Sk8scotland is delighted to announce to members throughout Scotland, that an exciting new project to encourage skaters with all categories of disability or impairment to participate in the sport, has recently received the full support of the ISU. In a letter to the project’s founder, Margarita Sweeney-Baird, David Dore, 1st Vice President of the ISU said:

“It goes without saying that the members of the Council have great interest in this field of skating. I believe in your report you have put everything into complete perspective, allowing all of us to comprehend the situation. Therefore, the ISU remains quite supportive of your continuing efforts and feels that this should become an important program activity of the skating world in the future. You should continue your efforts in supporting disabled skating in the world. To this end we agree that your participation and activity as outlined in the near future for 2012, should be pursued as you outlined”.

Plans are already well advanced for the first ever Impaired Skating Championship to be held in Dumfries on 12-13th May 2012, where the full system will be tested. The event has already been recognised by Special Olympics GB, and as this event will also be the first ever British Special Olympics Championships, should the application for a quota from GB be successful the skaters participating in the Dumfries event will be selected by Special Olympics GB to go to the World Special Olympics in Pyong Chang in Korea in 2013. This initiative is the first step in a programme aimed at getting ice skating recognised as a full Paralympic sport.

Impaired Skating aims to offer Learn to Skate programmes with “badge courses” as well as competition and Championship events for skaters with all categories of disability – blind, deaf, physical or intellectual. All disciplines will be involved including singles, ice dance, speed skating and even Impaired Synchro Team skating.

For full details about Impaired Skating go to the Impaired Skating website  and find out more. Parents and Coaches – if you know of skaters in your club or rink who may have a disability and might be interested in getting involved, or even competing in Dumfries, please get them to check out the Impaired Skating website.

Sk8scotland is fully supportive of this Impaired Skating programme and is working with Impaired Skating to develop the system. Several Sk8scotland Board Directors are also Trustees of the Impaired Skating Charity.