Everyone was a star, but thank you all the same. I haven't been working on the combination much recently but the first jump felt good so I thought I might as well have a pop at the double-double. I was a bit annoyed to miss my 2flip though. For it to work I have to take it very straight and I ran out of room to do that. If I had tried the double I would have fallen no doubt so I just did a single. Grrr.


Well done, I'm sorry I couldn't stay to see it but I had borrowed my dad's car and I had to collect him from work.

Good luck to everyone skating tomorrow.

John

Well done to all who competed. It was a great day as usual....at least it was once I'd skated! The big lead up to my skate was filled with the usual nerves though!

I had a very good skate. I had a bit of a wobbly start to my programme and didn't pull off one of my best loop-loop combinations but I soon settled into my programme and the rest went really well. I can honestly say it was my best skate yet in competition and definitely an improvement on last year. Sadly I only placed second in a class of two which was disappointing given I won last year, but I've come away knowing I skated better than ever and that's more important to me!

Our club's group artistic was one of just two entries as well and when we saw that Gosport were our rivals we wrote off any chance of winning gold. However, although we had a bit of a tangle with our ribbons at the end, we skated it well and raised a lot of giggles amongst the judges resulting in a first place finish! Yay to Batikat, myself and our fellow Bracknell skate mates!

It was great to meet up with everyone once again. Those who I saw skate, skated very well and all deserve a big pat on the back!

Nicki

__________________
www.myspace.com/insatiableskater

Isn't it just - and guess what - I got 2 x 4th places today.

I was disappointed not to get at least a bronze in the free skate as I was pleased with my skate, having landed both my loop and amazingly my flip (though possibly underrotated) and at least 2 of the judges liked it but the mark of the middle judge was just insulting in my opinion - not sure where he was looking or maybe he just didn't like me for some reason. Anyway he gave me more than half a mark less than the other two judges and I'm at a loss as to what he didn't like. Still 4th of 7 isn't too bad.

The funny thing was that in the Improv event the same judge was marking and he gave me really good marks for that, (better than those of the skater who came second in the free) and in line with the other two judges this time, which makes me think even more that he just must have missed something in my freeskate (I even changed my dress in the hope he wouldn't notice I was the skater he didnt' like!). I'm told this judges marks improve when he has eaten, so maybe he was having hunger pangs during my free!!

I wasn't disappointed at coming 4th in the improv as the skaters placed 1st, second and third are much younger (one still a teenager and the others in their 20's) and could easily have moved up a level or two (at least 2 of them have had papers in for their next level tests for months). We oldies (in our 40's ) knew we were fighting it out for 4th and 5th.

I did still get to come home with a medal though, as I was in the group artistic with 6 other Bracknell skaters (including NickiT) and we won. It doesn't sound so good when you realise it was out of 2 groups but the other group is one which regularly wins the gold, so we were pleasantly surprised to pip them to gold this time, (by about 0.1 of a point!!!!!!!!) despite our ending not going quite according to plan (I told them the ribbon would get tangled!!!!!!!!)

Anyway I'm on the gate tomorrow afternoon so will see those of you who are dancing tomorrow. Good Luck!

Aaaah, but we had that ribbon star perfect all last week in practice while a certain person was away in Germany...lol! I think it added to the programme anyway!

See you tomorrow. I'm marking in the morning and on the gate in the afternoon so will get to watch all the skating tomorrow!

Nicki

__________________
www.myspace.com/insatiableskater

Hey - don't blame me!!! It wasn't just me away....... did you actually ever do it on the ice????? Germany was great - let me see - 'artistic practice' vs 'freebie trip to Germany to see a World Cup footie match, all expenses paid, great hotel, great food, free wine and beer, 7th row seats' - sorry - no contest!

Anyway, Ribbon = tangles - it's a natural law - and yes I think the mistakes made it all the funnier!!!

Congratulations to Loops and your hubby.

And congratulations to you too!

Good luck tomorrow. Which dances are you doing?

Maybe you could make sure he is fed a bellyful of warm nourishing soup before you skate??

YAAAAY, John!!!

Congrats, Robert!!! WOO HOO!!! I'm envious! I've never gotten 3 rev. on my camel. 2-2.5 maybe... and I don't wanna talk about my loop jump either!!!

YAAAY, ANNABEL!!! YOU GO, GIRL!!!

Good luck in your events tomorrow, you guys!!!

__________________
Cheers,
jazzpants

11-04-2006: Shredded "Pre-Bronze FS for Life" Club Membership card!!!
Silver Moves is the next "Mission Impossible"
(Dare I try for Championship Adult Gold someday???)

Thank you for the support, you guys!!!

I won't mention my place, but at least I've got some decent pictures!

http://www.avomerfe.com/skating/Bracknell_2006.htm

__________________
My other car is a Zamboni

Wow!! what fantastic pictures, are you able to say who took them? The competition must have been tough because you look great!!

The pictures were taken by Francesca from Milton Keynes. I have some more pictures of skaters from MK, Coventry and a few others, including Mrs Redboots, but they are all hi resolution and I need to Photoshop them to size. If the subjects allow, I will publish them as well.

__________________
My other car is a Zamboni

I'm back! After a really nerve wracking 2 days I finally skated the compulsories (willow waltz and fiesta tango) and came second out of 13 . I was absolutly amazed but very chuffed. everyone did really well both days and made themselves proud so well done everyone! xx

Looks very professional, does anyone know if there will be an official photographer at the Adult British this year?

Well that's all that matters, well done and Congratulations Nicki, see you soon!!



Congratulations chantelly!!

I expect there will be - possibly the person who was doing them at Bracknell. His photos aren't up yet.

Sceptique had some lovely shots of me, yes, please do publish them! I haven't looked at my photos yet, but will do later. Sceptique, you left your music behind, I noticed!

__________________
Mrs Redboots
~~~~~~~~
I love my computer because my friends live in it!
Ice dancers have lovely big curves!

First up was Husband's solo dance (same class as Chantelly). I was too busy trying to film Husband to see his Willow Waltz (our camcorder is dying again, I don't think, if he decides to take it back, we'll get that brand again), but our friend told me his technique was great but his timing was decidedly random! That doesn't surprise me! In his Fiesta, he was focussing so much on his timing that he forgot about almost everything else, especially expression and pushing hard! But he did stay in time. And ended up 5th overall (out of 13) and 5th in both dances, which is utterly brilliant, especially since he is, after all, skating up a level. Plus, if they had put the men and women solo dancers into separate classes, he would have won, as he was the highest place man! He didn't quite believe it: "You'd better go and double-check, in case I'm imagining things!"

He finished behind Chantelly, FRBSkate (who took bronze), Tashakat's former partner's current partner (I said Hi to him on your behalf, Tashakat, and he was pleased!), and the woman who took Gold, and ahead of some very good skaters. His next ambition is to beat FRBSkate.... I think he'll have to wait a mighty long time!

There was then a long break until our couples dance classes started, during which we watched other dancers, chatted to friends and had lunch.

Our Dutch Waltz was fabulous, quite the best we've ever done it, even though we were drawn first. And our Fiesta was the best we've ever competed it, although not the best we've ever skated it. We ended up 2nd (out of 5) in the Dutch Waltz and 3rd in the Fiesta, so 3rd overall. The top two couples were both from Oxford, and we were the top Streatham couple!

It was only the three Streatham couples who were competing the free dance, and we were first to skate. We had never skated this dance before in competition - it was its World Première, and it was also the first time we'd put a lift in the middle of the dance, rather than at the end.

What we had not allowed for was the extra adrenaline caused by performing, which made me bounce up higher into the lift, and Husband lift me higher than usual - too high, alas..... next thing we knew, we were splat on the ice, me on top! I don't know how I managed to ascertain that he wasn't hurt and we could carry on - and all the time I was thinking "Oh, [expletive], I'm going to have to drive home!" But we did, and were into our step sequence only _just_ out of time, and finished in the right place! I messed up the steps coming out of the teapot at the end of the step sequence, though, but I don't think anybody except me noticed.

We had to take a deduction for the fall, of course, which pushed our technical marks down rather badly, but the presentation marks were really high! (This is still the relative judging system, they won't use the NJS at our level yet, alas - although you could tell, on Thursday, who's free programme had been choreographed for the NJS, it was weird!)

Sadly, the deduction was enough to push us down into 3rd place overall (out of 3), but if we hadn't fallen - I don't think we'd have taken gold, but it would have been close!

We are not hurt. I'm stiff all over today and Husband thinks he's pulled a muscle in his ribcage, but we think we'll be able to skate tomorrow, even though we'll probably have to take the lift out of our Poisoning Pigeons routine. We can put in something else, though.

Thank you so much, NickiT & BatikatII, for being so concerned for us! And our huge thanks to you and everyone else for a wonderful competition (told you I'd do a long & boring post about it, didn't I?!).

By the way, has anybody seen Husband's navy fleece sweater?

__________________
Mrs Redboots
~~~~~~~~
I love my computer because my friends live in it!
Ice dancers have lovely big curves!

One of our young skaters who has just reach adult competition age, took part for the first time, her coach and herself both commented on the totally different atmospher to the younger skating competitions, the way everyone socialized and encouraged one another and basically a warm and friendly, comparitively pressure free environment.

Well I found it really interesting, ever thought of doing a write-up for the Link?

Hope you are both feeling much better soon.

Thanks for the write-up Annabel. I must say I thoroughly enjoyed your free dance and it was such a shame you fell. You have improved no end since last year. Good to hear you are not suffering too much today either.

I'm looking forward to seeing the photos of this year's competition. Especially since there was no photographer last year. I reckon we'll have a bit of a wait for them to go up on site though, since it was the same photographer at Basingstoke on Wednesday and possibly he'll be at Guildford on Monday too. Hopefully it will be worth the wait though.

I can check the lost property at the rink for your husband's fleece if you can give me a bit more of a description of it. I expect there will be quite a few bits in that box after the last two days.

Nicki

__________________
www.myspace.com/insatiableskater

Thanks, Nicki. It's navy-blue, pullover-style with a short zip at the neck. The label inside says the brand is "Quechua", with a logo that looks like a small zig-zag or even a W. The logo is also embroidered discreetly on the left breast. The "sub-label" tells you it's from Decathlon and is a size S. (I have an identical one which is how I can give such a detailed description).

__________________
Mrs Redboots
~~~~~~~~
I love my computer because my friends live in it!
Ice dancers have lovely big curves!

OK. I'm at the rink in the morning so I'll see if anyone has handed it in!

Nicki

__________________
www.myspace.com/insatiableskater

Hello. I'm new to this. Found it by accident. I competed both days at Bracknell. It was good fun as always. Bracknell is my favourite competition.

I think I would probably recognise some of you by sight but don't really know everyone who competes in Adult competitions that well - I'm pretty quiet!

I had a good 2 days though - I got a 1st (compulsories), 2nd (free dance) and a 3rd (free skating). I'm the one who's music didn't play both days! Don't know what was up with my CDs.

Just wanted to post something and say hi!

Hi Katherine. Yes I know you and you skated really well, as you usually do! We did have some problems with our sound system. I'm not sure why but someone said it was something to do with the way the CDs were burned. Still they got your music going OK in the end. Well done on all your medals!

Nicki

__________________
www.myspace.com/insatiableskater

Thanks Nicki. I think I know who you are but I don't think I saw you skate this year.

I was reasonably happy with my skate having scared myself sufficiently beforehand thinking I would be way out of my depth in level 5 and under free skating! I only wish I didn't look so ungraceful on the failed landings of my more difficult jumps! I saw it back on camera and it wasn't pretty.

I jokingly had a word with my coach who did my music for me he felt quite bad about it. And yes it all worked in the end thankfully so everything was ok. These things happen....

Ooh well done you! Were you in level 7 and under compulsories?