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All guides

Every guide on the site, topic by topic, newest first within each. 37 guides in six topics.

An outdoor rink in snow seen straight down from above
A small child holding an adult's hand on rink ice

Learning to skate

5 guides. First sessions on rental skates, stopping, falling safely, and classes for children and adults.

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  1. Glossary of Key Terms for Youth Skating Coaches and Parents8 min · 18 Sep
  2. Introducing Young Children to Ice Skating: A Parent’s Guide7 min · 15 Sep
  3. Recreational Skating Explained: What Newcomers Should Know7 min · 27 Aug
  4. Learning to Skate as an Adult: Where to Begin7 min · 21 Aug
  5. How to Stop on Ice Skates: A Beginner’s Guide7 min · 15 Aug
Synchronized skaters in a linked spiral, one leaning back almost to the ice

Figure skating

10 guides. Jumps, edges, scoring and programme formats, explained for skaters and parents.

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  1. Why Figure Skating Has Short and Free Programs7 min · 16 Oct
  2. Figure Skating Underrotation: How Jumps Are Judged and Scored10 min · 8 Oct
  3. How Figure Skating Scoring Works: GOE and PCS6 min · 3 Oct
  4. How Major Competitions Drive Figure Skating Growth7 min · 19 Sep
  5. The Dynamics of Edge Control in Figure Skating Blades7 min · 19 Sep
  6. How Mental Preparation Boosts Competitive Figure Skating7 min · 19 Sep
  7. Comparing Ice Dance and Pair Skating: Styles and Scoring13 min · 18 Sep
  8. Key Factors Influencing Figure Skaters’ Consistency7 min · 18 Sep
  9. Figure Skating at the Winter Olympics: A Short History7 min · 8 Sep
  10. Figure Skating Jumps Explained: From the Axel to the Lutz14 min · 4 Aug
Young hockey players in green and white gathered at the boards

Ice hockey

7 guides. Rules, positions, and how youth and adult recreational hockey is organised.

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  1. Olympic Ice Hockey Venues: Rink Size, Ice and the Arenas5 min · 23 Sep
  2. How Does Altitude Affect Performance in Ice Hockey and6 min · 23 Sep
  3. How Analytics Transforms Ice Hockey Player Development7 min · 22 Sep
  4. How Technology Advances Ice Hockey Officiating and Fairness7 min · 13 Sep
  5. How Adult Recreational Hockey Leagues Are Organized7 min · 3 Sep
  6. Offside and Icing: How Ice Hockey’s Trickiest Rules Work10 min · 28 Jul
  7. Ice Hockey Positions Explained: Who Does What on the Ice8 min · 22 Jul
An outdoor city rink with a resurfacer laying fresh ice at the far end

Rinks & ice

6 guides. How rink ice is made, kept and resurfaced, and why it feels fast or slow.

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  1. Why Indoor Ice Rinks Fog Up7 min · 13 Oct
  2. Public Skating: What It Means and Where to Skate8 min · 8 Oct
  3. What Makes an Ice Arena Competition-Ready?7 min · 30 Sep
  4. Why Some Rinks Stay Fast and Others Get Sloppy8 min · 29 Sep
  5. Why Arena Ice Quality Changes Fast8 min · 28 Sep
  6. Understanding Wintersport Ice Sports Arenas: Design, Use7 min · 23 Sep
A pair of old white figure skates standing in snow

Gear

3 guides. Skates, fit, blades and protective kit: what to buy first and how it should fit.

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  1. Equipment Essentials and Upgrades for Adult Hockey Players8 min · 19 Sep
  2. Troubleshooting Common Hockey Skate Fit and Comfort Issues13 min · 18 Sep
  3. How to Choose Your First Pair of Figure Skates7 min · 10 Aug
A girls' ice hockey final seen from high in the stands

Competitions explained

6 guides. Start lists, tiebreaks, appeals, and how judged sports reach a result.

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  1. Choosing Seats at an Ice Hockey or Figure Skating Event6 min · 19 Oct
  2. How Competition Tiebreakers Work When Athletes Tie7 min · 17 Oct
  3. How Winter-Sports Jury Decisions Are Appealed7 min · 12 Oct
  4. How to Read Winter-Sports Start Lists and Results8 min · 6 Oct
  5. How to Play Curling: Rules and Scoring7 min · 3 Oct
  6. Understanding the Curling Hammer: Design, Use, and Strategy7 min · 23 Sep