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´óÏó´«Ã½ Sounds

Two podcasts are available on ´óÏó´«Ã½ Sounds:

Sporting Witness: Torvill and Dean

In 1984, the British ice skaters Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean entranced the world with their performance of Ravel's Bolero at the Winter Olympics. Torvill and Dean scored a row of perfect 6s and stormed to Olympic gold. They speak to Alex Collins about their world record performance.

Sporting Witness: The First Hijabi Ice Skater

In 2012, Zahra Lari from the UAE, made history by becoming the first figure skater to compete in a hijab. Her routine went well, but the judges deducted points for her headscarf.

´óÏó´«Ã½ Sport

Ice dancers Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson are seeking to win a first British medal at the World Figure Skating Championships since Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean 40 years ago.

Britain's Fear and Gibson, who finished fourth at last year's worlds, are ranked second in the world standings and took silver at the European Championships earlier this year.

Americans Madison Chock and Evan Bates are the defending champions and favourites, while European champions Charlene Guignard and Marco Fabbri of Italy are strong contenders and will be aiming to improve on last year's world silver.

Canadians Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier, world bronze medallists in 2023 and 2021, will also be hoping for another podium on home ice.

Torvill and Dean were the last Britons to win a world figure skating medal when they took ice dance gold in 1984 - the same year they won gold at the Winter Olympics in Sarajevo.

Image source, Getty Images

´óÏó´«Ã½ iPlayer

Thursday, 21 March (21:45-02:00) - ´óÏó´«Ã½ iPlayer, ´óÏó´«Ã½ Sport app and website and Red Button

Friday, 22 March (22:05-02:00) - ´óÏó´«Ã½ iPlayer, ´óÏó´«Ã½ Sport app and website and Red Button

Saturday, 23 March (17:00-02:00) - ´óÏó´«Ã½ iPlayer, ´óÏó´«Ã½ Sport app and website and Red Button

´óÏó´«Ã½ Sport

How do I start?

If you're a beginner you can check out - a 10-stage programme to help get you started.

But what is it?

There's figure skating and speed skating - sports you may have seen at the Winter Olympics. But skating doesn't have to be competitive. You can put on a pair of skates (which you can hire at rinks) and start gliding across the ice. It's best to make sure you can skate in a straight line before you attempt jumps and turns.

Is it for me?

Ice skating is for anybody and easy to learn, whether you just want a bit of fun with friends or are serious about joining a team.

What to expect when I get there?

If you haven't skated before, you might be scared of taking a fall on the ice. But don't worry, most people will take a tumble at some point and you'll be surprised at how quickly your balance will improve.

There's an emphasis on quick foot movement and supple knees, so you'll also improve your flexibility.

The focus on lower-body movement will help build leg muscles.

Concentration is key, so ice skating can be mentally stimulating.

You can start young - is a training programme for pre-school children to enjoy.

is an organisation that is striving to make ice skating accessible, and they have devised a scoring system that allows disadvantaged skaters to compete alongside able-bodied competitors.

´óÏó´«Ã½ Sport

2024 World Figure Skating Championships kicks off in Montreal, showcasing almost 200 of the world’s best skaters across four disciplines: men’s, women’s, pairs, and ice dance.

Figure skaters compete in two performances: a short program of 2 minutes 40 seconds and a 4-minute free program.

The routines are made up of technical elements, each with different scores attached to them. The grading system awards points difficulty and how well they’re executed, as well as for artistry and general skill.

In singles’ competitions, skaters get the most points for jumps and spins. In pairs, the two athletes are scored as a unit for their mastery of jumps, spins, gravity-defying, over-the-head

Originated from ballroom dancing Ice Dance is when skaters gain points for lifts, step sequences, and side-by-side traveling turns called twizzles.