The results of the British Synchronized Skating Championships, which took place in Nottingham on 17 and 18 January, are now available online at http://www.icephoto.co.uk/BRSYN2015/index.htm.
No Isle of Wight teams attended this year as the event coincided with an important family anniversary for synchro coach Terri Smith, and instead the teams will be at the Trophy D’Ecosse in Dumfries (6 to 8 February) and the Kempen Trophy in Belgium (4 and 5 April).
There was, unfortunately, no live streaming coverage of the championships this year, and the results link initially given for the event remained stubbornly on warm-up groups and skate orders so results were not viewable during the competition. The new results link has all the appropriate details. Both the Leon Lurje Trophy in Gothenburg and the US Nationals in Greensboro were available instead that weekend for viewing online, and with live results.
In the key senior and junior events, Team Spirit of Wales & West took the senior title with a total score of 83.78, ahead of Aberdeen’s Zariba 73.28, and Inverness’s Moray Dolphins on 57.48. Last year the scores were Team Spirit 80.72, Zariba 79.04, and Moray Dolphins 68.94.
Sole entrant Nottingham Icicles scored 109.38 in the junior event to take the title. Last year the Icicles scored a staggering 121.46, which unfortunately proved unsustainable in ISU competitions (94.15 at the 2014 French Cup, 93.16 at the 2014 Junior World Challenge Cup). Historically, the domestic event seems to call elements at higher levels than at ISU internationals. The French Cup in Rouen on 30 to 31 January should provide the first indicators of how the scores translate to an ISU event, not just at junior level for the Icicles, but also at senior level for Team Spirit. For comparison, Wales & West’s Team Spirit’s score at Rouen last year was also down on the British, at 68.34.
The fact remains that Nottingham, led by the Icicles, is a strong force in British synchronized skating at present, with five golds and one silver secured at the British this year, with only Team Aura of Lee Valley denying them gold in the mixed age.
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