2011 - 2012 Figure Skating Season - Competitions preview:

Video:
http://youtu.be/DMM_r2ss1Zw

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2011 - 2012 Figure Skating Season:

The 2011--2012 figure skating season begins on July 1, 2011, and ends on June 30, 2012. During this season, elite skaters will compete on the ISU Championship level at the 2012 European, Four Continents, World Junior, and World Championships. They will also compete in elite events such as the Grand Prix series and Junior Grand Prix series, culminating in the Grand Prix Final.

Competitions Calendar:

August 24 - 28, 2011 - Asian Trophy
September 1 - 3, 2011 - JGP Volvo Cup
September 8-10, 2011 - JGP Brisbane
September 15 - 17, 2011 - JGP Baltic Cup
September 21 - 24, 2011 - Nebelhorn Trophy
September 22 - 24, 2011 - JGP Brasov Cup
Sept 28 - Oct 2, 2011 - Ondrej Nepela Memorial
Sept 29 - Oct 1, 2011 - JGP Cup of Austria
October 6 - 8, 2011 - JGP Trofeo W. Lombardi
October 6 - 9, 2011 - Finlandia Trophy
October 13 -15, 2011 - JGP Tallinn Cup
October 21 - 23, 2011 - Skate America
October 26 - 30, 2011 -Coupe Intern. de Nice
October 27 - 30, 2011 - Skate Canada
November 1 - 6, 2011 - Ice Challenge
November 4 - 6, 2011 - NRW Trophy (Ice dance)
November 4 - 6, 2011 - Cup of China
November 11 - 13, 2011 - NHK Trophy
November 18 - 20, 2011 - Trophée Eric Bompard
November 25 - 27, 2011 - Cup of Russia
Nov 29 - Dec 4, 2011 - NRW Trophy(Singles/Pairs)
December 8 - 11, 2011 - Junior Grand Prix Final
December 8 - 11, 2011 - Grand Prix Final
December 16-18, 2011 - French Championships
December 25-29, 2011 - Russian Championships
December 22 - 25, 2011 Japan Championships
January 6 - 7, 2012 German Championships
January 16 - 22, 2012 - Canadian Championships
January 22--29, 2012 - U.S. Championships
January 23--29, 2012 - European Championships
February 1 - 4, 2012 - Russian JR Championships
February 7 - 12, 2012 - Four Continents Championships
February 14 - 17, 2012 - JR Winter Youth Olympics
February 27 - March 4, 2012 - World JR Championships
March 26 - April 1, 2012 - World Championships
April 2012 - 2012 World Team Trophy

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FIGURE SKATING

Figure skating is an Olympic sport in which individuals, pairs, or groups perform spins, jumps, footwork and other intricate and challenging moves on ice. Figure skaters compete at various levels from beginner up to the Olympic level (senior), and at local, national, and international competitions. The International Skating Union (ISU) regulates international figure skating judging and competitions. Figure skating is an official event in the Winter Olympic Games. In languages other than English, figure skating is usually referred to by a name that translates as "artistic skating".

Major international competitions are sanctioned by the ISU. These include the Winter Olympic Games, the World Championships, the World Junior Figure Skating Championships, the European Figure Skating Championships, the Four Continents Figure Skating Championships, and the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating.

The sport is also associated with show-business. Major competitions generally include exhibitions at the end in which the top-placing skaters perform for the crowd by showing off their various skills. Many skaters, both during and after their competitive careers, also skate in ice skating exhibitions or shows which run during the competitive season and the off-season.

ARTISTIC ROLLER SKATING

The sport is very similar to ice figure skating. There is some crossover between the two sports. Ice skaters such as Tara Lipinski and MARINA KIELMANN competed in both. However, roller figure skating is often mistakenly considered to be more difficult because the ice allows the skater to draw a deep, solid edge to push off from when performing jumps such as a lutz or an axel, however the edge is harder to balance on for beginner skaters, and more complex issues can occur for elite-level skaters. On roller skates it is not possible to use the same kind of deep edge in that context, because it will confuse in the rotation, making it difficult to land properly.

INLINE FIGURE SKATING:

Inline figure skating began as an off-ice training alternative for ice figure skaters. The International Roller Sports Federation (FIRS) has recognized it as artistic roller skating on inline skates and includes inline figure skating freestyle competitions at its world championships. Most of the participants are quad/inliners. On the other hand some ice figure skating member federations such as the ISU recognize the value of inline figure skating as off-ice training and many ice figure skating coaches have become qualified and certified ice/inline figure skating and dance coaches.

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