North American Challenge Skate
Encyclopedia
The North American Challenge Skate was a series of annual summer figure skating competitions for American
and Canadian figure skaters on the novice and junior levels. It was a developmental program rather than an elite competition series; the purpose of the program was to give young skaters a chance to compete internationally and hone their skills. The events began in 1996 and consisted of two to four competitions each year, split between the US and Canada. The competitions were jointly sponsored by Skate Canada and the USFSA, rather than being international competitions sanctioned by the International Skating Union
. Skaters competed in four disciplines across the two levels: men's singles
, ladies singles
, pairs
, and ice dance. The competition was also open to invited skaters from Mexico
.
Each federation had its own criteria for team selection.
The series was discontinued after the 2006 events due to budget cuts.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Canadian figure skaters on the novice and junior levels. It was a developmental program rather than an elite competition series; the purpose of the program was to give young skaters a chance to compete internationally and hone their skills. The events began in 1996 and consisted of two to four competitions each year, split between the US and Canada. The competitions were jointly sponsored by Skate Canada and the USFSA, rather than being international competitions sanctioned by the International Skating Union
International Skating Union
The International Skating Union is the international governing body for competitive ice skating disciplines, including figure skating, synchronized skating, speed skating, and short track speed skating. It was founded in Scheveningen, Netherlands in 1892, making it one of the oldest international...
. Skaters competed in four disciplines across the two levels: men's singles
Single skating
Single skating is a discipline of figure skating, wherein a single person skates alone. Men's singles and ladies' singles are both Olympic disciplines and are both governed by the International Skating Union. The other Olympic figure skating events are pair skating and ice dancing...
, ladies singles
Single skating
Single skating is a discipline of figure skating, wherein a single person skates alone. Men's singles and ladies' singles are both Olympic disciplines and are both governed by the International Skating Union. The other Olympic figure skating events are pair skating and ice dancing...
, pairs
Pair skating
Pair skating is a figure skating discipline. International Skating Union regulations describe pair teams as consisting of "one lady and one man." The sport is distinguished from ice dancing and single skating by elements unique to pair skating, including overhead lifts, twist lifts, death spirals,...
, and ice dance. The competition was also open to invited skaters from Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
.
Each federation had its own criteria for team selection.
The series was discontinued after the 2006 events due to budget cuts.