NSWISA was delighted to see the inaugural NSW Artistic Championships hosted by Liverpool Catholic Club Ice Skating Club after the event's cancellation in 2020 due to Covid-19. It was terrific to see skaters performing in this culmination of the Artistic Season and this has created excitement and anticipation for the Technical Season ahead. We are excited to see those skaters who participated in the Artistic competitions put their refined skills to work in the upcoming events. We're sure the focus you put on this aspect of your skating will result in some fantastic programs and improved Program Component Scores! NSWISA also unveiled our new medal design for the Championship, and this change was well received by the recipients. Thank you to LCCISC, officials and the volunteers who made this event a wonderful celebration of skating.
GETTING READY FOR TECHNICAL COMPETITIONS
Having said "see you later" to our Artistic Season, we are heading very rapidly towards the Technical Season. Part of the preparation for every competition is ensuring your skates are well maintained and checked before the event. Over the years we've seen many boot & blade issues interrupt performances. The most famous was probably Tonya Harding's broken lace during the 1994 Lillehammer Olympics. Since then the rules have changed and there are now big deductions if things go wrong with skaters' equipment. Before competitions always check your screws are tight and secure and your laces aren't damaged. At the competition, make sure your laces are securely tied and tucked in or taped. Even if your laces are tied tightly, don't risk big loops or tails dangling around as they may catch on your blades or other boot. Removing any possibility of anything going wrong will make for a safer and smoother competition experience.
What to do if something goes wrong with your skates during the performance
While everyone always hopes nothing will go wrong with their equipment, sometimes things happen! When these unforeseen events happen, it is important that the safety of the skater is prioritised. There is obviously a safety concern should a blade fall off or lace come undone, and if this were to happen, there are two options for skaters depending on the circumstance.
Option 1 - If the adverse condition can be remedied without delay, the competitor does not need to report to the Referee and the music continues to play. If the competitor resumes skating the program after 10 seconds, the Referee will apply a deduction of 1 mark for every 10 seconds or part thereof that the skater wasn't performing. If the competitor does not resume skating program within 40 seconds, the music will stop playing and the skater shall be considered withdrawn.
Option 2 - If the adverse condition cannot be remedied without delay, the competitor must report to the Referee within 40 seconds and the Referee will allow an additional period of 3 minutes for the competitor to fix the issue and resume skating. The music will be stopped and the program can be recommenced from the point of interruption. A deduction of 5 marks will be applied.
An interruption is defined as the period of time starting immediately when the competitor stops performing the program or is ordered to do so by the Referee, whichever is earlier, and ending when the skater resumes the performance. Only one resumption per program is allowed after an interruption due to an adverse condition related to a competitor or their equipment. In case of a second interruption due to such an adverse condition the competitor shall be considered withdrawn.
There are many videos on YouTube which will help with competition preparation, but most importantly give yourself plenty of time before you step onto the ice to make any adjustments that may be required. The below infographic is an example of one of the many resources available online.
BOARD MATTERS
Members gathered virtually on Tuesday 20th April for the Annual General Meeting. The 2020 Annual Report can be found here. At this meeting the Special Resolution to update the NSWISA Constitution was also passed. Thank you to all Members who attended the meeting.
NSWISA would like to welcome Megan Currie to the Board. NSWISA is grateful to Susanne Bragge and Alastair Furnival who will return to the Board in their roles as Board Member and Treasurer respectively.
Your dedicated Board for 2021 is: Rebecca Andrew - President Alastair Furnival - Treasurer Peter Jones - Secretary Susanne Bragge - Board Member Megan Currie - Board Member Joanna Miller - Board Member Jennifer Peak - Board Member
REGISTERING FOR EVENTS
The roll out of the new membership platform is underway and competition entries are now being managed via the Assemble Sports Platform. As there are many divisions in our competitions, the options that users are presented with can be overwhelming.
Acknowledging this, Assemble Sports have created a filter (located to the right of the search button) to make it easier select the appropriate division. This will drastically reduce the number of options available and help reduce any confusion in registering.
The platform will be continually enhanced, with the addition of music and PPC uploads via the registration system being expected soon. As always, please contact nswisa@nswisa.com if you have any queries.
ISA ONLINE COMPETITION - APRIL
43 NSWISA skaters will participate in the ISA Online Benchmark competition at HISS, LCC, PIP, Ice Zoo and in locations overseas. Thank you to the Clubs and Rinks who have been able to accommodate this event at such short notice to give our skaters another opportunity to compete.
Good luck to all our NSWISA skaters. Results will be announced by ISA on 15 May, 2021.
2 x $25 VOUCHERS TO BE USED AT RINKS FOR ADULTS
The NSW Government has launched Dine & Discover NSW to encourage the community to get out and about, supporting dining, arts and tourism businesses and stimulating spending in the economy. NSW residents aged 18 years and over can apply for 2 x $25 Discover NSW Vouchers. These can be used at recreation facilities such as ice rinks. The vouchers are valid until 30 June 2021.
Be sure to contact the rink prior to attending to confirm whether the rink is accepting the vouchers.
ISU WORLD FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS
The ISU World Figure Skating Championships were held in Sweden from 22nd March to 28 March. It was great to see our NSWISA representative and Olympian, Kailani Craine compete on the world stage again. We were so sad that NSWISA's Brendan Kerry was unable to skate due to injury and we wish him a speedy recovery. As the 2022 Olympics loom closer, we wish both Brendan & Kailani the best of luck in their preparations for the qualifying competition.
VOLUNTEERING
No event can be held without the efforts of our volunteers. Through volunteering, our skating families are able to connect with others who share the same interest and passion for the sport. We are fortunate that we have a very dedicated volunteer group, however, we are always looking for more volunteers to ease the workload of our regular volunteers at events. NSWISA requires its volunteers to have a WWCC number to ensure that our sport is prioritising the safety of our young people. A WWCC number lasts for a period of 5 years and can be applied for at Service NSW.
In order to verify the status of a volunteer, the organising committees will need the surname, the WWCC number and the date of birth of each volunteer. Having this information handy will make the preparations much easier for the organisers of events and will ensure that our sport will be providing a safe environment for our skaters.
NSWISA SOCIALS
Stay connected with the NSWISA community for support and information on the NSWISA Instagram and Facebook pages. To keep up to date with our skaters, use the following link https://instagram.com/nsw_isa?r=nametag or you can use the following QR code. Also, don't forget to tag us in your posts!
