Figure skating rink

It allowed for skating year-round, as well as anywhere in the world, and prevented the cancellation of competitive events due to the lack of ice in outdoor rinks.

The first notable indoor ice rink was made in 1876, by John Gamgee, in Chelsea along the north bank of the Thames River; it measured 24 by 40 feet.

Its official rules, which encompassed the World Championships, stated that the free skate area must be "symmetrically bounded" and measure at least 35 metres (115 ft) in one direction.

[9] Figure skating's free-form nature and lack of head-to-head competition have allowed it to develop in places typically not accessible to other ice disciplines.

In the middle of the 20th century, an important teaching tool for the sport were so-called ice skating studios, small sheets of artificial ice laid over the floor of a residential or otherwise repurposed building as semi-permanent facilities, similar to a dance studio.

Rule 107 of its Constitution and General Regulations contains provisions for lower competition classes, labelled as "Interclub" or "Local".

Those give national member federations and their clubs the leeway to stage events that are not directly sanctioned by the ISU, and may incorporate a number of self-defined rules.

The area is usually located in the corner or end of the rink and is furnished with a bench or chairs for the skaters and coaches and monitors to display the competition results.

It is often elaborately decorated with flowers or some other backdrop for television shots and photos of the skaters as they react to their performance and scores.