A single figure skater at the centre of the ice, arena lights held low.

Toruń, Poland · 6–11 November 2026

A statement of purpose.

ICEskatERA Open 2026. Toruń · 6 – 11 November 2026. Three acts — Place, Practice, Legacy — on why this competition exists, why Toruń, and what the athletes will carry home. 

A Competition Created With Purpose

IICEskatERA Open was never meant to be just another competition. It was created by people who spend every day at the rink. People who know what it means to prepare for one performance that lasts only a few minutes. Who understand early mornings, long journeys, difficult seasons and the quiet work that nobody sees. That is why every decision behind this event begins with one question: Will this make the experience better for the athlete? It marks the beginning of a new season, but more importantly, it is another step in a journey that every skater has been building for years. We believe a competition should be remembered not only for the scores that were earned there.It should be remembered for how every athlete, coach and family felt when they left the arena.

That is why every decision behind this event begins with one question:  Will this make the experience better for the athlete?It marks the beginning of a new season, but more importantly, it is another step in a journey that every skater has been building for years. We believe a competition should be remembered not only for the scores that were earned there. It should be remembered for how every athlete, coach and family felt when they left the arena.

“A competition is measured not only by results, but by the experience every participant takes home.”

Why Toruń

Every competition needs a place. We wanted one with its own character. Toruń is one of the oldest cities in Poland. For centuries it has welcomed visitors without trying to impress them.  Its historic Old Town, recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, reminds us that places with a strong identity never need to be loud.

That quiet confidence is one of the reasons we chose it. The Tor-Tor Ice Arena is only a few minutes from the heart of the city.  A morning practice can be followed by a walk through medieval streets, a meal with your team, or simply a quiet moment before the next day begins.

Coffee is easy to find. Silence is even easier. November feels different here. The air is colder. The days are shorter. The new season is still full of possibilities.

We believe the place where a competition is held becomes part of the experience itself.

That is why we chose Toruń.

Dawn over the Gothic skyline of Toruń's medieval Old Town, mist rising from the Vistula river.
Toruń · Old Town from the Vistula, cold dawn.

The President of the City of Toruń Nations Trophy

Every skater steps onto the ice alone.

But no skater reaches this level alone.

Behind every performance stands a coach who believed, a family that sacrificed, teammates who shared the journey, and a federation that chose to invest in the future.That is why ICEskatERA Open honours not only individual performances, but also the strength of an entire skating nation.Throughout the competition, every result contributes to the President of the City of Toruń Nations Trophy.

It is awarded to the nation whose athletes, together, have achieved the strongest performance across the event. Because while medals recognise individual excellence, this Trophy celebrates something different. It celebrates the people, the system and the shared commitment that help athletes become who they are.

The Trophy remains in Toruń. Each edition adds another nation to its history.

And each name engraved on it becomes part of the story this competition is beginning to write.

Awaiting Official Confirmation

Patronage and the ceremonial protocol for the Cup are being finalised with the Office of the President of the City of Toruń. Details will appear here once the arrangement is formally announced.

Built Around Athletes

Every athlete arrives carrying something we cannot see.

Years of training. Early mornings. Long journeys. Difficult seasons. Quiet sacrifices made long before the first note of music begins.

We believe that deserves more than good organisation. It deserves respect. That belief shapes every decision behind ICEskatERA Open.

Not because it is easier. Often, it is the opposite. It is a slower way to build a competition. It asks more questions. It demands more preparation. It leaves less room for compromise. It is the only way we know.

Respect means warm-up sessions that allow athletes to prepare with confidence. Music that works when it matters most. Officials who arrive ready. Volunteers who understand why every minute matters. A space where coaches can coach.

Where families can support. Where athletes can focus on what they came to do.

Before every important decision, we return to the same question.

Does this help the athlete perform at their best?

If the answer is yes, we move forward. If the answer is no, we choose a different path.

Does this help the athlete perform at their best?

What Remains

An athlete rarely remembers their exact score. They remember who was waiting when they stepped off the ice. The coach who believed. The competitor who wished them luck. The applause they never expected. The moment they realised they belonged.

Results matter. They always will. But they tell only part of the story. The rest is carried home.In memories. In friendships. In confidence.

In the quiet moments that shape an athlete long after the competition has ended. That is what we hope every skater leaves Toruń with. Because long after the protocols are archived and the medals find their place, those moments are the ones that continue to matter.

Looking Forward

We are not trying to build the biggest competition. We are trying to build one that people genuinely want to return to. One that athletes remember with respect. One that coaches recommend with confidence. One that officials are proud to be part of. One that volunteers feel connected to.

Because that is how a competition earns its reputation. Not through promises. Not through marketing. But through people who leave believing their journey mattered.

November 2026 is only the beginning. Every edition after that will be another opportunity to listen, to improve and to earn that trust again. If, years from now, someone says, "I'll see you again in Toruń." we will know we built something worth continuing.

Farewell

A great competition does not end with the closing ceremony. It continues in the athletes who leave believing a little more in themselves. In the coaches who return home with new ideas. In the friendships that begin beside the ice. In the volunteers who discover they were part of something worth remembering. That is how a competition lives beyond its results. Long after the medals have found their place. Long after the last music has faded. Long after the arena becomes quiet again.

Somewhere in Toruń,the ice is already waiting.