Figure skating Grand Prix competition to be held in UK for first time

A major figure skating championships is to be held in the UK for the first time after the International Skating Union was forced to re-allocate it from China due to Covid rules.

Scottish ice dancer Lewis Gibson and Lilah Fear will be allocated two Grand Prix.

An International Grand Prix of Figure Skating event - one of six in the annual series - is to be held in Sheffield in November.

The events, which are open to athletes who qualify through seeding based on performance in the previous season - as well as some through invitation-only - are attended by the top figure skaters from around the world, in men and womens singles, pair skating and ice dance.

Scottish ice dancer Lewis Gibson and his partner Lilah Fear, who are currently ranked sixth in the world, are likely to compete in at least two Grand Prix events this year, though it is not yet known if the Sheffield competition will be one of them.

Previously, Grand Prix competitions were held in the US, Canada, Japan, France, Russia and China - however two competitions have had to be reallocated this year due to Covid restrictions in China and the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Currently, Russian skaters are banned from taking part in ISU events. The competition moved from Russia will be held in Finland.

A final of the competitors in the Grand Prix series is held every year at the end of the season, featuring the top six qualifiers in each discipline.

IceSheffield, which will host the competition from 11 to 13 November, has previously hosted competitions in the Junior Grand Prix series, but has not hosted a senior level Grand Prix competition before.