University of Sunderland skater to swap spins for strides and take part in city run

Florence Springle, who is in her final year of a Film and Media degree at the University of Sunderland, is hoping her skating training will stand her in good stead when she hits the road on Sunday, May 17.

The 21-year-old said: “I started figure skating aged six after attending a friend's birthday party where I fell in love with the sport.

“It is a very intense sport that requires both physical and mental strength.

“As part of my training I have always tried to go on runs to improve my stamina for figure skating. I think a lot of work I do for skating coincides with typical training for running so they actually go hand in hand.”

Florence is one of the university’s elite athletes and represents Whitley Bay Ice Skating Club at a national level.

Last year she competed in the British Ice Skating Cup where she came third in the final, and in January this year performed as part of the opening ceremony and finale for the 2026 ISU European Figure Skating Championships in Sheffield.

“Figure skating is a combination of artistry and power, where typical training sessions focus on speed, control, jump height and rotation,” she said.

“We have set routines that we perform at competitions involving spins, jumps and choreography.

“Running is a sport that I'd also like to think I'm good at – although I am in no way an elite runner. But as an elite athlete, I have committed to personal training sessions at the university which I attend alongside my own training.

“But they are very different – figure skating training applied to running would be like sprinting for four minutes straight and combining that with jumping every 20 seconds.”

Florence, from Newcastle, is running for the university’s Futures Fund, a scholarship programme for students to unlock their potential.

In Florence’s case, the scholarship is helping her realise her dream of competing internationally.

“I'm currently in the process of applying for support for an international figure skating camp with Olympics coaches in the summer,” she said.

“Without the Futures Fund I wouldn't have access to these incredible opportunities.”