Belén Barrionuevo, founder and lead physical education teacher, together with her sister Yazmín Barrionuevo—both longtime skating instructors—began teaching classes at Chacrita Park in July, forming two groups: the first made up of 8 beginner adults, and the second of 15 children taking their first steps on the ice. Chacrita Park was a natural space in the Andorra neighborhood offered by local residents. They kept a small lagoon safe, which froze naturally, and made sure the ice was in proper condition for skating.

 In August of that same year, the municipal rink Carlos “Tachuela” Oyarzún Ice Rink reopened under the management of Yámana Bar GDS. This created the opportunity to offer ice skating lessons to two new groups: one of 20 adults and another of 25 children, continuing through September. It was then that they founded a new school under the name “Austral Skating School.”
Fue entonces cuando fundaron una nueva escuela bajo el nombre de “Escuela Austral de Patinaje”

 This year, seeing the strong interest that this new and different ice skating school project was generating within the Tierra del Fuego community, Belén Barrionuevo and Yazmín Barrionuevo realized the need to continue growing and training as a team in order to provide a solid legal framework and structure to what had evolved into a skating school. That led them to pursue further training through programs offered by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), as well as marketing courses and legal guidance, helping transform what was once just a project into a well-structured institution. Always moving forward — that’s what keeps us alive.

 We reached an average of 100 students throughout the season.

 At that time, the school had not yet been formally established as a civil association nor was it a member of the Federación Argentina de Patinaje sobre Hielo (FAPH). Even so, during the winter season, ACEPHBA sponsored EAP’s skaters, making it possible for 21 students from the school to participate in the “South Zone” Federative Championship and the 2021 Argentine National Championship under the name of ACEPHBA.

 Until that moment, the school was mostly focused on forming a seedbed and promoting sports as a recreational activity. However, seeing the discipline and commitment of the students after the season ended, the complement in rollers was not enough. It was then that in addition to the recreational activity in rollers, three weekly stimuli of physical and technical training were included, as well as technical and choreographic talks oriented to competitive instances during the preseason and postseason.

 On June 17, the “Yaganes” workshop series was held in the city of Ushuaia, featuring guest speakers from the CENARD. Workshops on body expression, sports nutrition, and anti-doping were also offered. Although primarily aimed at students from the school, the event was open to the entire Tierra del Fuego community.

 Within that same context, the first “Yaganes Asynchronous Championship” took place — an event whose impact far exceeded all expectations. What initially began as a way to give students prior experience before entering official federated competitions ultimately became a formal non-federated international event, featuring National and International Judges, a technical panel, and a data operator.

 At the time, the true scale of work required for an event of this magnitude had not yet been fully understood, which led to the decision to hire Sol Riebel, a nationally recognized judge who advised the school’s staff and served as a bridge between the school’s organizing team and the judging panel.

 The event itself emerged from what was, at the time, a brilliant and innovative idea: hiring an audiovisual media specialist to professionally record the choreographies and later send the videos to the judges for evaluation.

 Special recognition must also be given to the effort and commitment of the families, whose support ensured the event was carried out in an organized and professional manner. It is worth emphasizing that on the day of the championship, it snowed heavily — relentlessly — from beginning to end. Families and friends from the lagoon skating community bundled up, grabbed shovels, and worked tirelessly to clear the snow from the rink. Thanks to that collective effort, the event was a complete success.

 That same year, inspired by the community itself, Yazmín Barrionuevo took on the task of designing the school’s visual identity and overall spirit. From this process emerged the current logo colors, inspired by the landscapes of dawn. The color violet represents discipline, elegance, conviction, perseverance, and the institution’s core values. The golden-orange tone symbolizes movement, vitality, and the energy of the school.

 The logo also incorporates meaningful symbols. The mountain represents the iconic Monte Olivia, a landmark that embodies the local community and frames many of Tierra del Fuego’s most recognizable landscapes.

 The lagoon symbolizes the school’s origins, dating back to the year 2000. In part, it honors the place where generations of lagoon skaters grew, trained, and shared countless seasons together with the skating community, and in part, it pays tribute to the pioneers of the sport. Among them are figures such as Carlos “Tachuela” Oyarzún, Ana Casini, Mónica Martínez, José Luis Tibaudín, Fernando Vargas, and many longtime local residents who, according to historical records, had been skating since at least the 1980s. Ice skating is a deeply local sport with events that have earned regional recognition and significance.

 The skaters trained through December 25, 2022, resuming activities again in January 2023.

 The year began with great intensity. On January 31, the first delegation of skaters from the Austral Skating School traveled to a seminar held in the city of San Carlos de Bariloche. The delegation consisted of 13 skaters and two instructors.

 Meanwhile, back in Ushuaia, the remaining skaters continued their off-ice training classes with Giorgia Marchisio, a longtime skating instructor who brought organization, structure, and management capacity to the school, later becoming a key figure in the growth of the EAP.
That same year, driven by a strong competitive spirit, the school participated — under the sponsorship of ACEPHBA — in the following events:

 On July 1 and 2, 13 skaters participated in the “South Zone” Federative Championship. On August 25, another 13 skaters took part in the Open Interclub Championship. That same day, Ariadna Marchisio competed in the “Preliminary” category at the Argentine National Championship, earning first place in her division.

 That year marked a period of major expansion and growth. Organization became the key to operating as a true working team alongside the regular classes, which meant countless hours of work, team meetings, and legal consulting — all with the goal of formally establishing the school and obtaining legal status as a Civil Association.

 June 30 became a historic day for the school, as it was officially established as the Asociación Civil Escuela Austral de Patinaje (ACEAP).

 Throughout the winter season, the school also organized large-scale public events with access to the full ice rink, including exhibitions and Children’s Day activities and games.

 The work carried out proved so significant that, beginning on November 7, 2023, and continuing to the present day, the Asociación Civil Escuela Austral de Patinaje officially became an affiliated member of the Federación Argentina de Patinaje sobre Hielo (FAPH).

 The year once again began with great intensity, and the preseason training trip became established as an annual tradition that continues to this day. That year, the delegation was made up of 14 skaters from the Austral Skating School and three instructors in charge: Belén Barrionuevo, Giorgia Marchisio, and Yazmín Barrionuevo.

 During that year, an institutional project led by Giorgia Marchisio and Belén Barrionuevo was carried out with the goal of creating a performance-style event at the ice rink titled “Maps on Ice.” The production originated from a story written collaboratively by Nancy González — Giorgia’s mother and a writer — and Giorgia herself, who has been skating since childhood. At its core, the story reflected the experiences and journey that skaters from Tierra del Fuego go through throughout the year.

 The performance received an outstanding response from both the local community and participants themselves. A total of 74 skaters and more than 20 collaborators took part in the production. As a result of its cultural impact, the show was officially declared of Municipal and Provincial Interest. The production involved multiple coordinated teams, including choreography, makeup and costume design, sound production and post-production, scriptwriting and acting, marketing and advertising, and logistics.
As a result of its cultural impact, the show was officially declared of Municipal and Provincial Interest.

SYNOPSIS OF THE PERFORMANCE
There exists a tribe where the Equinoxes and Solstices serve as the great guides throughout their journey in this world. Long ago, they guided the first humans, shaping a way of being and enduring through times of sowing, growth, and harvest.
And so, for centuries upon centuries, they have lived through the cycles of nature in a unique and distinctive way; constantly dancing upon the earth and gliding across the ice, moving in harmony with the rhythm of the Tierra del Fuego landscape.

 Additionally, in celebration of Children’s Day, a special themed skating class was organized in which all participants were invited to attend in costume. The event created a playful and athletic day of activities at the Carlos “Tachuela” Oyarzún Ice Rink, with the purpose of strengthening relationships among members, families, and the broader community in a positive and welcoming environment.
In September, the winter season officially came to a close with an exhibition performance featuring both solo and group choreographies performed by the skaters.

 In October, the Asociación Civil Escuela Austral de Patinaje participated in the parade celebrating the anniversary of the city of Ushuaia, where families organized and managed a fundraising stand.
Finally, an open call was launched for members interested in participating in the Technical Specialist training course organized by the International Skating Union (ISU) and announced by the Federación Argentina de Patinaje sobre Hielo (FAPH). Member and instructor Yazmín Barrionuevo successfully completed the training and, as a result, traveled to Buenos Aires to carry out official practical training during the 2024 Argentine National Championship, joining the official FAPH panel as a Technical Specialist.

 In April, with the same goal of ensuring that skaters would arrive at the winter season with prior hours of on-ice training, a delegation of 14 skaters traveled to the city of Buenos Aires. The instructors leading the seminars were Belén Barrionuevo, Yazmín Barrionuevo, Giorgia Marchisio, and, joining the team for the first time, Ismael Montero, a FAPH instructor and highly accomplished skater. Ismael brought technical precision and a fresh perspective to the school.

 That same year, and for the second consecutive time, the institutional project “Maps on Ice Vol. II” was carried out. It is worth highlighting that the performance surpassed the attendance achieved in 2024, drawing at least 500 spectators, while also maintaining the same number of participants: 74 skaters and more than 20 collaborators involved in the event’s logistics.
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For the first time in the school’s history, 22 skaters represented the Tierra del Fuego-based Asociación Civil Escuela Austral de Patinaje in federated events. They participated in:

2025 South Zone Championship

Basic 3–4 Category – Children’s Division

• Rufina Preto
• Amparo Lacaze

Basic 3–4 Category – Cadet I Division

• Renata Scarello

Basic 5–6 Category – Cadet I Division

• Ana Scheffelaar Klotz
• Carla Nuñez Perrotat

No Test Category – Cadet I Division

• Ambar Frate
• Aimee Andrada
• Sofia Gonzalez
• Donatella Nicola
• Higinia Nuñez Perrotat

No Test Category – Adult I Division

• Mariela Rollheiser (1er puesto)

No Test Category – Adult III Division

• Monica Issa (1er puesto)

FAPH Placement Level Tests. Skaters Presented:

• Higinia Nuñez Perrotat
• Donatella Sofía Nicola
• Sofía Gonzalez Biott
• Sofía Kogan
• Pilun Porco Fischer
• Ámbar Frate
• Aimée Andrada
• Zoe Cano Lay
• Mariela Rollheiser
• Mónica Issa

It is worth highlighting that the families of the skaters who participated in these events volunteered to assist with the logistics and execution of both the competitive event and the FAPH Level Tests, working together with the Federación Argentina de Patinaje sobre Hielo (FAPH). Among them were Guido Porco Fischer, Cristina Biott, Sergio Nuñez, Leticia Perrotat, Mónica Carzo, Gustavo AndradaBárbara Ávalos