Ice skating legend Robin Cousins says UK is ‘open and ready’ to host world class figure skating competitions

Ice skating legend Robin Cousins says the UK has told international ice skating authorities that it is "open and ready" to host major championships with a variety of venues available - including in Scotland.

Olympic gold medallist Robin Cousins says the UK is ready to host more major figure skating championships.

The president of sporting body British Ice Skating told The Scotsman that the success of this week's first-ever UK-based Grand Prix, the John Wilson Trophy in Sheffield, was the beginning of what he hopes will become regular international events in the UK - adding that the federation "has its eye" on hosting a World Championships before 2030. The last World Championships to be held in the UK was in Birmingham in 1995.

Mr Cousins, who won gold at the Olympics in 1980 and was a former judge on Dancing on Ice, said he could see Glasgow’s Hydro as a possible venue for major figure skating events.

He said: “We have made it very clear to the International Skating Union (ISU) that we are very interested and we are going for it. We have our eye on a date to host Worlds (the World Figure Skating Championships) before 2030.”

He added: “We have the chance to hold events at a few venues around the UK. Why not in Scotland? The Hydro could work as a venue.”

Last month, Sheffield was allocated as a host for the European Figure Skating Championships in 2026.

Scottish figure skaters also called for more events to be held on home ice.

Ice dancer Lewis Gibson, from Prestwick, who won the sliver medal at the John Wilson Trophy at the weekend with his partner Lilah Fear, said: “If the UK could host another Grand Prix, or a Worlds, that would be great.

"An international event in Scotland would be an extra layer of special, because there would be so many people who I have grown up around who would be able to attend.”

Dundee British women’s champion Natasha McKay said: “I hope this is the beginning for more competitions in the UK.”

The John Wilson Trophy is the first major competition to take place in the UK since the European Figure Skating Championships in 2012 – and the first ever Grand Prix series event in Britain.