Act I
Place
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.
The Trophy of the President of the City of Toruń
Every skater steps onto the ice alone.
But no skater reaches this level alone.
Behind every performance are coaches, families, clubs, teammates and federations that have supported the athlete every step of the way.
The Trophy of the President of the City of Toruń recognizes not only individual excellence, but also the collective strength of a nation's skating program.
Throughout the competition, athletes earn points for their country based on their final placements. At the end of the event, the Trophy is awarded to the nation that has accumulated the highest total score across all categories.
More than a trophy, it represents teamwork, long-term development and a shared commitment to excellence.
Each edition adds another chapter to the history of ICEskatERA OPEN, celebrating the nation whose athletes performed best together.
Act II
Practice
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?
Act III
Legacy
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.