Two IW synchronized skating teams travelled to the Kempen Trophy in Turnhout, Belgium, over the Easter weekend (4 and 5 April): junior team Wight Jewels and adult team Wight Fossils.

The Fossils, skating to music from Les Miserables, finished fourth with 21.88 points. The adult category was won by Iceclusif (Belgium, Ghent) 28.34, with Blade Runners (GBR, Altrincham) in second on 26.20, and Perpetuum (GBR, Sheffield) third on 24.02.

In the short in the junior A event, Wight Jewels were second with 29.16 points. The Jewels had changed their music and programme from their last outing at the Trophy D’Ecosse in Dumfries. French team Les Cometes were just ahead in first on 30.48. Team Temptation Juniors of Belgium were third with 22.04, Solway Stars from Dumfries were fourth on 21.66 and Kids on Ice from Eindhoven in the Netherlands were fifth with 19.69.

The Jewels were unable to close the gap on Les Cometes in the long and finished in second place. A fall and a deduction for apparently holding the splits for too long on the ice at the end of the programme took 2.5 points off their free programme score. And that demonstrates the occasional quirkiness of the judging system – details that have not been identified as a problem all season can be picked up as a fault by a different set of officials.

Solway Stars, however, managed to edge up a place into the medals.

Final positions and score in the junior A competition were: Les Cometes first on 92.46, Wight Jewels second on 86.59, Solway Stars third on 72.69, Team Temptation Junior fourth on 67.70, and Kids on Ice fifth on 64.38.

IW teams have one more competition this season, with Wight Sparkles and Wight Crystals heading to Blackpool for the Blackpool Figure Skating Festival on 7 to 11 April (www.pleasurebeacharena.co.uk/pages/skating-festival). Both teams compete on 9 April: Wight Sparkles in the elementary synchro, and Wight Crystals in the preliminary.

And that may be it for ice skating on the Isle of Wight. Planet Ice still intends to close the rink at Ryde on 12 April. All IW skaters are waiting on news of whether Ryde Arena Trust’s negotiations to keep the rink running will be successful.

Kempen Trophy website: http://not-turnhout.be

Results: www.kbkfwedstrijden.be/KempenTrophySynchro/2015/index.htm