The motherland of the figure skating is Holland. It was the very country where the first iron skates appeared in the 13^th - 14th century that caused new sport development. The first club of skaters appeared in England (Edinburgh, 1742). There were created first official rules of competitions.

The first figure skating world championship in Europe took place in 1882 in Vienna. In1892 there was found the first international skating union. Right then during the first congress all rules for holding figure skating world championship were affirmed. That was important to determine the way of plays for championship in Europe.

At the beginning of the 20th century Salhov, Luts, Rittberger, Aksel Paul invented their jumps and figure skaters appreciating that left their names in figure skating practice and history as some figure elements? names. The first official figure skating world championship was held in Saint Petersburg. Fuks G. from Munich opened the pass for figure skating world championship winners becoming the first champion.

Figure skating is a kind of skating sport that is based on the sportsmen movement (on one or both feet) with changing of direction of the sliding, twisting and jumping. It is governed by the International Skating Union that unites 73 countries (2002).At the present figure skating includes such disciplines as:

- ice dancing pairs;

- individual men championship;

- individual women championship;

- sport pairs.

Sport ice dancing is the youngest figure skating discipline. It was invented in England much later than others. Only in 1952 in pairs skating dancers were competing for the first award set. The strongest turned out to be sportsmen from England. Recently the biggest popularity belongs to synchronic skating (especially in the USA, Canada, Switzerland, England and France).

The women single figure skating was born a little later than men one. On the official level it happened in 1906, Davose (Switzerland). The compulsory elements of men and woman program were the same, but women free style skating was noted by high level of artistry, plasticity and melodiousness of movements. Official figure skating world championship for women started in 1924. Figure skating world championship for men and women are held together beginning from 1930. Soon there appeared pair skating. First figure skating world championship for pairs took place in Saint Petersburg in 1908, it presented first pair ? winners, that came from Germany.

The Olympic Competitions in single and pair skating are kept from 1908(in 1908 and 1920 included in Olympic Games, from 1924 ? in the program of winter Olympic Games and in sport ice dancing from 1976. the country can put forward only one representative or a pair to every kind of Olympic Games. Figure skating world championship is rated concerning the figure skaters? technique, fulfilling of prescribed elements, artistry, art impression. All skaters are judged by the judge team consisting of the odd number of members.