Figure Skating in Columbus

Columbus’ figure skating history cuts deep below the ice surface. Sanctioned figure skating has had its place in Central Ohio since the 1960s. Some stars have roots in the city, while others have left their mark while gliding through. 

The Arnold Sports Festival

For many years, figure skating was part of the four-day Arnold Sports Festival. Olympians Mary Hinzman, a former CFSC member, and…

Champions on Ice

Columbus was a first-year host of Champions on Ice at The Schottenstein Center in 1998. The touring show featured solo performances…

Fast Facts

FigureSkating-FastFacts

  • The U.S. Figure Skating Championships came to Columbus for the first time in 2024. Huge crowds showed up and the city welcomed skating with open arms

  • Columbus is home to three figure skating clubs, the Columbus Figure Skating Club (CFSC), the Ohio State Figure Skating Club (OSUFSC) and the Skating Club of Central Ohio (SCOCO)

  • The OhioHealth Chiller Ice Rinks constructed its first rink in Columbus in 1993. Since then, the conglomerate has expanded to include six locations and 10 sheets of ice in Central Ohio 

  • Columbus has at least two rinks surviving through history books: Iceland, a rink formerly located off Olentangy River Dr, and The Centrum, a seasonal downtown outdoor rink

Notable People

An up-and-comer, Lilah Gibson represented Columbus at the 2023 Toyota U.S. Figure Skating Championships. She currently skates with the Columbus Figure Skating Club (CFSC).

While attending Upper Arlington High School and practicing with CFSC, Donohue became a junior national champion representing Argentina at the Argentina National Figure Skating Championships and the Junior Grand Prix series.

A former CFSC member, Lundgren has served as a judge on the biggest stages at the USFS Championships and Olympics.

The Columbus native and CFSC publicity chair competed at the 2020 U.S. Figure Skating Championships.

Raised in Columbus, Ohio, Hinzmann cut her teeth at the OSU Ice Rink before competing in pairs at the 2006 Winter Olympics with her partner and Columbus native, Aaron Parchem. When she finished competing, Hinzmann returned to coach in Columbus.

Ratchkova highlights a group of experience-laden coaches in the Columbus area. She skated for Russia in the 1992 Winter Olympics and now coaches at the OhioHealth Chiller Ice Rinks.

Similar to Ratchkova, Marcoux-Pavlas is a former Olympian who transitioned to coaching at the OhioHealth Chiller Ice Rinks. She represented Canada in pairs at the 2006 Winter Olympics.

Figure Skating Timeline

1959
1959

CFSC become a member of the U.S. Figure Skating Association

1963
1963

Ohio State becomes one of the first schools to grant credits to students participating in figure skating on the same basis for comparable sports

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Venues

USFS On Ice Logo

Nationwide Arena 
The future site of the U.S. Figure Skating Championships and home to the Columbus Blue Jackets (NHL), Nationwide Arena and its attached practice facility, the OhioHealth Ice Haus, is the crown jewel of the Arena District. The arena holds 18,500 for a hockey game. 

The Jerome Schottenstein Center
“The Schott” opened its 18,809-seat multi-purpose arena just two years before Nationwide Arena on the campus of Ohio State University. 

The Chiller Ice Rinks 
The Chiller Ice Rinks have six locations for a total of 10 sheets of ice in Central Ohio. Each location offers a blend of hockey, figure skating and public programming. The locations are the OhioHealth Chiller Dublin, OhioHealth Chiller Easton, OhioHealth Chiller North, OhioHealth Chiller Ice Works, Ohio Expo Fairgrounds Coliseum and OhioHealth Ice Haus. 

Venues-OhioStateIceRink

The Ohio State Ice Rink 
The Ohio State Ice Rink has stood on the Buckeyes’ campus since 1961. The 1,000-seat facility was the home of the Buckeyes men’s hockey team from 1963-1998 and is the current home of the Ohio State women’s ice hockey team and OSUFSC. 

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