Posted in Ice Skating News & Events, Synchronized Skating on July 18, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
NISA has announced the IJS programme requirements that will be used at novice, junior and senior levels for all disciplines, including synchronized skating in the forthcoming season. The requirements will apply at the British Figure Skating Championships in November.
NISA link: http://www.iceskating.org.uk/node/4904
Posted in Ice Skating News & Events on July 15, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
A 20-year reunion takes place at Ryde ice rink on Saturday 16 July from 7pm till late. Past and present staff, customers, hockey players and figure skaters are welcome for an evening of classic tunes and great games.
From the figure skating point of view, in the past 20 years, the rink has produced a number of talented skaters who have gone on to win medals at British championships, including:
Robert Paxton, who with skating partner Erica Risseeuw achieved silver in the senior pairs at the British Championships in 2009. They went on to achieve seventh in the pairs competition at the European Championships that year; Robert is the first IW skater to participate in that event. Robert started skating at the age of seven, in the earliest years of the rink. He moved to Canada to continue training as a solo skater before switching to pairs. Both Robert and Erica now skate professionally.
Charlotte and Henry Aiken: Charlotte and younger brother Henry both learned to skate at Ryde, moving on to Guildford where they switched to ice dance. Charlotte was junior ladies’ solo ice dance champion in 2007; Henry was novice men’s solo ice dance champion the same year. Charlotte joined up with skating partner Josh Whidborne in 2008: they are current British junior ice dance champions, and are now based in Madrid, Spain, preparing for competition at senior level. Henry and skating partner Annika Mackza are current British novice ice dance champions.
Synchronized skating teams: the Wight Jewels have won the British junior championship three times in succession; the Wight Crystals have also won the juvenile championships three times in total. As current British champions, the Jewels compete internationally, having twice taken part in the junior world championship event, the Junior World Challenge Cup.
Not bad for an ice rink measuring just 44 by 22 metres.
Facebook event: http://www.facebook.com/
Charlotte Aiken and Josh Whidborne: http://aiken-whidborne.ice-dance.com/
Posted in Isle of Wight sites, Synchronized Skating on July 13, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
Steam power and some of the classiest British motor cars will be boosting the IW synchronized skating teams on Sunday 31 July at the IW Jaguar Classic Car Show. Held at the IW Steam Railway, Havenstreet, the Jaguar Enthusiasts’ Club’s annual family fun day features an exhibition of classic cars, including some outstanding examples from the Jaguar marque, plus entertainments including live music, falconry and dog displays.
The synchronized skating teams are the chosen beneficiaries of the IW branch of the Jaguar Enthusiasts’ Club’s fundraising activities for 2010-11. The annual family fun day at Havenstreet will therefore directly help the teams. The synchro teams will have a stall at the show, offering face painting and running games.
Attending the event is also a fantastic way of celebrating the 50th birthday of the E-type Jaguar, probably the most beautiful British sports car ever made, and certainly a design icon.
What’s more, the IW Steam Railway will be in operation on the day, with the opportunity to see the recently restored Adams O2 steam locomotive Calbourne, the only survivor of a class of engines that hauled trains on the IW railway system in the last years of steam.
Admission to the rally is £4 for adults, free for accompanied children under 16. Travel on the steam railway is extra. The showground is open from 10am to 4pm. Visitors can park at Wootton and catch the steam railway to Havenstreet, rather than driving direct to Havenstreet – but check train times first.
Jaguar Enthusiasts’ Club (IOW region): http://www.jeciow.co.uk/
Isle of Wight Steam Railway: http://www.iwsteamrailway.co.uk/
Jaguar Classic Car Show: http://www.iwsteamrailway.co.uk/special-events/july/jaguar-classic-car-show.html
IW Steam Railway locomotive W24 Calbourne
Posted in Synchronized Skating on July 12, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
UK skating body NISA is now inviting synchronized skating teams to register their interest in the Welsh Championships (Deeside, 3 October 2011) and the British Championships (Sheffield, 22-23 November 2011). Both events cover novice, junior and senior levels; the British also includes adults. The deadline is 31 July.
NISA link: http://www.iceskating.org.uk/node/4897
Posted in Ice Skating News & Events, Synchronized Skating on July 12, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
The Trophy D’Ecosse 2012 will take place on 5 to 8 April 2012 at Dumfries Ice Bowl, according to Scottish national skating body Sk8 Scotland.
The event is designated a full ISU international for synchronized skating and will include novice, junior and senior competitions. The Trophy D’Ecosse 2012 also incorporates the Scottish Synchronized Skating Championships, and will have classes at all other levels of synchronized skating.
Official website: http://www.sk8scotland.org.uk/trophy-decosse-2012/
Posted in Ice Skating News & Events on July 12, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
UK ice skating body NISA has released a provisional schedule for the 2011 British Figure Skating Championships. The announcement detailing this schedule currently neglects to mention the month, but from the dates the event should be in November. The schedule may change after the closing date depending on the number of entries received.
The schedule is currently outlined as:
Monday 21 and Tuesday 22 November: Synchro – Adults, Novice, Junior and Senior
Tuesday 22 and Wednesday 23 November: Novice Championships
Wednesday 23 and Thursday 24 November: Junior Championships
Friday 25 and Saturday 26 November: Senior Championships
Pairs and Dance tbc.
Once again it means the national championships for the top synchronized skating levels will be held alongside the free skating championships.
NISA link: http://www.iceskating.org.uk/node/4896
Posted in Ice Skating News & Events on July 9, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
Hull IJS Opens involved IW skaters across all four days of the event (7 to 10 July)...
Hannah Brookes finished in 10th place in the beginner ladies aged 13 and over (Class 1D) on day one.
On day two, Keelin Scholes did well to finish 5th in the level 1 ladies aged 13 and over (Class 3C), competing in a large group of 20 skaters. Large groups are a feature of the opens, with the number of entrants capped on some classes.
Archie Bicknell was 7th in the level 8 advanced novice men (short programme) and 6th in the free programme event at this level, out of seven skaters.
Maggie Read turned in a great skate in the level 9 junior ladies (short programme) to achieve 16th place in this group of 24 competitors. Former IW skater Sophie Kent was 7th in the same event, and also achieved 7th place in the level 9 junior ladies free.
Full results are now available on the Hull Arena Ice Skating Club website.
Official results: http://www.haisc.co.uk/HullOpens2011/index.htm
Originally published 8 July 2011; updated over 9 to 12 July 2011
© 2011 iowskaters.co.uk
Posted in Website updates on July 9, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
The Achievements page for synchronized skating has been updated to clarify the season or years in which a team’s positions have been achieved, at which events, and on which dates. Where possible details have been cross-referenced to official results pages so that a team’s stated position can be verified independently.
There is inevitably confusion between the British Figure Skating Championships (BFSC) and the British Synchronized Skating Championships & National Opens (BSSCNO). The BFSC has fluctuated between incorporating and not incorporating synchronized skating, with the result that some years it is the British championship event for the elite levels of senior, junior and novice – as it was for the 2010/11 season. In the years that the BFSC is not, then the BSSCNO is the championship event for these elite levels.
The BSSCNO is the championship event for the more recreational levels of synchronized skating, such as juvenile, elementary, intermediate and preliminary. It is a highly popular event and attracts large numbers of teams from across the UK. In the years that it is not the British championship event for senior, junior and novice levels, it runs national opens – not championships – at these levels.
IW teams always compete at the respective national championships for their level.
Currently, synchronized skating is represented at the BFSC, ensuring that the elite levels of solo, pairs, dance and synchronized skating all take place at the same national championships. The BFSC has also moved to early in the season to allow skaters and teams to fulfil requirements to compete at later international events.
Note that event-specific web pages, such as those for the 2010 and the 2011 Junior World Challenge Cup, may only last for one year and links may therefore become unavailable. © 2011 iowskaters.co.uk
Posted in Coaching & Tuition on July 7, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
Georgia Whelan
The IW’s coaching staff is on the increase with the welcome addition of former IW elite skater Georgia Whelan to the team. Georgia, who mentored under IW head coach Terri Smith, achieved her level 2 coaching badge in 2008, and has now returned to Ryde rink after two and a half years coaching at Cardiff rink.
Georgia brings with her a wealth of skating experience. She learned to skate at the age of five under former IW head coach Katie Nyman, and went on to skate competitively for 12 years.
In 2004, at the age of 18, she joined Holiday on Ice. In the following four years she took part in professional ice shows that visited cities across Europe, Russian, central and south America. She has worked alongside top international skaters, including Olympian and Dancing on Ice judge Robin Cousins in the making of Peter Pan on Ice (2005).
Georgia started her coaching career in Cardiff in 2008. There, she taught skaters of all ages and abilities, from complete beginners to elite competitive figure skaters. Her youngest pupil was aged 2 and the eldest was 66.
A spell of home-sickness brought about her return to the IW to continue with her coaching career.
Georgia is very proud to be a part of the Isle of Wight coaching team at Ryde. She looks forward to passing on her knowledge and 20 years’ experience of figure skating to children, adults and perhaps even potential Olympians!
Georgia can be contacted on 07871 614227 or by email
© 2011 iowskaters.co.uk
Posted in Ice Skating News & Events on July 7, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
A handful of IW skaters are competing at the Hull IJS opens on 7 to 10 July.
Hannah Brookes competes in the beginner ladies aged 13 and over; Keelin Scholes is in the level 1 ladies aged 13 and over; Archie Bicknell is in the level 8 men (short and free); and Maggie Read is in the level 9 ladies (short).
Former IW skater Sophie Kent competes in the level 9 ladies (short and free).
Results will be published at http://www.haisc.co.uk/HullOpens2011/index.htm
Hull Arena Ice Skating Club: http://www.haisc.co.uk/
© 2011 iowskaters.co.uk
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