U.S. Figure Skating is celebrating its highest membership figure in its 98-year history ©U.S. Figure Skating

U.S. Figure Skating has announced its highest membership total in the organisation’s 98-year history, surpassing 200,000 members for the first time. 

With a total membership of 203,023, the 2018-2019 membership cycle marks the sixth-consecutive season of overall membership growth.

"This membership milestone is a testament to the generations of skaters who have passed along their passion for the sport," U.S. Figure Skating President Anne Cammett said. 

"U.S. Figure Skating is a community of people who challenge themselves, support each other and have fun while doing it."

The figure – which covers the period from July 1 last year until June 30 in 2019 – represents a 3.4 per cent increase over the previous year. 

More than half of U.S. Figure Skating's 200,000-plus members are part of the Learn to Skate USA programme ©Learn to Skate USA
More than half of U.S. Figure Skating's 200,000-plus members are part of the Learn to Skate USA programme ©Learn to Skate USA

Total membership includes 144,476 Learn to Skate USA members, 58,191 full members and 356 Friends of Figure Skating, the figures reveal. 

During this period, U.S. Figure Skating was composed of 765 member, collegiate and school-affiliated clubs, more than 1,000 Learn to Skate USA programmes, 615 synchronised skating teams, 93 Theatre On Ice teams, and 28 Interclub Associations.

Learn to Skate USA, powered by Toyota, experienced the highest enrolment in the programme’s history in 2018-2019. 

The programme welcomed 32 new skating programmes and experienced a 7.9 per cent membership increase.