Gliding gracefully across the ice, performing jumps and pirouettes — mastering figure skating can be quite difficult. But there is a small community of amateur athletes who take on this challenge, regardless of their previous experience or age. They are known as adult figure skaters, many of whom are already retired.
For them, figure skating is not about winning medals, but about personal fulfillment, and the joy of gliding on the ice. There is even a dedicated amateur figure skating world championship, held regularly in Oberstdorf, Bavaria.
Around 500 skaters from 30 nations participate in the event. Here, even first-timers can shine. Alan Lessik discovered figure skating after battling rheumatism in his late 40s. We accompanied the 71-year-old to this special winter sports event.