The Junior team Reflections competing at the beginning of the season. (Credits: Ville Vairinen - 2020)

While Finland had started the skating season almost normally, the country finally decided to cancel competitions due to the pandemic. Skaters under the age of 20 may, however, return on the ice.

The Helsinki Metropolitan Area Corona Coordination Group has decided on January 27th to open recreational activities for under-20s. However, it is impossible to organize matches, competitions, tournaments, performances, or events in the area, except at the top league level.

Concerning the Finnish Figure Skating Association's competition calendar, this means that the spring National Competition Calendar will be cancelled in its entirety. The long-awaited Finnish Synchronized Skating Championship followed worldwide fans will therefore not take place this year.

To respect the values of the Finnish Championship, and due to the unequal training possibilities, the Board of the Finnish Figure Skating Association has decided to cancel all series of the Finnish Championship.

However, as according to the current guidelines, it has been possible to train and compete for the top league athletes and teams, there will be a competitive event for Finnish championship senior teams on 27-28 February. It’s not an audience event, but the Figure Skating Association shows the event as a live stream. 

Despite disappointment with competitions, the Finnish synchronized skating teams from the Helsinki metropolitan area received good news. The decision to open up recreational activities based on promoting the overall well-being of children and young people and the current epidemiological assessment.

From Monday, February 1, 2021, skaters under the age of 20 can practice again with the strict instructions. 

Although this is not a decision concerning “the whole of Finland”, almost 50% of skaters have been subject to restrictions for the last two months.

Of course, there have also been bans in other areas of Finland, but they have also been lifted during January. Here are some main rules: The activities follow the health and safety guidelines issued by the authorities and, in the case of exercise, the Olympic Committee on safety distances, hand hygiene and the use of facemasks.

While this decision to allow skaters to come back on the ice is good news for a large portion of the teams, it should be remembered that in interclub Senior, Adult or Masters series all skaters over the age of 20 are still banned from skating.