KZN figure skating growth takes centre stage as new season begins

KwaZulu-Natal will open the new Inter-Provincial figure skating season with a significantly larger field when the South African Figure Skating Association (SAFSA) KZN Inter-Provincial Championships take place at the Galleria Ice Rink in Amanzimtoti on 5 and 6 September.

The championship attracted 63 entries from across South Africa, compared with 19 skaters who competed at the KZN Inter-Provincial Championships in 2025. Two athletes have since withdrawn because of injury, leaving 61 skaters expected to compete. Of the original 63 entries, 26 will be from KwaZulu-Natal.

For the provincial committee, the growth gives the province plenty to celebrate as it prepares to welcome skaters, coaches, officials, families and supporters from around the country.

“What I am most looking forward to is welcoming everyone to Durban and celebrating the incredible growth of our skating community. We deeply appreciate the phenomenal support from all the other provinces and eagerly look forward to hosting everyone in Durban,” says Jo Cossavella, Chairperson of SAFSA KwaZulu-Natal.

She hopes the increased activity around competitive skating will also encourage more people to discover the sport through public sessions at Galleria Ice Rink.

Cossavella attributes much of KZN’s recent progress to a hands-on approach, particularly in helping new skaters and parents understand how the sport works.

“We have focused on fostering a change mindset that we are all in this sport for the same common goal, building a community rooted in strong values and principles and anchored by everyday kindness and compassion,” she says.

Clear communication has also become an important part of how the province operates. Members are encouraged to raise concerns in writing through established channels so that queries can be properly considered and addressed.

Hosting the first Inter-Provincial of the season comes with its own demands. The skating season began on 1 July, and KZN has had to prepare for the championship while accommodating rule changes and the requirements that follow.

For Cossavella, athlete safety remains central to the planning.

“With the Durban weather, the safety of our athletes and providing the best possible ice are our top priorities. It also provides our new skaters with invaluable opportunities and competition experience to prepare them for the other Inter-Provincial Championships on big ice,” she says.

The increased participation is being supported by development beyond the competition itself. Cossavella says initiatives such as the Skating Enterprises development programme are helping club skaters transition into competitive skating. KZN’s trial judge programme is also progressing, with two trial judges expected to be put forward for promotion after the Cape Inter-Provincial Championship.

The province has set further development goals for the next 12 months. These include developing coaches, training two additional trial judges and technical specialists, increasing the number of Teaching Assistants by two and working towards establishing a third SAFSA figure skating club. KZN also wants to grow its sustainability initiative involving recycled soft toys, while continuing work on its provincial Constitution, bylaws, membership records and sponsorship.

“The growth we are seeing in KwaZulu-Natal is encouraging because a stronger national sport depends on more people having the opportunity to participate and compete,” says SAFSA President Christo Viljoen. “The increase from 19 competitors in 2025 to a field of this size shows what can happen when a province puts sustained effort into development and creates opportunities for skaters to progress. We want to see that momentum continue in KZN and across South African figure skating.”

The growth is ultimately about the community behind the numbers. Cossavella points to the Zulu proverb “Umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu”, translated as “A person is a person through other people”, as an expression of the approach KZN wants to carry into the new season.

“That is the core expression of Ubuntu, emphasising that our humanity, strength and community are realised through our connections, compassion and mutual respect for one another,” she says.

With 61 skaters expected on the ice, the opening Inter-Provincial of the season gives KZN a chance to put that philosophy into practice while giving a growing field of athletes their first competitive opportunity of the new season.