Bracknell Ice Skating Club Newsletter - April 2005

Two Dancers Enjoy Being Sent to Coventry

 

Two Bracknell Ice Skating Club members qualified for this year's British Solo Ice Dance Championships at their first attempt.

Twelve club members went to Coventry on April 14 and 15 to compete in the first of six qualifying competitions. The first three girls in each event - or the top three behind any who have already qualified - go through to the finals while boys qualify as long as they compete in two competitions.

Michelle Bannister, 17, who last year came sixth in the intermediate section of the championship, qualified for this year's intermediate final when she came 4th in the compulsory dance, 2nd in the original dance and 2nd overall. Like Leah Rogers, 17, and Jen Truby, 16, who came 7th and 9th in the same section, Michelle is coached by Marcin Glowacki.

Tamsyn Pack, who was 15 a few days later, qualified for last year's junior championship but failed to compete because of injury. She ensured a place at this year's final when she came 4th at Coventry behind two girls and a boy.

Bracknell did particularly well in the junior section with Rebecca Forsyth and Helen Ingram, both 14, coming 5th and 6th. Like Tamsyn, they also compete at championship level with their partners.

“They did particularly well when you consider that they are part-time solo skaters while the three who came top in the juniors only do solo dance,” said David Phillips who coaches them with his wife, Lucine Chakmakjian.

Also competing in the junior section were Fiona Piggott and Claire Miller, both 14, who came 15th and 17th out of 30, having been primary section finalists last year.

Three Bracknell skaters were among 29 competitors in the primary section at Coventry where Charlotte Hester, 13, a finalist last year, came 6th with first-time entrants, Laura Hartley, 13, and Paul Dredge, 12, coming 19th and 25th.

And Sadie Robbins, 9, acquitted herself well by coming 7th in the novice qualifier.

Unfortunately the club's youngest competitor, Hayley Salmon, 9, who not only qualified but came a very creditable 12th last year, was barred from the event - after she had been told she was entered - when the organisers held a draw to delete one of the 31 entrants because their software could only cope with 30 scores! It was a double blow for Hayley because she had already been left out of the iceSheffield qualifier, which had cut back its novice class to 24, and was sixth on the waiting list.

Pilates-Dance Classes Look Set For Success

BISC's new pilates-dance classes got off to an excellent start on April 16.

Feedback was so good that the few vacant places in the two classes were snapped up within hours.

The sessions are held on Saturdays from 10-11.15 am and from 11.30am-12.45pm in the upstairs training room at the rink.

They are taken by former professional ballet dancer Angela O'Brien who is a qualified and experienced ballet and pilates teacher. She drew up a lesson plan for BISC, based on skaters' needs, after talks with co-ordinating coach Jon Bonny.

The pilates exercises are designed to increase core strength and so help skaters to use the correct muscle groups when performing steps, jumps and other moves on the ice.

The dance tuition is aimed at making skaters more aware of the positioning and use of their heads, upper bodies and arms to improve their skating style and presentation.

Each class has 20 pupils and sessions, subsidised by BISC's 200 Club, cost just £2 each, payable in advance for blocks of six to eight.

The next course runs from June-July . If you would like to add your name to the waiting list for that or future courses, please email Scott Waller on newsdesk_scott@yahoo.co.uk or leave a note for her at the club table or rink reception.

Streatham Open

Nine BISC free skaters made up 12 entries in the Streatham Open on April 11 and 12. Between them they won four gold medals - three for artistic - and a silver, with trophies presented on the first day by British Senior Men's Champion, John Hamer.

Harvey Clarke was 3rd out of 3 in the Under Level 1 boys class while Olivia Clarke was 5th and Robyn Vaughan 10th of 11 in the Level 3 girls class, Hannah Hetebrij was 6th of 6 in the Level 4 girls class and David Truby was 1st of 1 in the Level 5 boys class.

In the artistic section, Ellie Hetebrij was 4th of 4 at Level 1, Olivia Clarke 1st of 5 in the Level 2/3 class, and Hannah Hetebrij was 1st of 4 in the Level 4/5 class.

Competing on the second day, Holly Kirkbride came 2nd of 2 in the Level 7 ladies class and 1st of 2 in the Level 6 and over artistic class, while Lesley Brenikov and Nicki Torrington came 3rd and 4th of 6 in the Level 2 and under adults class.

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