The British Synchronized Skating Championships take place at Nottingham Ice Centre on 16 and 17 January. Although Ryde rink has been closed since late November because of damage to the roof, Isle of Wight teams will still be competing. They have been training at Oxford and Bracknell ice rinks, sometimes early into the morning, and putting in more off-ice training to compensate for the reduced training on ice.

Wight Fossils will be competing in the adult competition, Wight Sparkles at elementary level, and Wight Crystals in the basic novice B event. Wight Jewels left their junior days behind by moving up to senior B at Cardiff in November last year. At the British Championships, however, the Jewels will be competing in the full senior event. The competition promises to be the one to watch because all three senior and senior B teams at Cardiff – Wales & West’s Team Spirit, Aberdeen’s Zariba and Wight Jewels – were comparatively close on points.

Live streaming coverage of the event is provided by Ryan T Thornton and On the Rocks, and is available via YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1oHF3YryNMQFHF250tC_RWoq69LxAkRZ

Much as iowskaters would like to be reporting on the performance of IW teams at the British Championships, we will be at the Leon Lurje Trophy in Gothenburg, which takes place on the same weekend.