Bracknell Ice Skating Club Newsletter - December 2004

Qualifier Leads to Disappointment

The club's two synchro teams showed off improvements in their programmes when they competed at iceSheffield on November 21 in the second of two qualifying competitions for the British Synchro Championships in January.

Ice Precise did really well in the novice section. Although it came third - the same place as in the first qualifier at Nottingham last month - the marks were the highest it has gained with the current team and programme and the margin between first and third was narrowed to 0.4 which team manager Sacha Hartley described as “excellent”. The team was without one of its strongest members, Hayley Salmon, who was on crutches with a knee injury. She was replaced by Amy Barnes.

Fusion improved greatly on its scores compared to the first qualifier. But members had three falls in both the short technical and long free programmes which placed the team second in the junior section behind Nottingham which Fusion had beaten when it won the previous qualifier. Part of the reason Fusion did not fare so well was because, on the advice of judges, a number of changes had been made to its programmes which there had not been sufficient time to polish.

The team was also without one of its more senior members in the technical programme after Rachel Heap became unwell and had to be replaced by Alix Carter although Rachel was able to skate in the artistic programme later in the day.

“Fusion now needs to work really hard to ensure that we gain gold at the British Championships in January and the coaches need to decide whether to increase the teams from 16 to 18 skaters for the championships,” Sacha Hartley said.

But Fusion is disappointed not to have been selected by the National Ice Skating Association to represent Great Britain in an International Skating Union competition in Milan in February which would give it a chance to .qualify for the junior world championships in March. Instead both Bracknell teams have been offered a choice of two non-ISU internationals.

Skating for Fusion were: Kasia Bielska, Alix Carter (technical programme), Gemma Cross (vice captain), Rebecca Fraser, Sian Grimsey, Laura Hartley, Lucy Heap, Rachel Heap (artistic programme), Becky Highcock, Laura Highcock, Sara Holroyd, (captain), Charlotte King, Katherine Loades-Bannon, Alison Ryder, Jo Simms (vice-captain), Alex Smith, Kirsten Smith and Lyndsey Steere with Kirsty Clarkson, Stephanie Francis and Susie Race as reserves.

Skating for Ice Precise were: Amy Barnes, Charlotte Briddon, Charlotte Brooke, Stephanie Francis, Rebecca Fraser, Laura Hartley (vice-captain), Rachel Heap, (vice captain), Becky Highcock, Laura Highcock, Charlotte King (captain), Katherine Loades-Bannon, Rebecca Loades-Bannon, Susie Race, Alison Ryder, Alex Smith and Olivia Wessendorf with Jordan Brown and Paul Dredge as reserves.

Camp Pays Off For Ice Precise

BISC's Ice Precise synchro team benefited greatly from a two-day camp for novice teams at Lee Valley on November 6-7. “Each day we had about three hours on ice with either Jimmy Young (senior dance coach at iceSheffield) or Andrea Gilardi (a coach from Milan) and a further hour of flexibility and fitness training with Tatiana Woods,” writes Ice Precise captain, Charlotte King. “Jimmy focused mainly on individual skating while Andrea focused on improving our programme with a view to making it faster and more entertaining for the audience.

“I was very happy and encouraged by the improvement of the skating as a team and as individuals.

“Throughout the two days I felt as if we had bonded well as a team and I would encourage more people to come and share the experience.”

David Phillips, who coaches Ice Precise with Lucine Chakmakjian, added: “They were a credit to the club. Always tidy, well mannered, hard working, polite and punctual. A big thanks to Sacha Hartley (one of the team managers) and her helpers for making it go so smoothly.”

Who Does What?

Here is a list of committee members' responsibilities following Gail Tudor's resignation and the co-option of Yvette Salmon at the November meeting:

Chair Roy Welham; Vice-Chair Laura Hetebrij; Secretary Rosemary Rogers; Treasurer Gill Groves; Assistant Treasurer Janice Morris; CompetitionsSue Truby assisted by Yvette Salmon; Newsletter & Publicity Scott Waller assisted by Toni Barrett and Karen Dredge; Synchro Reps Sacha Hartley and Sally King; MembershipElaine Callaghan; Junior Reps Richard Boaden and Leah Rogers; TrophiesChristine Piggott; Secondhand Sales Pat Watson; Website Ian Turner; Social Sue Simmonds; MerchandiseLaura Hetebrij; Club Table Toni Barrett and Allison Brown; NTC Reps Laura Hetebrij, Sue Truby and Gill Groves; ice Scott Waller, Sue Truby and Laura Hetebrij; 200 Club Karen Dredge; Gala Scott Waller.


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