Nottingham’s Icicles Junior synchronised skating team have been selected to represent Great Britainat the World Junior synchronised Skating Championships.
Following a selection event held by British Ice Skating, the team was delighted to be invited to represent their country for the ninth time in a row.
Nottingham’s National Ice Centre, where the Icicles train, was closed for many months during the variouslockdowns, meaning the team could not train at the rink.
The World Junior Synchronised Skating Championships 2022 will take place on March 17-19 inInnsbruck, Austria. Top ice skating teams from the USA, Canada, Russia and all over Europe and beyondwill compete to be World Champions.
Nottingham Synchronised Skating Academy (NSSA) head coach Esther Morris said: “I am so proud of the skaters for how hard they have worked. We are honoured to get the chance to represent Great Britain and share the ice with the best teams from across the world.
“All the club’s skaters had big set-backs to their training during 2020 and 2021, unable to set foot on the ice for many months. The skaters worked hard off the ice during lockdown to maintain their fitness and flexibility,in very difficult circumstances, and Zoom replaced the ice. This selection means a lot to everyone at the club and is an incredible tribute to the skaters’ dedication to training since they’ve been able to return to the ice.
“Both national and international competitions were cancelled last year and some competitions have hadto be cancelled this year too, so it’s exciting for the team to have this chance to skate against the best teams from across the world.”
Synchronised skating teams competing at this level comprise 16 skaters performing two different programmes, a short and a long programme. The programmes must incorporate various compulsory elements, such as a travelling circle, spins and a wheel.
NSSA has six other teams that train alongside Icicles Juniors with skaters ranging from 8 to 47 years. All of the seven teams are reigning British Champions.
The club is looking for businesses in the region interested in becoming sponsors: please contact [email protected] to discuss.
To find out more about becoming a synchronised ice skater, visit the club’s website for details: https://www.nssa-nottingham.co.uk/
Get updates on the team’s progress on social media: https://www.facebook.com/Nottingham-Synchronized-Skating-Academy-1044617879 47818/
Instagram: teamiciclesgb.jr