Youth tournament, shot on goal.
WinterSport is an independent guide to ice sports: learning to skate, figure skating, youth and adult hockey, rinks, gear and how competitions work.
Learn to skate 
, follow figure skating 
, understand youth and adult hockey 
, know why rink ice 
feels fast or slow, buy the right first skates 
and read a result sheet 
like an official.
37 guides in six topics, written by the editorial desk and checked against rulebooks, coaching manuals and makers' specifications.
See every guide
Choosing Seats at an Ice Hockey or Figure Skating Event6 min
A wintersport arena seat that suits hockey may hide skating details or flatten a snow-event course. Compare sightlines before choosing a section.
Competitions explained
How Competition Tiebreakers Work When Athletes Tie7 min
A tie can be settled by a sport-specific rule, a ranked sequence of criteria or shared honours. Here’s how to read the official outcome.
Competitions explained
Why Figure Skating Has Short and Free Programs7 min
The short program tests required elements under tight constraints; the free skate adds time and creative room. Their scores combine into one result.
Figure skating
Why Indoor Ice Rinks Fog Up7 min
Wintersport ice can fog when warm, moisture-laden air meets a colder rink surface. Learn how ventilation, temperature and visibility interact.
Rinks & ice
How Winter-Sports Jury Decisions Are Appealed7 min
Who may challenge a competition ruling, what evidence matters and why some calls are final depend on the sport’s published rules—not one universal appeal proces
Competitions explained
Public Skating: What It Means and Where to Skate8 min
Wintersport ice usually means public skating, but hours and entry rules vary. Check registration, session times, admission and skate hire before you go.
Rinks & ice
Figure Skating Underrotation: How Jumps Are Judged and Scored10 min
Underrotation in figure skating is judged at the landing, but take-off direction, rotation in the air and camera angle can obscure how much of a turn is complet
Figure skating
How to Read Winter-Sports Start Lists and Results8 min
Check the official start list for bib numbers and start times, then read results in the context of the format. Alpine reversals can change who starts first.
Competitions explained
A sharpened blade isn't flat. It's ground into a shallow groove that leaves two edges, and the radius of that groove decides how much you bite and how far you glide. Two questions give you a starting point to ask your sharpener for.
1/2 in radius of hollow
Radius 12.7 mm, groove depth 0.10 mm
Rental and recreational skates are usually ground at 1/2 in. A flatter hollow glides further but feels less sure on turns.
Each topic opens with its newest guides. The full list of every guide, topic by topic, is one click away.
Each guide starts from rulebooks, coaching manuals and makers' specifications, then gets checked against what happens on real ice. The desk corrects mistakes in the open: see the editorial policy.
No scores, no transfer gossip, no paid placements. No skate or stick brand pays for a word, and nothing here is an advert. More about WinterSport.
We use cookies for analytics to understand how visitors use the site. Accept, reject, or choose which categories to allow.
