Figure Skate - History

History

Ice skates have a history dating back thousands of years, originating in Scandinavia among other cold North European regions in 3000 BC. Amongst the several inventions up until today, the first development of ice skates were made out of bone. 'Bone skates' were typically gathered using bones found from animals such as horses and cows, but more commonly in horses. Depending on the size of the skater's feet, different types of bones were used to match the length of their shoes. In order for the bone to attach to the skater's shoe, leather straps were strung through holes that were pierced horizontally into the bone and fastened to the skater's feet. During the thirteenth and fourteenth century, the first wooden skates with metal blades were made. This has effectively evolved from bone skates, as wood was easy to work with and metal lasted longer. Within the 15th to 18th century, the skates were used with the same material but were much lighter with longer blades which allowed for controlled balance. During the 19th century, ice skates have modernized to allow for even more control and safer travelling. Figure skates are now manufactured with extreme precision, as they are now used in competitive sports. Blades are specifically designed to include various types of toe picks that allow for skaters to reach new heights for jumps and spins, depending on the skater’s level.

Specific figure skates were created in response to the rise of figure skating's popularity in the 19th century, coinciding with the beginnings of formalized competitions such as the World Figure Skating Championships. The name "figure" skating arises from the compulsory portion of the competition, dropped in the 1990s, requiring skaters to trace out precise figures on the ice, including perfect figure 8 circles.