Twinkletoes or Thumper - 20-26 June 2004

[Mrs Redboots]

Twinkletoes: Had a Dress Rehearsal of our pairs programme this morning - even Robert wore his good trousers as he said he hadn't tried a hydroblade in them before and didn't want to have to come up out of it doing up his flies (his good trousers are a touch on the tight side.... :roll: ). He did wear a black jersey instead of the black shirt and bow-tie he'll wear on Thursday, though. But gloves and masks and everything else..... and I wore the full regalia that I plan to wear. Run-through went well except I bashed into a small boy who didn't get out of my way (our coach said definitely his fault not mine), but luckily we both stayed upright, so no harm done. Ran through our compulsory dances and not at all bad, except that we need to practice a sensible opening pose for our Riverside Rhumba. But Canasta Tango much better that last week, although we could do with just that much more knee-bend and push!

Thumper: The ice was very crowded with people warming up for tonight. Did a dreadful run-through of my programme, but my coach just said not to worry. Well, either I'll skate it well or I'll skate it badly..... and let's hope, whichever it is, that I do it better on Thursday.

Slightly worried as the draw is bad for me on Thursday - I shall have to get out of my Les Mis clothes and make-up and into my cat clothes and make-up in about 30 seconds flat - the other way round would be far easier. Sigh.... However, I've been told that there is plenty of time, and the referee knows about the problem, so we'll just hope they wait!

Why do I have two competitions in one week????

[Mrs Redboots]

Wot, nobody else skated yesterday?

Just to report that I skated really badly, I thought (got the shakes!), and finished in my usual last place, 5th out of 5. HOWEVER coach was pleased with me (he doesn't often see me compete), and Robert, who saw the marks (I didn't - they only posted the placings, not the marks), tells me that one judge had me 2nd and another 3rd, so I'm not bothered - it was just how the placings work out. And one of the judges has always given me poor marks - my sort of skating is obviously not what he likes, which is fair enough.

All the same, I did slightly wonder what the "entertainment" mark meant, when all the judges were laughing at my programme and then gave me low-ish entertainment marks - I'd thought, when I saw them laughing, that I'd get higher. Oh well.

Onwards to Thursday - let's hope I don't start shaking then. And I wonder whether I'd better take out the back-spiral/cherry-flip combination, since I don't think it's going to work "in anger".....

[TashaKat]

I'm not skating until tonight ..... third lesson back!

((((Annabel)))) Sorry you had a bad skate but it doesn't sound as though it was as bad as you thought!

Is it Bracknell this week? It must be about that time :D

If it is GOOD LUCK and can you give Will and Viv a hug and a 'good luck' from me please?


Lx

[jenlyon60]

Monday morning lesson... we did parts of MIF and coach had me do the cross-back chasses from Tango down the length of the ice, then a few minutes of working on the Paso back break-out (after the slip steps)

Twinkletoes: Started to make a breakthrough on the Tango cross-back chasses to improve them and get better edges. And a major breakthrough on the Paso back breakout... Finally it kicked in about the lean or weight placement (in relationship to the edges/circle of the pattern) and I realized that after the back change-edge, I had been leaving my weight too far outside of the circle, which had been making that part of the pattern VERY flat, and making it very difficult to do the RFI around the end. It's not perfect yet (needs much more practice), but I did manage on the last bit, to get something resembling a curve.

Thumper The LFI-RBI mohawk in the 5-step today. My previous problems on edge placement and holding the RFI edge for the RFI-LBI mohawk seemed to have decided to change feet today, during my lesson. I felt like I could not do the sequence repeat starting with the LFI-RBI mohawk today on good edges, and that side is usuallly my strongest side.

Tomorrow and Wednesday morning are gym days, so probably no skating until THurs...

[NCSkater02]

Wot, nobody else skated yesterday?

Onwards to Thursday - let's hope I don't start shaking then. And I wonder whether I'd better take out the back-spiral/cherry-flip combination, since I don't think it's going to work "in anger".....

My rink was hosting State Games Mite Hockey. My poor husband was signed up to referee three games, and they were short refs, so he did a fourth. An older teen was supposed the ref the championship game, but his dad had to take him home, so he stayed and did a fifth game. He was worthless when he got home. So, hockey took my rink, and I didn't skate.

What the heck is a back-spiral/cherry-flip combination? I have never heard of this.

[jenlyon60]

A "Cherry flip" is UK term for a toe loop (or at least that's what Skateweb says)

[JessicaLynn]

Twinkletoes - Today for the first time I went to Fraser Sports City Arena for open skating. I was THE ONLY ONE THERE!!!! I got to practice for 1.5 hrs and had the whole ice to myself. Eventually a dad and his two kids came but they kept to themselves. For $3, what a deal! I am going there more often!

Also, although my spins aren't there yet, I no longer get dizzy and I did 4 that felt pretty good. The waltz jump entrance is getting better too!

Thumper - Back inside edges!! I don't know what it is, but I cannot control my body when doing these. I feel so awkward. I think it is my push off or something. But these need work... :evil:

[TashaKat]

A "Cherry flip" is UK term for a toe loop (or at least that's what Skateweb says)

Yes it is!!

Other UK terminology:

Cherry Flip = Toe Loop (but we say double toe, triple toe etc)
3-Jump = Waltz Jump
Parallel = Camel Spin (though Camel is used too)
Toe Salchow = Flip (again both are used)
Drags = Lunges
Slaloms = ??? Power Pulls
Teapot = Shoot the Duck

and many many more .........

THIRD LESSON back skating:

It was assessment day so I was a bit of a vagrant and wandered from group to group, finishing off in the 'UK Star' group doing spins and waltz jumps!

I'm feeling that I want to skate out more we're limited to *our* patch ....) I'm presuming that this is a good thing :D

[icenut84]

Cherry Flip = Toe Loop (but we say double toe, triple toe etc)
Slaloms = ??? Power Pulls

One of the coaches at my rink says "double cherry" instead of double toe. I've always referred to toe loops though, not cherry flips. Depends on the person I suppose.

Power pulls are the same as 1 foot slaloms aren't they? When you stay on one foot, changing edges constantly down the ice. Normal slaloms are on two feet, like skiing.

[NCSkater02]

Twinkle toes I got off work early today to go to a make up skate class I'm going to miss Saturday (the NHL draft is here, and probably never will be again, so I'm blowing off skating and going) Made the freestyle session before class, so I spent most of that working on jumps. They are there, and slowly getting better. We worked on salchow entry today--the 3turn and bringing the free leg around. If I'm doing it even close to correct, I could really get to like salchows. Scratch spin--I struggled with it, figuring out that if I make a smaller entry circle, it works better. My last one of the day was centered, pulled in, and I had my free leg in front--not crossed at the ankles--but in front. It must have been because I thought my coach wasn't watching. (I usually do better when they aren't watching) She actually applauded. I was so happy!! :)

Thumper Nothing! A new jump I think I'm gonna like, and I did an almost scratch spin! :) I should just quit while I am ahead.........NOT!

[TashaKat]

Power pulls are the same as 1 foot slaloms aren't they? When you stay on one foot, changing edges constantly down the ice. Normal slaloms are on two feet, like skiing.

That's what I thought .... maybe someone can confirm :D I don't do 2-foot slaloms so I don't know what they're called :??

[alhrayth]

Yesterday night started not very brilliantly... I went to the rink even if didn't feel completely well - but I am skating so little these days, and I paid so much for it, that I'm not going to miss even one opportunity! As I arrived there, I found there's a latin festival outside the multi-sport center, and I was forced to pay an absurdly high parking fee just because I don't have a membership card of the complex (we rent the rink privately, and usually we get free parking too)... and I also lost like 20 minutes getting to park very far away :evil: :evil: . While arriving I must have gotten something in my eye, because as soon as I got into the rink I had to take one contact lense off because the eye was so irritated I was afraid of losing it on the ice.... So I spent all the session almost looking through only one eye... yuk! Thankfully before going home I was able to put it back in and drive safely home.
Under these premises the night didn't promise to be particularly good, but I had fun anyway - doing easier exercises most of the time (I didn't feel too at ease with the lens-less eye), working on edges, power pulls... Then for the last ten minutes my usual private coach offered to have a look at me, and after announcing that even if we hadn't worked in a while, my warm-up looked good and I didn't even lift too much the free leg during FW crossovers (after tripping in my blades one too many times with some figure blades tha I always thought were a bit too long, I am always unconsciously afraid of that, and I can't help lifting up the leg a bit too much), he had me trying a bit of dancing with him - I had fun, but this is DIFFICULT!! At some points I had my shoulders one direction, my legs in another one, trying not to trip in my coach's feet... yup, not easy for me, but FUNNY!
This is the thing I enjoy most from skating with these people: I go home happy, relaxed if not excited about what I just learnt.... when I came home from the synchro practice I was usually angry with my coach, depressed for what I felt I did wrong, tired of it all and very frustrated... This is much better!!!!

[Mrs Redboots]

Got to the rink at 8.00 am, which is early for a weekday, but Robert wasn't very sure which office he was going to today, so we went down to the rink in the car, which is unusual mid-week.

Twinkletoes: Went through our programme, and if we do it like that on Thursday (yes, Tashakat, it is Bracknell this week, Thursday and Friday) I'll be well pleased. Not that it was perfect, but still.

Decided to change my solo programme as I know I'll just stress out about the back spiral/cherry (toe-loop) combination, so decided to put the cherry flip in first, then gain speed and do the back spiral by itself, which works much better except that the cherry is absolutely in front of the judges, so if it goes wrong, I can't disguise it! What really put me off on Sunday, though, was that the judge who doesn't like my skating was making a note (I expect he put "UHT" for "unidentified hoppy thing"! But never mind that now....)]

Good news this morning of a new rink baby, born last Friday! Proud grandad says Mum will be back on the ice next week, he thinks!

Thumper: The rink was really cold. They've had the heating off, which was fine last week when it was really hot out, but it's less warm these days, and it's COLD. Plus they are going to repaint the ceiling, which means the Machine will be on the ice and probably block our patterns tomorrow. Oh well, nothing to be done about it.

[NCSkater02]

I walked in the rink with my secondary coach--she asked if I wanted a lesson today. Never one to turn down an opportunity to learn, I jumped at it (not literally)

Twinkletoes: I did a scratch spin! Well, almost...I didn't have the free foot all the way across. But I got it across. I might get it yet. We also worked an exercise my coach made up to help me try to stop rotating my upper body excessively (a problem I've had since I started skating) consisting of back crossovers, transitions, and stepping out. It'll be fun once I figure it completely out.

Thumper: The not-so-graceful fall I took less than five minutes from the end of the session. I was working on waltz-side toe hop-waltz and fell on the second waltz. Hurt my dignity more than my hiney. :oops:

[Mrs Redboots]

Thumper: Robert only managed ten minutes on the ice this morning, so we didn't bother running through our programme. I said that if we didn't know it now, we never would....

Twinkletoes: They weren't painting the ceiling during patch - I was afraid they would be. Lesson went well - did run through my programme just to make sure I remembered the changes, but no problems. I'd like to skate it better, though! All exercises were fairly okay except BO edges and clockwise waltz 3s, which weren't great. But I was really pleased that I managed nearly a whole width of alternating FO3s WITHOUT a toe-tap IN FRONT of my coach!

Mohawk sequence still dire - I simply am not flexible enough.

Achilles tendon still sore, but it doesn't bother me when I'm on the ice, thankfully.....

[icenut84]

Twinkletoes:

I did a few BO edges in landing position (after c/overs) with my free leg raised, like I mentioned on a thread last week. After my first one, someone kind of exclaimed/clapped and told me my position was very nice :D It did feel good actually. :)

A couple of nice pivots.

Some stuff was nice, or was fine... but wasn't a stellar skate really.

Thumper:

I haven't done the rhythm blues for sooo long, so it wasn't exactly that good when we did it in my lesson. Hmm. Maybe I just need to practice it... I wasn't that hot in my lesson anyway, any of it, really. Coulda been better.

Spins. Spirals. Didn't do any jumps. :(

The session didn't really end till about 10 mins after it was scheduled to, and I didn't realise. When I did, I had to get off the ice straight away and rush to leave so I could catch my train, which didn't even allow any time to stretch.

[NCSkater02]

I skated on public ice today, so I had to deal with the Gretzkey wannabes. :frus: At least they seemed to get on and be pains for a while, then get off for a while.

Twinkletoes: I think (not know) the scratch spin may be coming together. I can do all the pieces, just not all at the same time. And not completely consistantly. But if I keep at it, it will come......someday. :roll:

Thumper: All the time I spent on the scratch--at least 30 of my 90 minutes in two sessions. I could have better spent it jumping, but I'm doing ok with those, so I kept going with the spin--it does need LOTS more work. However, any time spent on the ice is good, so I'll take it anyway.

[babeonblades]

ugh im soo mad my ice time doesn't start for a while because they are awful times right in the middle of the day which completely ruins plans to go out for a day trip and it really makes it challenging to go any where that you have to drive. but i am glad that im skating 4 days a week 2 hours each day doing skills freeskate and dance(which i am now addicted to) :lol: one of the only good things about the awful times are that the ice times are super cheap soo im allowed more coaching time yayayayay hmm so thats my plans

[jenlyon60]

Today ... in lesson, did a pass of forward power 3s that was very slow, mostly because I was concentrating on getting each edge of the back crossovers just so. ANd when I have the alignment of the edges just so in relationship to the long axis of the rink, it works like a champ and the choctaws (step-forwards) are a piece of cake.

Then did a pass of 5-step mohawk, and things much better today than the other day.

Next, lots of cross-back chasse sequences, working on the beginning of the Tango. These are getting much better, with much tighter and closer together feet.

Ended the lesson with working on the back swing roll through the promenade and into the RFO edge that will eventually become the first half of the swing mohawk. We're working on me getting a very definite edge that, if I don't do the turn, becomes a curvy RFO instead of just heading down the rink to nowhere-land.

Yesterday, did lots of leg work at the gym, using a fitness ball and one of those body bars.

[Mrs Redboots]

Ugh! Back from the first day at Bracknell, and two more last places to my credit. One of which shouldn't have been - I made the most complete and utter nonsense of my "Master of the House" programme, basically got disoriented, set off in the wrong direction, had to think on my feet to get back in front of the judges but, because I was coming at them from the wrong direction, I suddenly couldn't remember which way round to jump! So my toe loop didn't happen, my 3-jump pretty well didn't, either. Spin worked, but that was about all that did. Utter disaster, and a deserved last place.

We expected to finish last in the Artistic Couples, and duly did so, but actually skated extremely well and were very pleased with ourselves. Only problem was that I had to change in a serious hurry between classes (I was skating 13th in the solos, then 4th in the couples), and somehow tore my fingernail, which is now very sore and it hurts to type! So I'll let Batikat, Nicki T, John F and anybody else who was there tell you about their skates.

I thought we were headed home after the competition, but found, to my horror, we were actually on our way to Dance Club. We were late, but managed to skate for about 40 minutes, and actually, once I stopped grumbling, I had fun! Also it was a good warm-up for tomorrow. When we will inevitably finish 4th out of 4 in our couples compulsories, because I know the opposition, and we can't beat them, I don't think. However, we will have fun trying, and if we can come off knowing we've danced well, I'll be pleased.

[NickiT]

Well, since Annabel has posted about her day at the Bracknell Opens I guess it's my turn too.

I skated my free programme this morning. Having passed my level 2 tests back in November I had to move up to the level 2 and over class this year so I didn't expect to place anywhere but last even with a perfect skate. Anyway it was definitely not my day to have a good skate today. I guess having skated my programme clean in the past two Opens I was riding for a fall and that's exactly what I got. Just a few seconds into my programme I took a fall for some very weird reason. I had completed a clean back three turn and the next thing I was down. I'm not a faller - my last fall was in February when I broke my rib, so it was a very unpleasant surprise. Even worse was my struggle to get back up on my feet. It may only have been a few seconds but it felt like forever.

Anyway once back up I managed to pick up my programme with the sit spin and although it went OK it wasn't my best. I two-footed my lutz which was a let-down as I've been nailing this jump consistently but I guess it was the first jump after the fall and I was totally un-nerved. I completed the rest of my programme and surprisingly landed a clean loop-loop combination, but my camel spin was rushed and for some very strange reason I finished my programme with my back to the judges. Goodness knows why but it happened. I think my brain had given up by then!

The good thing about having a bad free skate is that by the time we got to do our artistic class, I was pretty relaxed as I felt I couldn't do any worse. Anyway we went out and skated our number really well indeed. All of us were very pleased with how it went as was my/our coach who thought it looked great. When the marks went up we discovered we placed third. We were just 0.4 of a mark behind the team who came second so it was a very close competition. So very happily we ended the day on the podium. I'm sure Batikat will be on at some point to fill you in with more. I know she's back tomorrow for the dance competitions. I'm a free skater only so it's all over for me now.

Nicki

[twinkle]

You forgot me Annabel!

I got two third places in free and interpretive, and I was pleased with both because I skated almost my best, especially in the interpretive which was my last time with that program. John F won that competition with the help of a very popular hat :bow:

Batikat skated very well in her free and Batikat and Nicki T's group artistic was very good.

Annabel, I was specially watching for your back spiral and cherry and I wondered where they had gone. But I did notice a nice three jump and it wasn't at all obvious that you were confused.

[johnfisher]

Well I guess it's my turn :)

I entered the freeskate and interp classes yesterday and did the freeskate first. Things started out with a disastrous warm-up. I have been spoiled with 6 minute warm-ups at the MC so suddenly doing a 3 1/2 minute warm-up was not very nice especially since I'd drawn to skate first (as ever) so could only use about 2 1/2 minutes of it. I did my first axel on the warm-up and as I took off my trouser foot strap pinged open which put me off so I popped the jump and fell. Then fell again on a double sal! I could not get my feet under me at all. Started out ok in the program with a 2sal-toe combination then fell on the 2flip :frus: Did an ok flying camel and the double loop-double loop combination but had to step out of the second jump. In practice I have been landing three in a row so I was a bit annoyed with myself for this. Finished up with circular steps straight into double sal which I held with a bit of a struggle then did axel followed lastly by combination spin with a Lambiel style sit spin. All in all it went ok, I never really got comfortable with my jumps at any stage in the programme, but I went for them all which I am pleased about.

The skater who went after me is very strong so I was amazed when one of my friends came into the changing room after her skate to tell me that I was ahead of her on a 2 to 1 split of the judges - I wouldn't have expected to have any chance of beating her at all. None of the other skaters in the class challenged for the top two places so I came away with first place to my complete surprise 8O .

The interp later on was good fun without any pressure to do any difficult jumps. I skated my fever program with the silver shirt and the infamous hat and really enjoyed my skate. I think I skated it quite a lot better than at the MC and my marks (including a 4.4!!) were high enough to give me first place in this competition too.

It was a good day for watching skating too. A good friend of mine who has hardly competed at all came to skate for the first time in a long while and did very well I thought. Hopefully we will be able to encourage her to take a stab at the British in October. There were many other good performances - too many to mention - though I will single out a certain septuagenarian who once again floored everyone else with the marks she got!

John

[batikat]

Ok since we seem to have hijacked this thread to be a Bracknell Adult Opens report I'll add my bit here too.

I am shattered now having been up at 5am both days to get a bit of practice in on the pre-competition patch that finished at 6.45am. On Thursday I skated my free programme. The first time I have ever skated a Free programme in Open competition so didnt' expect too much, especially given many other level 1 competitors seem to have been level 1 for years!

Anyway it went OK - landed my jumps, if not very stylishly and upright spin was good - sit spin I can't really remember but I assume I did it! In the event I felt I was slightly unlucky to have placed 8th of 9 rather than 7th but had good marks from one of the judges which was gratifying.

Then competed in the Improvisation competition in which I started well but lost track of the music cues and had to hurry into my final spin (sit spin) which meant of course it didnt' work - since there are only 3 elements allowed (2 spins and 1 jump), missing an element is not a great idea!!! Ended up 4th (of 6) which is a highly annoying place to be as I keep thinking if only I'd done my sit spin properly maybe I'd have got third! Ah well C'est la vie!

Then I competed in the artistic for small groups with Nicki T and some other friends. I can honestly say it was the most fun I've ever had skating. Personally think we should have got the gold of course ;) !!! but were slightly handicapped by the fact that there turned out to be no men on the judging panel (in every other year I've seen it there's always been at least one male judge) and our final few seconds would have been more effective with a male judge - in the end the poor photographer got the shock of his life to be 'attacked' by 4 (beautiful :) ) ladies! Still, we got bronze and had a lot of fun.

Friday was dance day and I did the compulsories at 7.15 am (when basically I was still asleep!). I skated the best I ever have done in these (the secret being to convince myself I really enjoyed doing them - which I dont normally- and the positive attitude did seem to help). I got good marks even from the judge who normally seems to mark me down, so I was pleased. I got the silver (of 6), the gold going to my friend who has recently taken up ice dance in addition to Free skating which she has done for years and is 2 levels above me in.

Then my last competition was the OD whch was to a Rhumba rhythm. I was very keen to win back the cup (as it's a lovely cup and I miss it!) but was thwarted when the third person in the competition turned out to be a 19 year old who had first skated at age 10, worked in sports, taught gymnastics etc. etc. She was lovely, but realistically her level of skating was much higher than her test level (basically because she has found it almost impossible to test where she skates) and could probably have easily passed level 5 or 6 given the coaching for it (comp was level 3 and under). She skated beautifully, had lovely edges and that flow and sureness only those who skated as kids ever seem to achieve. Anyway she got first which was no surprise and I got another silver! (of 3)

I did enter for drawn partners too which was Riverside Rhumba but as usual was out in the first round I skated - but for once It wasn't actually my fault we went out but my partner who messed up and it was fun to watch the rest.

Unfortunately I missed seeing Annabels artistic (I was getting ready for the groups one). I did see Nicki skate and she was very unfortunate to have that strange fall (another skater fell in the exact same place also on nothing much so there may have been a bit of a hole in the ice or something). We did feel for her as she has been doing that program clean over and again in practice but as she says the level of competiton was such it would have been difficult to gain any places even with a clean programme.

Overall I really enjoyed the competition this year and it was lovely to see so many skating friends (old and new).

[Mrs Redboots]

You forgot me Annabel!Whoops, not on purpose.....

I got two third places in free and interpretive, and I was pleased with both because I skated almost my best, especially in the interpretive which was my last time with that program. John F won that competition with the help of a very popular hat :bow: It was a good hat, that one!
Annabel, I was specially watching for your back spiral and cherry and I wondered where they had gone. But I did notice a nice three jump and it wasn't at all obvious that you were confused.Well, I'd changed it because I couldn't do the back spiral/cherry reliably, so I was doing them separately. The coach from Streatham who was there knew I'd messed it up, and pointed out that I looked nervous and tentative. Oh well, that's water under the bridge.

Today we skated really, really, really well again and were absolutely thrilled to only just miss 3rd place! Which sounds odd, but we'd honestly never expected to place other than 4th out of 4, so to have got to the stage where the audience weren't quite sure whether we were 3rd or 4th was terrific! And the judge whose opinion I really respect definitely had us 3rd in both dances - I did make a mistake in the Riverside Rhumba, which is probably why the other two judges marked us down. But our Canasta was one of the best we've ever done. And what was really nice was that the couple who won the class had never actually won gold together before, although had often made the podium, so I was really thrilled for them. Plus the couple who came 2nd well deserved to, and as for the couple who (just) pipped us, it was their first Open (though I'm almost sure I've come against them in recreational competitions), so they were thrilled, too.

Robert and his Other Woman then proceeded to skate far, far better than I've ever seen them do before, and finished a well-deserved 5th out of 7 - they had not expected to finish other than last, so this was so much gravy. And then, the absolute icing on the cake was that Robert actually made the semi-finals in the Drawn partners (better than the England team!)! He and his partner did lose the 3rd place skate-off, but was and is extremely pleased with himself! I drew the man of the couple who just pipped us into 3rd place, so no hope of getting any further, but he was good to skate with.

The Drawn Partners was even more fun than usual this year, as in previous years they've told you who you're skating with in the warm-up, so you get at least one chance to run through the start, for instance. This year, you warmed up with whichever male you could grab, and only found out who you'd drawn just before you skated with him! Excellent!

[Mrs Redboots]

It was a good day for watching skating too. A good friend of mine who has hardly competed at all came to skate for the first time in a long while and did very well I thought. Hopefully we will be able to encourage her to take a stab at the British in October. There were many other good performances - too many to mention - though I will single out a certain septuagenarian who once again floored everyone else with the marks she got!

JohnYour friend was brilliant, I thought - do encourage her. As for our septuagenarian friend - well, I haven't laughed so much since Axel's made housewife at Villard-de-Lans! She was, as always, magic - and, she told me, she doesn't even skate seriously any more.....

Oh, and Tashakat's friends, who skated today (and one of whom skated yesterday), were also extremely good - they do nothing but improve and their "unpolished" free dance is going to be hard to beat!

Two of Melanie's friends couldn't be with us, alas, as they were injured, and they were much missed. The other two were there, as always, and it was glorious seeing them again. We parted with many hugs and promises to meet at the British!

I also learnt today that we have not one, not two, but three of "our crowd" (of Adults) in the British Solo Dance Championships next month. I can't quite decide whether this means that our adults are exceptionally good, or the standard of solo dance in this country is exceptionally bad. Naturally, I incline to the former view - especially given one entrant, who skated as a child, gave it up for 30 years, and took it back up only 5 years or so ago. He's older than I am, and almost as stout - and now he's in the British Solos, which is abso-bloody-lutely fantastic! And one of the women in it is in her 30s and didn't even skate as a child.... so we are well represented.

[twinkle]

I really enjoyed watching the dance today from the best vantage point of the marking table :P

Everyone I knew skated very well so well done!

[luna_skater]

Twinkletoes: I passed the Westminster, which was my last gold dance!

[Mrs Redboots]

Twinkletoes: I passed the Westminster, which was my last gold dance!Wow, congratulations! That is one hard dance!:bow:

[jazzpants]

CONGRATS, luna_skater!!! :mrgreen:

No "Twinkletoes" today. Today I went to change out my blade out of my old boot and into my new Harlicks. I found out when I got on the ice that the blade was really sticky and I could not do a FO edge on my right foot. My new skate guy believes that it's b/c the old skate guy gave me a 3/8" groove, which is suitable for ice dancers, but not freestyle skaters. The new skate guy (after skating on the new blade/boot for 20 minutes) is trying to fix the problem now. :cry:

[jazzpants]

Twinkletoes: Good news is that the new 7/16" hallow helped. It's still slightly too sharp but at least now I can glide... :P

Thumper: The blade alignment is off on my right foot. I tried skating on a straight line and it just won't go straight. Even when I was trying to glide forward and to the right, the blade veers me right back to the left. Back to the skate guy I go again!!! GRRRR!!! :evil: