2023 British Qualifying Competitions

[Belsornia]

Starting this thread because it seems like there’s some interest in today’s senior dance event (Fear/Gibson and Bekker/Hernandez season debuts).

Qualifier 1 (singles) took place back in March.
Results

Qualifier 2 (singles/pairs/dance) is this week.
Starting Orders / Results

Qualifier 3 (provisionally all events again) is scheduled for 2-6 October.

Performance Squad skaters get a bye to the British Championships but are encouraged to attend at least one. Appears that the ice dancers got the message!

 

[Belsornia]

There’s a junior man here (Luke Woodthorpe-Smith) with the most amazing light up shirt. It’s teal, green, pink and orange and there are LED lights flashing while he’s skating.

Also, terrible BIS scheduling strikes again with Jacob Casey having to do two free skates within half an hour. I guess at least pairs was first.

 

[Belsornia]

From the practice session -
Bekker/Hernandez RD music: 1999 / Purple Rain / Let’s Go Crazy

 

[Belsornia]

Fear/Gibson: Eurythmics - Sweet Dreams with a tiny bit of Here Comes The Rain.

Why did IAM give both their British teams the same music?


ETA costumes:

Costumes - Lilah and Lewis both have a lot of exceedingly sparkly illusion fabric on their upper halves. Lilah has a black strapless bra, Lewis a faux open shirt-sleeves shirt.

Phebe’s dress is pale purple, long on one side with a silver spine and a different shade of purple fringe on the boobs and epaulettes. It’s not as bad as my description makes it sound but doesn’t scream 80s. At first James looks like he’s wearing a black polo neck but if you squint he has a dark purple chest ruffle.

 

[Belsornia]

Talking to myself in this thread, but I figured @miffy will be interested in the pairs, who skated before BIS attempted a stream (it was just a guy with a camera, so hopefully the quality wasn’t too bad).

Evergreen comment that UK pairs would all hugely benefit from spending time with an expert pairs coach.

Smythe/Raikes - same Pirates of the Caribbean programme and green ‘folk’ costumes they’ve had for a while. I thought they missed an element before the death spiral but looking at the protocol maybe they just got lost in the choreography. They have decent skating skills and a nice sense of skating together but have been doing pairs for a couple of years now and basically can’t do any pairs elements. Not sure what the next step is for them: Zoë and Chris in Swindon aren’t far away if they want to try different coaches? Accept that their limit is as excellent hobby skaters? I don’t want to discourage anyone from pairs, but maybe they could consider dance? We need more young teams.

Coley/Casey - They’ve come so far: the first time I saw them they were at that painfully awkward stage of young teenager hood where they couldn’t even look at each other, and now they’re even hugging! Phantom of the Opera. He looks less of a string been and can’t have shrunk so must be filling out, which could help with the strength elements for pairs. These two are making steady if unspectacular progress. Both overhead lifts look secure, one with locked arms, and his turns are smooth. Nice low death spiral with an exit feature. Choreo moments and mini lifts throughout the programme but they need to work on performance skills. I expected them to have more of a tech advantage; not sure come why the spin was called invalid. There aren’t many novice pairs internationals but hopefully BIS will sent them to one; I think they would really benefit from competing against someone other than their training mates. If they do, I will contribute to the collection to buy him a new shirt! He’s been wearing this one for years, short programmes, free skates, singles and pairs.

Davison/Caller - Black and Gold. She’s in a black unitard with gold detailing, he’s in an old costume which is more black and silver. She’s really into this programme, and overall the choreo is a step up but still manageable for their skill level. They’re also continuing to make progress: lots of negative GOE, but they’ve upped the difficulty level. Still have the scariest twist around: he comes to a juddering stop with a horrible scrape as his toe pick drags the ice and chucks her on top of him. And now they’re doing a double. She’s brave. His turns in the lifts are also very scratchy but he’s a strong guy so they’re not scary. Low death spiral. Good throws - I think they have potential to get triples someday, he can actually throw her and she’s got great core strength on the landings. She was very happy with the score.

 

[miffy]

Talking to myself in this thread, but I figured @miffy will be interested in the pairs, who skated before BIS attempted a stream (it was just a guy with a camera, so hopefully the quality wasn’t too bad).

Yes! Thank you! you know me, always interested in the pairs! Thank you for being so descriptive, good to hear about the improvements, although I’m also dying to see that double twist now

 

[Belsornia]

Yes! Thank you! you know me, always interested in the pairs! Thank you for being so descriptive, good to hear about the improvements, although I’m also dying to see that double twist now

Well, they’re down to compete at JGP Budapest so if the stream is cooperating everyone can enjoy the nightmare twist.

Or come to the British Championships!

 

[Belsornia]

The final qualifier is taking place in Sheffield today through Thursday.

Starting Orders / Live Results

It looks like BIS are attempting a live stream on their YouTube channel - I haven’t checked it out, but hoping to watch the baby pairs on Wednesday.

Unfortunately new junior pair Zarah Wood / Alex Lapsky have withdrawn. Maybe they aren’t ready yet but if it’s because of illness or some other temporary issue I hope BIS will consider a bye to the British. There are so few opportunities for our pairs to compete and they won’t be internationally eligible next season.

 

[miffy]

Nooo that’s such a shame. I was really excited to see them.

 

[Sylvia]

The final qualifier is taking place in Sheffield today through Thursday.

Starting Orders / Live Results

It looks like BIS are attempting a live stream on their YouTube channel

Thank you!

Link: https://www.youtube.com/@britishiceskating/streams

 

[Belsornia]

Nooo that’s such a shame. I was really excited to see them.

Me too! Hopefully it's just a minor delay and they'll be able to compete somewhere soon. if we've gone from three junior pairs at the British Championships to one in under a week.

 

[Belsornia]

BIS are posting provisional lists of qualifiers for the British Championships on Sportity as events are wrapping up. Performance Squad skaters get a bye, though the majority have competed at at least one Qualifier.

Senior Women first off this morning. Only 6 spots at the British this year (Spours, Povey, Gillespie, Somerville, Sear-Watkins, Corrigan). Skaters not making it through include former junior medalists Emily Hayward, Christie Shannon and Molly Robatham. Sentimentally I was hoping Emily would make it but the field probably is the top six in terms of current skill set. Eleanor Hayes is the only one with a semi-reliable triple to miss out.

Senior Men 8 spots this year. A bit rough when there are 9 senior men - it wouldn't even require an extra warm-up to include them all. Elliott Thompson is the unlucky loser.

Good score in junior men for Lloyd Thomson who will make his international junior debut at the Tayside Trophy.