subclass_of pair skating
Figure skates are a ___MASK78___ of ___MASK87___ skate used by figure skaters . The skates consist of a " boot " and a " blade " that is attached with screws to the sole of the boot . Inexpensive sets for recreational skaters are available , but most figure skaters purchase boots and blades separately and have the blades mounted by a professional skate technician . Short ___MASK46___ ___MASK58___ skating is a form of competitive ___MASK87___ ___MASK58___ skating . In competitions , multiple skaters ( typically between four and six ) skate on an oval ___MASK87___ ___MASK46___ with a circumference of 111 . 12 m . The rink itself is 60 m by 30 m , which is the same size as an international - sized ___MASK76___ rink . Short ___MASK46___ ___MASK58___ skating is the sister sport to long ___MASK46___ ___MASK58___ skating . ___MASK74___ is a sport in which individuals , duos , or groups perform on figure skates on ice . It was the first winter sport included in the Olympics , in 1908 . The four Olympic disciplines are men ' s singles , ladies ' singles , pair skating , and ice dancing . Non - Olympic disciplines include synchronized skating and four skating . From novice through senior - level competition , skaters generally perform two programs ( short and long ) which , depending on the discipline , may include spins , jumps , moves in the ___MASK11___ , lifts , throw jumps , death spirals , and other elements or moves . Pair ___MASK32___ is a ___MASK74___ discipline . International Skating Union ( ISU ) regulations describe pair teams as consisting of `` one lady and one man . '' The sport is distinguished from ice dancing and ___MASK55___ ___MASK32___ by elements unique to pair ___MASK32___ , including overhead lifts , twist lifts , death spirals , and throw jumps . The teams also perform the elements of ___MASK55___ ___MASK32___ in unison . Pair ___MASK32___ requires similar technique and timing on all elements of the performance , as well as practice and trust between the partners . The aim is to create an impression of `` two ___MASK32___ as one '' . Serious ___MASK32___ accidents are most common in the pair discipline . In February 1908 , pair ___MASK32___ first appeared at the World Championships , with three teams from Germany , the United Kingdom , and Russia competing in Saint Petersburg . Its Olympic debut was in October 1908 , with three teams competing in London , one from Germany and two from the U . K . Since then , the discipline has been dominated by Canada , China and particularly Russia ; from 1964 to 2006 , the Soviet Union / Russia won every pairs Olympic gold medal . Pair ___MASK32___ has evolved significantly since its early beginnings . Some elements common in the modern - day sport were not introduced until decades later . Lausanne (, ) is a ___MASK25___ in the French - speaking ___MASK97___ of Switzerland , and the ___MASK59___ and biggest ___MASK25___ of the canton of Vaud . The ___MASK25___ is situated on the shores of Lake Geneva ( or simply " Le Léman "). It faces the French town of Évian - les - Bains , with the Jura Mountains to its north - west . Lausanne is located northeast of Geneva . ___MASK55___ skating is a discipline of figure skating in which ___MASK82___ and female skaters compete individually . Men ' s singles and ladies ' singles are both Olympic disciplines and are both governed by the International Skating Union , along with the other Olympic figure skating events , pair skating and ice dancing . ___MASK55___ skaters perform jumps , spins , step sequences , spirals , and other moves in the field as part of their competitive programs . Synchronized ___MASK32___ is a discipline of ___MASK74___ where 8  20 ( the number of skaters on a team depends on the level ) skaters skate on ice as a team , moving as one flowing unit at high speeds while completing difficult footwork . The discipline was originally called precision ___MASK32___ in North America because of the emphasis on maintaining precise formations and timing of the group . Synchronized ___MASK32___ grew rapidly in the late 20th and early 21st centuries . The Netherlands is the main ___MASK10___ country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands . It is a densely populated country located in Western Europe with three island territories in the Caribbean . The European part of the Netherlands borders Germany to the east , Belgium to the south , and the North ___MASK64___ to the northwest , sharing maritime borders with Belgium , the United Kingdom , and Germany . The largest cities in the Netherlands are Amsterdam , Rotterdam , The Hague and Utrecht . Amsterdam is the country ' s capital , while The Hague holds the Dutch seat of government and parliament . The name " Holland " is used to refer informally to the whole of the country of the Netherlands . ___MASK87___ dancing is a discipline of ___MASK74___ that draws from ballroom dancing . It joined the World ___MASK74___ Championships in 1952 , and became a Winter ___MASK18___ medal sport in 1976 . Scheveningen , is one of the eight districts of The Hague , as well as a ___MASK91___ (" wijk ") of that ___MASK25___ . Scheveningen is a modern seaside resort with a long , sandy beach , an esplanade , a pier , and a ___MASK100___ . The beach is popular for ___MASK41___ sports such as windsurfing and kiteboarding . ___MASK58___ skating is a competitive form of ___MASK92___ in which the competitors race each other in travelling a certain distance on skates . Types of speed skating are long track speed skating , short track speed skating , and marathon speed skating . In the Olympic Games , long - track speed skating is usually referred to as just " speed skating ", while short - track speed skating is known as " short track ". The ISU , the governing body of both ice sports , refers to long track as " speed skating " and short track as " short track skating ". Moves in the ___MASK11___ is a name given to elements of figure skating that emphasize basic skating skill and edge control . In the context of a competitive program , ' moves in the ___MASK11___ ' include spirals , ___MASK31___ eagles , Ina Bauers , hydroblading , and similar extended edge moves . Switzerland , officially the Swiss Confederation , is a federal ___MASK22___ in Europe . It consists of 26 cantons , and the city of Bern is the seat of the federal authorities . The country is situated in ___MASK26___ - Central Europe , and is bordered by Italy to the south , France to the west , Germany to the north , and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east . Switzerland is a landlocked country geographically divided between the Alps , the Swiss ___MASK6___ and the Jura , spanning an area of . While the Alps occupy the greater part of the territory , the Swiss population of approximately eight million people is concentrated mostly on the ___MASK6___ , where the largest cities are to be found : among them are the two global cities and economic centres Zürich and Geneva . The Winter ___MASK18___ is a major international ___MASK45___ that occurs once every four years . Unlike the Summer Olympics , the Winter Olympics feature sports practised on snow and ice . The first Winter Olympics , the 1924 Winter Olympics , was held in Chamonix , France . The original five sports ( broken into nine disciplines ) were bobsleigh , curling , ice hockey , Nordic skiing ( consisting of the disciplines military patrol , cross - country skiing , Nordic combined , and ski jumping ), and skating ( consisting of the disciplines figure skating and speed skating ). The Games were held every four years from 1924 until 1936 , after which they were interrupted by World War II . The Olympics resumed in 1948 and was again held every four years . Until 1992 , the Winter and Summer ___MASK18___ were held in the same years , but in accordance with a 1986 decision by the International Olympic Committee ( IOC ) to place the Summer and Winter Games on separate four - year cycles in alternating even - numbered years , the next Winter Olympics after 1992 was in 1994 . The ___MASK68___ ___MASK74___ Championships ("" Worlds "") is an annual ___MASK74___ competition sanctioned by the International Skating Union . Medals are awarded in the categories of men ' s singles , ladies ' singles , pair skating , and ice dancing . Generally held in March , the ___MASK68___ Championships are considered the most prestigious of the ISU Championships , which also include the European Championships , the Four Continents Championships , and the ___MASK68___ Junior Championships . With the exception of the Olympic title , a world title is considered to be the highest competitive achievement in ___MASK74___ . The International ___MASK32___ Union ( ISU ) is the international governing body for competitive ___MASK92___ 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 sport federations . The ISU was formed to establish standardized international rules and regulations for the skating disciplines it governs , and to organize international competitions in these disciplines . It is now based in Lausanne , Switzerland . ___MASK92___ is the act of moving on ice by using ice skates . It can be done for a variety of reasons , including exercise , leisure , traveling , and various sports . ___MASK92___ occurs both on specially prepared ice surfaces ( arenas , tracks , parks ), both indoors and outdoors , as well as on naturally occurring bodies of frozen water , such as ponds , lakes and rivers .