
1995 Wilmington, DE April 20–23, 1995

Several clubs host all-adult competitions throughout the skating year. These include:

Competition Location Club First Held Usually Held
Neal Wood Memorial Open[20] Hershey, PA Hershey FSC August
Peach Classic[21] Duluth, GA (near Atlanta) Georgia FSC 1997 September
Halloween Classic [22] Aston, PA (near Philadelphia) IceWorks SC 2004 November
New Year's Invitational [23] Ashburn, VA (near D.C.) Washington FSC 2002 January or February
Deborah Burgoyne North American Invitational [24] Wyandotte, MI (near Detroit) Wyandotte FSC 2003 February

Many clubs include Adult events in their standard track competitions.

There are also some other lists that are kept of the upcoming all adult competitions

Canada

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Adult skating in Canada did not have a national event until Skate Canada started the first Canadian adult championships in March 2004. The first Skate Canada Adult Championships were held in Burnaby, BC. In 2007 Calgary hosted the Championships with just over 120 competitors in ladies freeskate, men's freeskate, ladies interpretive, men's interpretive, compulsory dances, freedance and pairs. The CPC (Cumulative Points Calculation) scoring method used is similar to the ISU system, with adjustments for STARskaters and AdultSkaters. The CPC also has a method of recording marks for interpretive programs.

Competitors do not have to qualify to enter the championship as the competition is still new and the numbers applying are not high enough to warrant preselection.

Canadian adult skaters take the same tests as juvenile StarSkaters (there are no adult tests). The levels of competition are Adult Bronze (preliminary), Adult Silver (Junior Bronze), Adult Gold (Senior Bronze), Masters Novice (Junior Silver), Masters Junior (Senior Silver) and Masters Senior (Gold) Due to the small number of skaters at the Masters level, Masters Skaters usually get grouped together in competition. Interpretive skating starts in Pre-Introductory, Introductory, Bronze, Silver and Gold. Dance has Preliminary, Junior Bronze, Senior Bronze, Junior Silver, Senior Silver, Gold and Diamond levels in compulsory dances. Currently Freedance is an open event. Pairs is also an open event due to low enrollments.

Some Canadian adult skaters compete in the US and/or overseas; Germany, France, Russia, Switzerland and Estonia.

International Competitions

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There are also some other lists that are kept of the upcoming all adult competitions

Inter-club

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Several clubs host annual adult-only competitions attended by skaters from several countries. These competitions use similar levels and age ranges as those used in the U.S. They include:

Competition Location Club First Held Usually Held
Le Coupe de la Montagne (The Mountain Cup)[1] Villard-de-Lans, France Club de danse sur glace
Villard-de-Lans 		1999 May or June
Vana Tallinn Trophy Tallinn, Estonia SC Põhjatäht 2004 May or June
Peach Classic[21] Duluth, GA, USA Georgia FSC 1997 September
Dune of Flanders Cup (Coupe des Dunes de Flandres) Dunkerque, France Dunkerque Patinage 2000 November/December
French Cup (Coupe de France) France FFSG (French ice skating federation) 2007 March/April
Druids Cup (Coupe des Druides) France rolling ? January

The French Cup is a non-qualifying event, open to international skaters. The first competition took place in Le Havre, then Bordeaux, and Limoges. In 2010, it will take place in Besançon.

ISU

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The International Skating Union held the first ISU International Adult Figure Skating Competition in Oberstdorf, Germany June 10–12, 2005. The ISU event has slightly different age ranges than used in the other adult-only competitions. The minimum age is 28 and the maximum age is 71, new class was introduced for skaters over 71.

ISU Adult Age Classification Age Range
I 28–37 years old
II 38–47 years old
III 48–57 years old
IV 58–71 years old
V 72 years old and older

List of ISU Adult Competitions with links to results

Year Location Dates Results
2024 Oberstdorf, Germany May 12–17, 2024 [20]
2023 Oberstdorf, Germany May 15–20, 2023 [21]
2022 Oberstdorf, Germany May 23–28, 2022 [22]
2021 Oberstdorf, Germany Nov 8–13, 2021 (event cancelled due to coronavirus outbreak)
2020 Oberstdorf, Germany May 17–23, 2020 (event cancelled due to coronavirus outbreak)
2019 Oberstdorf, Germany May 19–25, 2019 [23]
2018 Oberstdorf, Germany May 14–19, 2018 [24]
2017 Vancouver, Canada August 21–26, 2017 [25]
2017 Oberstdorf, Germany May 22–27, 2017 [26]
2016 Vancouver, Canada August 28 - Sept. 2, 2016 [27]
2016 Oberstdorf, Germany June 13–18, 2016 [28]
2015 Oberstdorf, Germany May 18–23, 2015 [29]
2014 Oberstdorf, Germany May 27 - June 1, 2014 [30]
2013 Oberstdorf, Germany May 15–18, 2013 [31]
2012 Oberstdorf, Germany May 22–26, 2012 [32]
2011 Oberstdorf, Germany June 8–11, 2011 [33]
2010 Oberstdorf, Germany May 19–22, 2010 [34]
2009 Oberstdorf, Germany May 28–31, 2009 [35]
2008 Oberstdorf, Germany May 29 - June 1, 2008 [36]
2007 Oberstdorf, Germany May 24–27, 2007 [37]
2006 Oberstdorf, Germany June 1–3, 2006 [38]
2005 Oberstdorf, Germany June 10–12, 2005 [39]

References

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  1. ^ a b c Hines, James R. (2011). Historical Dictionary of Figure Skating. Lanham, Maryland: Scarecrow Press. p. xxxi. ISBN 978-0-8108-6859-5.
  2. ^ "2017 U.S. Adult Figure Skating Championships | icenetwork.com: Your home for figure skating and speed skating". Archived from the original on 2018-01-13. Retrieved 2018-01-13.
  3. ^ "Home". usadultfigureskatingchampionships.com.
  4. ^ 2015 US Adult Nationals Archived July 10, 2014, at the Wayback Machine
  5. ^ "2014 US Adult Nationals". Archived from the original on 2013-09-23.
  6. ^ "2013 US Adult Nationals". Archived from the original on 2014-11-29.
  7. ^ "2012 US Adult Nationals". Archived from the original on 2012-04-09.
  8. ^ "2011 US Adult Nationals". Archived from the original on 2010-12-27.
  9. ^ "2010 US Adult Nationals". Archived from the original on 2011-06-13.
  10. ^ "2009 US Adult Nationals". Archived from the original on 2009-10-07.
  11. ^ "2008 US Adult Nationals". Archived from the original on 2009-06-08.
  12. ^ "2007 US Adult Nationals". Archived from the original on 2009-11-11.
  13. ^ "2006 US Adult Nationals". Archived from the original on 2009-09-27.
  14. ^ "2005 US Adult Nationals". Archived from the original on 2009-09-08.
  15. ^ "2004 US Adult Nationals". Archived from the original on 2009-06-28.
  16. ^ "2003 US Adult Nationals". Archived from the original on 2009-09-28.
  17. ^ "2002 US Adult Nationals". Archived from the original on 2009-09-27.
  18. ^ 2000 US Adult Nationals Archived September 8, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
  19. ^ "1999 US Adult Nationals". Archived from the original on 2009-09-08.
  20. ^ "Wood Open".
  21. ^ a b Georgia FSC – Peach Classic News
  22. ^ IceWorks Skating Club
  23. ^ Washington Figure Skating Club – Home Page
  24. ^ Adult Skater's Focus
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