Recap
Icicles Senior crowned British Champions at the Britannia Cup 2022
Team Icicles Senior competing their short programme. Their theme, to keep going in the fight against cancer. (Credits: Esther Morris - 2022)
The Britannia Cup was held on the 23rd and 24th April at IceSheffield in Sheffield. Usually held in January, this was the first Synchronised Skating British Championships held since 2020 and had been rescheduled due to COVID earlier this year.
However, the competition did not run smoothly and massive thanks are needed to the officials, the judges, the parents and coaches who volunteered last minute to ensure that the competition was a success. They stepped in to open gates, put up timetables, commentate, distribute medals as a synchro community, which was hugely appreciated by all the skaters who competed.
The free programme the next day was just as fast and fierce as the previous. The performance was strong although there was a fall in the intersection. They were the only team to complete death spirals, which delighted the crowd, in keeping with their disco music. They scored 82.61 points, which was a personal best, and won the senior category for the third time with a total score of 124.85 points.
"Team Icicles Senior have had an amazing season...one that can only be described as a series of both Personal and British bests.
The team started training properly in earnest together in January this year with all skaters back on the ice ready to train hard. With less competitions than usual in a season, the Sheffield Steel City competition was to be our first season outing. It would also be used as our Worlds qualifier.
It was nerve wracking running up to it, therefore amazing to achieve not only a PB of 120.65, but also a score that meant we made performance squad... something the team are very proud of (especially given the team has had only 1.5 hours per week of ice!!)
Worlds in Canada was an amazing experience and the score was a GB best of 117.58... very closely aligned to the Sheffield score too, which was fantastic.
It felt really strange the British being after Worlds but we continued to push ourselves, not diminishing efforts. We proudly came away with a great score of 124.85...the best in Team Icicles senior's history to date!!
We look forward to seeing even more teams next season, raising the standards across the sport even higher. This season we have both laughed, cried and had fun together and we look forward to the next season with enthusiasm."
With love, Team Icicles Senior 2021-2022.
In second place was Team Magenta from Cardiff. They scored 19.32 points in the short, skating to Happy and 33.51 points in the free, skating to Arrival of the Birds. This was their first competition this season and they earned a total score of 52.83 points.
Icicles kicked off the Junior competition with their short programme to Bom Bom by Sam and the Womp. Fresh from their successful performance at Junior Worlds, Icicles looked confident with a programme full of attitude. They scored highly on their moves element but then had a fall in their twizzles. They showed good speed and flow across the ice with interesting transitions. They scored 36.74 points.
Solway Stars were second to skate, representing Dumfries. Skating to Peter Gunn in black sparkly dresses, they had a smooth style across the ice and a clean skate. The programme was sultry with the skaters expressing well, using their hair as a feature within the choreography. They scored 37.31 points, coming first in the short programme.
In the free programme, Icicles skated to Moulin Rouge. Although they had a confident start, they had an unfortunate fall at the beginning of their intersection which toppled an entire line. They had three falls and points deducted for an interruption in excess. There was an additional fall in the artistic wheel. Even so, the skaters maintained their performance throughout the programme. They scored 57.10 points with a total combined score of 93.84 points, which earned them second place.
Solway Stars skated next with their Beetlejuice programme. This was a very different style to their short programme, being much darker and moody. They also had a fall in their intersection, however, the rest was skated cleanly. They scored 73.08 points in their free skate and a total combined score of 110.39 points, winning the Junior category for the first time.
“I am just so unbelievably proud of these girls and their achievements this weekend. We have had a rollercoaster of a season, with COVID-19 cases and restrictions strongly impacting our training and competition schedule throughout the year. However, hard work and resilience has led to all time personal bests and our first Junior British Champions title!
This is also a very special win for myself, as a former Solway Stars skater. This title was one that generations of Stars dreamed of and I feel very lucky to be a part in their journey to this success.
I would like to say a special thanks to head coach Philip Carter for his continuous dedication to growing the sport in our small town of Dumfries. With the exception of a couple of travelling skaters, our teams are made up of girls who have been with us from Skate UK, and we hope these victories will inspire a new generation.
We are looking forward to a short break now before picking things back up again for the new season and continuing to grow even stronger.”
Molly Coxon - Co-coach of Solway Star - Dumfries
Senior B
Aura from Lee Valley earned the gold medal with a score of 58.26 points. Their programme was entitled ‘Perfect Storm’ and they reflected the mood of the music well with a fierce performance and attack. The crowd particularly enjoyed their two person lift in the middle of their artistic wheel and the commitment of the team to every movement.
“This year's British for Aura was about saying goodbye to not only our programme “Perfect Storm” but it was also a last skate for a few skaters who are starting new adventures at university.
For us we wanted to skate for each other and give the programme we love a skate without any falls that we can all be proud of.
It was by no means technically perfect, but we were very proud of the performance given.”
Dannii Hunt - Coach of Aura, Lee Valley
All Stars from Slough earned the bronze medal with a score of 51.44 points. This team was also a skater short with an accident in training during their last practise. They skated a really elegant programme to Dream Girls. They gained a level 2 in their twizzle element but had a bump in their whip intersection and a fall in their artistic circle. It was a smooth skate which reflected each piece of music.
Unum from Sheffield skated to Saturday Night, U Can’t Touch This, Cha Cha Slide and We Like To Party with retro costumes and theme. They had a packed programme with some more difficult elements incorporated into it. They scored 44.89 points.
“Twizzles learnt their new routine for this season on zoom and then on a car park before finally transferring it to the ice. They have continually pushed themselves hard, trying to increase the difficulty levels within the routine and to improve knee bend. They have been working on adding extra personality to their skate and including that little bit of magic to it, to be the best genies they can possibly be!”
Sam Ozard - Coach of Twizzles, Altrincham
In third place was Novus from Sheffield who scored 26.81 points. Novus had a cowgirl theme programme with checkered shirts and denim skirts. They skated an upbeat and interesting programme to Timber by Pitbull and Hoedown Throwdown Miley Cyrus which had the crowd clapping along with them.
In third place was Deelites from Deeside. Skating to Le Jazz Hot by Julie Andrews, they had a soft style of skating with good knee bends, especially by the end of the programme. They scored 37.81 which is a personal best.
Winning the gold medal was Bladerunners from Altrincham. Skating to Opening Up from the musical Waitress and wearing blue waitress costumes, the team remained in character throughout the performance. They delivered a strong skate and looked confident across the ice. They scored 31.05 points, a season’s best.
In third place was Illusion from Slough. They were skating to a disco themed number with very snazzy costumes. Every skater looked like they were leading the disco, with beaming smiles and a calm and confident skate. They scored 30.18 points, also a personal best.
Shooting Stars from Gosport won the bronze medal skating to The Entertainer and Pump Up The Jam. They wore 20s inspired costumes in pink and black and travelled with speed across the ice. They skated their travelling interlocking circles confidently and their entire programme maintained their jazzy feel. They scored 32.32 points.
In second place was Ignis from Sheffield who scored 17.60 points. They skated to a medley from Moana in white and gold dresses and the audience enjoyed their spirals in a circle formation for their moves element.
Fantasia from Slough gained the silver medal with a score of 22.01 points. Wearing blue sparkly dresses, they skated to a disco medley including Michael Jackson, Uptown Girl and I Will Survive. They had neat lines and skated in time with the music. They had a cheeky attitude throughout the performance with their personalities shining through.
Ice Pops from Nottingham gained the bronze medal with 21.16 points. Skating to Moana, they had a cool calm skate with great extensions and clean lines. They had good speed across the ice and lovely, high spirals.
For every coach, committee and synchro parent and helper, a massive thank you for everything you have done and continue to do. To Hermione, for writing detailed notes about every team’s skate, thank you. Onwards and upwards to next season. See you all there!