Ice skating has developed fast in Hà Nội, attracting a lot of young people. — VNS Photo Đoàn Tùng

Ice Skating

HÀ NỘI — In recent years, ice skating in Hà Nội has experienced significant growth and has attracted a large number of participants.

Ice skating is a relatively new sport in Việt Nam, with the first ice rink appearing in Hà Nội in 2013. Since then, the sport has rapidly developed, with the number of participants estimated to have exceeded 1,000 people, primarily concentrated in Hà Nội, Hải Phòng, HCM City and some other cities.

Similar to other prominent sports, the maintenance and development of ice skating are key goals in Hà Nội's sports development plan.

Nguyễn Đức Mạnh, head of the Movement Development Committee at the Skating Federation of Việt Nam (SFV), assesses Hà Nội as having favourable conditions to promote the sport and enable professional level competition. He explains that the federation plans to organise more tournaments, providing opportunities for professional and semi-professional athletes to participate in competitions. Additionally, the long-term plan includes sending domestic coaches abroad for training and inviting foreign experts to train Vietnamese athletes.

In recent years, the Hà Nội Department of Culture and Sports has collaborated with the Sports Authority of Việt Nam and the Việt Nam Skating and Roller Federation to organise the National Figure Skating Championship and the National Youth Figure and Short Track Skating Championships.. These events aim to attract and encourage participation in training, while also creating an environment for professional athletes to interact, learn and gain experience.

Phạm Xuân Tài, deputy director of the Hà Nội Department of Culture and Sports, notes that the department, in coordination with the Việt Nam Skating and Roller Federation and local businesses, organises numerous amateur and professional ice skating tournaments each year. These tournaments serve to encourage participation and identify talented athletes for training. Some athletes who have participated in these events have gone on to achieve success in international tournaments.

Promoting socialisation

As in sports such as baseball and triathlon, field conditions and expensive training costs pose challenges for ice skating. Therefore, in order to further promote the development of this sport, resources from the community and support from businesses are necessary.

Regarding this matter, Đỗ Đình Hồng, director of the Hà Nội Department of Culture and Sports, stated that the department has urged localities to continue investing in competition facilities while encouraging federations to seek social resources to organize more tournaments for athletes.

Through amateur events, the sports industry in Hà Nội will have the opportunity to discover talented individuals for the Hà Nội team to participate in domestic and international competitions, thereby contributing to the overall achievements of the capital's sports scene.

According to Trịnh Trang, general secretary of the Việt Nam Skating and Roller Federation, in addition to the support received from Government agencies and funding from the International Skating Union, the federation also benefits from the support of several businesses. This support forms the foundation for the federation to confidently build a team of coaches and judges that meet national standards, enabling them to take the initiative in organising professional activities and providing numerous opportunities for Vietnamese athletes to participate in national tournaments. — VNS