Figure Skaters Online was started as a way to support U.S. Figure Skating athletes by providing them with their official websites while they pursue their dreams on the ice. Since the 1998-99 season, Figure Skaters Online (FSO) has proudly provided official websites for over 70 nationally ranked skaters. The athletes participate in three disciplines of figure skating — ladies, men’s and pairs — at various competitive levels.

Over the years, FSO has grown to include event coverage of figure skating events and competitions. Through our team of writers and photographers, FSO travels around the U.S. and world covering domestic and international events. Among the events photographers and journalists have covered are the International Skating Union (ISU)’s Challenger Series, ISU Junior and Senior Grand Prix Series, U.S. Championships, Canadian Championships, ISU Four Continents Championships, ISU World Junior Championships, ISU World Championships and ISU World Team Trophy.

This winter, for the first time in its history, Figure Skaters Online will a part of the media in attendance at the 2022 Olympic Games, providing extensive coverage of the competition from Beijing, China.

When not traveling to cover events, Team FSO also provides in-depth interviews and articles on our athletes.

All of the work at Figure Skaters Online is done by a group of volunteer designers, journalists and photographers.

FSO invites any interested volunteer web designers, journalists and photographers to join the team. For more information on becoming a part of FSO, please e-mail Gina Capellazzi.

Administrators

Gina Capellazzi, Website Administrator
Gina joined Figure Skaters Online in 2013 as a way to get more involved with her favorite sport. Since 2015, she has taken more of a leadership role, leading the team in the growth of Figure Skaters Online. In addition to taking care of the day-to-day updates and designing and maintaining athlete websites, she also coordinates FSO’s event coverage and oversees the staff of writers. As a journalist, she also conducted numerous interviews with skaters and has covered numerous skating events, including Junior & Senior Grand Prix events, U.S. Championships and World Championships. Gina lives in western New York and is the New Media Coordinator for an award-winning Catholic newspaper.

Daphne Backman, Technical Administrator
Daphne assists with the technical administrative duties for the main Figure Skaters Online site and has also designed several athlete websites for Figure Skaters Online. Daphne is best known for her work with Ice-Dance.com. Since co-founding Ice-Dance.com in 1999, she has spent over a decade building it into the largest ice dance site on the Internet. In addition to taking care of the day-to-day updates, she coordinates IDC’s coverage highlighted by the year’s banner event — the Lake Placid Ice Dance Championships. Daphne lives in southern Maine.

Site Owner

Leah has been the owner of Figure Skaters Online since its creation in 1998. She is also a photographer. Leah is now enjoying her retirement in southwestern Utah.

 

Writers

Claire Cloutier, Team FSO Contributing Writer
Claire Cloutier joined FSO in 2017 as a contributing writer. Claire is a figure skating writer, fan & observer. Since 2014, she has maintained her own figure skating web site, A Divine Sport, which has a special focus on pairs skating. Claire also participates in the sport as an adult skater. Prior to starting her web site, Claire worked in the publishing industry for 20 years as an editor. She enjoys putting her writing & editing skills to use covering her favorite sport. Claire lives in Salem, Massachusetts, with her husband and twin daughters.

Maura Sullivan Hill, Team FSO Web Designer and Writer
Maura joined Figure Skaters Online in 2017 as a web designer and writer. She fell in love with skating as a toddler, while watching Kristi Yamaguchi and Midiori Ito in the early ’90s. At that age, she referred to Ito’s famous triple axel as a “triple accident,” but today she is much more well-versed in skating vocabulary. A skater herself for more than 20 years (and counting!), she is also a Basic Skills coach and writes about figure skating on her blog, Twizzle Talk.  Maura is freelance writer and editor based in Nashville, Tennessee.

Scott Mammoser, Team FSO Contributing Writer
Scott is a freelance journalist for international and Olympics sports. He is a world traveler and philanthropist, having visited more than 60 nations, as well as attended six Olympic Games. In February 2022, Scott will travel to Beijing, China where he will cover the 2022 Winter Olympics for Figure Skaters Online. Scott lives in Chandler, Arizona.

Freelance Photographers

Robin Ritoss

Melanie Heaney

Francesca