Press Release 22 May 2012
The First Impaired Skating inter Club competition for skaters from was successfully held in Dumfries on May 12th and 13th and was featured in a news report on the BBC News.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-18036979
Press Release 8 March 2012
Another important Sporting event in 2012
Impaired Skating Inter Club Competition for skaters from all over the world
Impaired Skating has announced the dates for the first ever Impaired Skating Competition and launch their campaign to sign up competitors for the event.
The first inter club competition organised by Impaired Skating has been supported and encouraged by the National Ice Skating Association of UK (NISA), SK8Scotland and numerous other Federations around the World.
The inaugural event will take place on May 12/13th in Dumfries, Scotland at the Dumfries Ice Bowl. Athletes from over 70 countries have been invited and it is hoped that impaired skaters from across the globe will come together to compete and exhibit their skating skills to the World. There are already entries and enquiries from countries such as Canada and Russia.
The competition will offer events in all categories of skating including figure, dance, speed skating, and there is even a demonstration synchronized skating event! Special Olympics GB has also recognised the Dumfries event as the very first British Special Olympics Figure Skating Championships, and there will be 4 places up for selection to the Great Britain team to compete at the Special Olympics World Winter Games in South Korea in 2013.
For those of you who use a wheelchair, we also have events for you, even if you have never been on the ice before! We have a number of highly manoeuvrable ice sledges enabling non-ambulant athletes to race by propelling themselves along with short sticks. We can assure you it will be loads of fun!
Karen Titmus, Impaired Skating, adds “Our objective is to develop ice skating as a sport for all. We want to develop a programme of events and competitions that will include all skaters with impairment and encourage ice skaters in the UK and across the world. We want competitive skating to be available for all and our aim is to raise awareness of impaired skaters and their abilities.”
Karen adds, “With sport currently in the forefront of peoples minds with this years Olympic and Paralympic Games, we feel it is the perfect time for ice rinks to get on board and become more involved in the sport we all love and where British skaters often excel by opening up more events to impaired skaters.”
Our grateful thanks go to Sk8 Scotland, Dumfries and Galloway Council and Dumfries Ice bowl for their support with this project
For further information please check our website www.impairedskating.org and if you are already skating, or taking lessons talk to your coach