INTERNATIONAL SKATING UNION
DEVELOPMENT Dear Skating Friends, The new year has just begun. I would like to wish you a happy and prosperous 2017 filled with joyful and exciting Skating moments. It is a special year because the ISU is celebrating its 125th anniversary. In 1892, fifteen entrepreneurial men came together in Scheveningen, the Netherlands. These pioneers admired ice skating and created the ISU. We have grown from a handful of Members back then to almost 90 Members from all continents now. Regarding the future, development remains top-priority for the ISU and its Members. In this ISU World message, I would like to focus on the restructured ISU Development Program.
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The ISU has the fundamental role of empowering its Members and developing Skating worldwide across all disciplines and levels. Following a survey among ISU Members, the Council established a new and result-oriented Development Program and a new Development Commission. ISU Communication No. 2052 provides the strategic plan, including goals, principles, strategies and priorities, and the implementation details. The total budget increased from CHF 6.7 million to CHF 8 million. The aim of the Program is to increase the quantity and the quality of Skaters, Coaches and Officials worldwide, and the number of ISU Members able to develop Skaters, who are competitive at ISU Events and the Olympic Winter Games. To realize this, the Program favors, for example, sustainable Projects concerning ‘coaching Coaches’, competitive opportunities in a region, and continuous learning for Officials. Regarding these matters, the ISU encourages ISU Members to collaborate. For instance, ISU Members that have a strong infrastructure and a lot of expertise could help other ISU Members. In this context, we are researching the establishment of ISU Centers of Excellence. A “hub” where scouted talents from different countries can join a training group and have access to excellent training facilities, coaches can be educated by top level Coaches, and seminars and workshops are organized. The updated ISU Development Program is characterized by principles like result-oriented acting, sustainability, transparency, and innovation. Projects should have clear objectives and lasting results. We apply monitoring and evaluation processes that help to improve Project performances and achieve results. Each Project is probed now for its value, rationale and cost-effectiveness before it starts. This year, we will also work on an online ISU Development platform with information about all Projects and tools. Moreover, it is key to explore new ideas and methods (with pilots) instead of purely holding on to what is known. An example is providing opportunities for athletes to make a transition from Inline Skating to ISU disciplines. I would like to invite you to think along with us. The new ISU Members’ Conferences in Rotterdam (NED) and Helsinki (FIN) in March 2017 will provide an excellent opportunity to exchange thoughts and ideas. Development is the main topic along with marketing & promotion. The ISU Development Commission will outline the updated Program and gather input. As noted, we have grown to almost 90 Members in the past 125 years. We have to increase the quality of Members’ activities together to build a strong and successful future for our beloved sport.
Jan Dijkema ISU President GABRIELLA PAPADAKIS / GUILLAUME CIZERON (FRA)
2015 and 2016 European and World Ice Dance Champions from France.
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ISU World is the official newsletter of the International Skating Union Published and produced by ISU, Avenue Juste-Olivier 17, 1006 Lausanne, Switzerland Telephone : +41 21 612 66 66. Facsimile : +41 21 612 66 77. Designed by : moserdesign.ch Front cover photograph : © KNSB - Martin de Jong Photography : © ISU, © IOC / Ian Jones, © KNSB - Martin de Jong
Founded in 1892 in Scheveningen (NED), the ISU celebrates its 125th anniversary in 2017. For this occasion the ISU has created a logo which will be visible at ISU Events throughout the year. Other announcements will be made throughout 2017.
ISU COUNCIL The newly elected ISU Council met in September and October in Geneva (SUI). Having been informed by the Polish Speed Skating Association of their inability to host the ISU European Speed Skating Championships, the Council decided to move the event to Heerenveen (NED). A number of 2018 and 2019 Championships have provisionally been allotted and published on the ISU website including the 2017/18 Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating Series, 2017/18 and 2018/19 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Finals. ISU Conferences for ISU Members will be held on the occasion of the ISU World Short Track Speed Skating Championships 2017 in Rotterdam and the ISU World Figure Skating Championship 2017 in Helsinki. The main topics will be Marketing & Promotion and the ISU Development Program (see ISU Communication 2061).
ISU MEMBER CONFERENCES Figure Skating Branch March 28, 2017 – Helsinki (FIN) Speed Skating Branch March 9, 2017 – Rotterdam (NED) The Council evaluated a new initiative currently called “Ultimate Skating”. A team performance in which teams are comprised of 8 to 10 Skaters from different ISU Figure Skating disciplines, e.g. 2 Pairs, 2 Ice Dance Couples and 4 Single Skaters. The goal is to use not only traditional, but also original, innovative and currently not allowed elements, to create a format being attractive to a young generation of viewers.