My first competition was (I'm guessing a smidge at the year) in 1997. It was an ISI competition in Duluth, GA. I skated freestyle 4 (because I didn't quite have my axel at that time). My family drove the 2 hours from our home to go to it. I placed 2nd out of 2 (weren't many people that "high" up in the levels at that time). The girl who won quit a month later, so I competed "against the book" at my next competition.

I'm always a nutcase at competitions. I always get so scared and don't really enjoy the experience until I'm done skating. If I did well, *then* I have good memories and am happy. I'm a bit of a weird one

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I remember that one, it was my second competition, so the first Bracknell must have been in 1997, not 1998! I finished tenth, I seem to remember; I was really rather pleased. When I watched a video of it, I remember thinking that I looked a lot better than I had at Bracknell, but I know I made a mistake - I remember coming off the ice thinking "Bother, can't I have another go?!"

Grace, why doesn't Peterborough host that competition any more? It was good fun, even though I only did it once.

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

don't make me laugh, on a really good day our so called "dance club" consists of a matter of about 8 people, but the idea would be nice, but just dont ask cos I aint doing it.

I was in FS1 and in Artistic FS1.

My first competition was Halloween Classic 2005. I traveled about 1.5 hours to go to it (stayed overnight with friends in Delaware for free). It was LOADS of fun, both skating and watching friends skate. I skated in a spin event and in freestyle. I was very nervous for both (during my free skate, about 1/2 way through, I was thinking, to heck with how I place, I just want to be finished! but at the same time I was also thinking, wow this is fun). There were things in my program that I could have done better and have since improved a little on, but overall I found it was a good experience for me. It was very inspiring to see other people in my level and other levels trying very challenging stuff.

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Annabel I have just re-read this, this morning and it sounds a bit rude I hope you didn’t take offence, if so my apologies.

Our rink has been revamped since the heady days of competition, it is smaller to accommodate more spectators, we have heavy fire doors (I know, should have been there in the first place) but this allows the changing area to be much warmer, the rink itself is now surrounded by perspex which apart from the safety aspect, also insulates spectators against the cold.

There is now a no smoking policy in the building so the overall smell is so much better, not to mention the health aspects of coming off exhausted only to intake a load of second hand smoke. We still have the problem with the ice from time to time with it being a sand based rink, it will be closed in June for maintenance, boo hoo which means I wont get the practice if I am fit enough to compete, but in general there is a great improvement probably because it was taken over by the big Planet Ice company and also having to comply to safety regulations.

Now all we need is to recruit 30 odd people to join the club but as its on Sunday morning at 9am there are few takers, perhaps if I eventually get more interested in dance myself I may one day take the bull by the horns, I remember the said competition and it was great fun, my son and his partner took part in it, it was designed to save the dance club and it certainly did at the time but interest faded.

Not in the least offended!

You're a good enough dancer these days that you could enter it yourself! I know it ran for at least two years, as My Friend Liz took part in it both years (the friend I went to the US Adult Nationals with in 1998, if any of you remember that far back!), and recommended it highly, which is why I went in 1997.

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

my first competition wasn in 2001, it was about 3 hours drive away from home. i finished 5th out of 12. I've competed ever since them..just because I like it

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What was your first competition? it was a competition that was held at my rink and i did alpha

How far did you travel for it? just to my rink

How did you do? 1st place

What's your favorite thing about competing? everything, except falling

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My first competition was in Figures at the Adult Nationals in Lake Placid, 2000. I skated in the adult silver figures competition. This was the last year that figures were included before they banned them for good--BIG MISTAKE.

Nevertheless, even though I came in second to last (I think it was out of a field of 11 competitors) I laid out the final adult silver figure ever. It was a back outside eight and I nailed it! I came in third in that particular figure--a very very very nice memory for me!

My first "competition" was a basic skills club competition where I had to skate up two levels since there was no one in my level. I came in 2nd out of 2, but I still felt like I had accomplished something major.

My first real competition, though, was Skate Cleveland, when I was 5 and in pre-preliminary. I came in first, and I remember all the other mothers complaining because I didn't do a flip jump (hadn't learned one yet) and all the other girls did. Shows how much the lower levels have changed in the past decade! The pre-pre skaters in our rink are working on doubles!

You'll have to come to the Mountain Cup - figures are still competed there, and the organiser is always so pleased when someone else wants to have a go.

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

They are addressing this problem in this country by putting out programme requirements for the various levels. Skaters competing at the lowest levels are only allowed to put 3 or 4 single jumps or jump combinations in their programme, and a maximum number of spins, too. The test requirements and competition requirements are beginning to match more and more closely.

My own coach requires his pupils to test as they become ready, he won't let them stay down, especially once they begin to be competitive at that level. And they usually do get competitive - he just came back from the first Open of the season with two first places and a couple of 4ths, to his delight. But at least one of the children who took a first is to take her next test very soon.

Having said that, he also won't let you test unless he's fairly sure you'll pass! Which is occasionally a pain, but I do trust him when he says I need deeper edges on my level 3 Dance moves and I know what's wrong with my level 4 Compulsory Dances!

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

What a Blessing this is, I can remember years ago watching an open competition in the youngest and lowest level category, a cute little girl with multi-coloured ribbons in her hair came on and I thought awh this is going to be sweet, nothing like it, she was popping doubles like there was no tomorrow which of course was wonderful but totally robbed the other kids that really were at that level. Heaven knows what anyone thinks they are achieving in doing this.

For whoever said they competed at the Alpha level, how does one do that.. like, do you just do whatever moves are required in the Alpha level randomly to music? Or do you actually have to have a program? Ha.. I'd like to compete as soon as I can, but I don't actually know how I can do this.

My first competition was Beta in 1981 at age 6. I had a choreographed program to Hard Knock Life from Annie. It was ISI Nationals in the Chicagoland area at a rink in the next suburb over. I got third. I had been skating for a year and a half at that point.

I prefer competing synchro now. I like working out with a team. I find it challenging. We're USFS Adult so we're doing twizzles, brackets, double threes, etc. It's not the old marching/pumping stuff you think of when you think adult synchro.

I haven't competed singles since I was 17 (I'm 30 now) but I am planning on testing Intermediate freestyle and Novice moves. Maybe I'll get back into competing eventually. I just hate jumping which puts a damper on the old freestyle program.

My first competition was when I was open-pre juv @ the time I was 15, about 4'9" and 70 lbs. It was memorable, I did a lutz into the wall slapping my head againist the glass, during my sit spin a got a nose bleed and soddened my turqoise dress w/ blood and tripped and fell for my ending one of alley oop falls. It was horrible, I ended up with a concussion, then fainting. I later found out I got
5th place out of 10 mostly for sheer determination. My mother swore never to watch me skate again. I quit @18.

21 years later I skated in a local competition at the age of 36 at the silver level. 5'10" 110 lbs and still pretty slight. This went much better, I skated a clean program landing 2 axels and remaining much more calm. It has been much easier skating as an adult, as a child I had several head injuries 1 that put me in the hospital, damn axel. Thanks to a lot more strength I've had fewer injuries and I enjoy competiting more, mostly because I like all the people I skate againist.

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My daughter (then 7) started competing in Alpha (ISI) and yes, she had a coach put the required moves into a program to music my daughter picked. In ISI you can start competing as soon as you pass pre-alpha... I'm not sure though whether I, as an adult, would have competed prior to Beta (my fist competition level)... I mean the cute little 4 and 5 year olds look adorable even at that level... us adults on the other hand, hm well, how should I put it nicely.

It was really fun to read about everyone else's experiences! This is a great thread! My first competition was at Chelsea Piers in NYC, a little more than a year ago. I competed at the Bronze level, and I was so nervous that I promised myself that it would be my first and last competition. Then, I saw the scores and realized I came in 2nd! It's amazing how that can change your point of view! As for how far I traveled, I don't know how far, but it was about an hour on the A train (subway)! It seems to me that every test and every competition, I get a little less nervous. Do other people find that too?

Oops, double post... how did that happen...

Absolutely not!! how lucky you are, even after nearly 10 years competing, I get so stressed for competition that it somtimes makes me ill and then I go and do it again, yes I know - I need therapy.

Yeah, last year in the changing-rooms at Sheffield for the BAC, we were all going "Why do we do this? Why did we think this was fun?" but we all knew quite well we'd be back doing it again, and again, and again.....

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

my first competition was in november. I had all my singles except for axel and loop then (for some reason i can tland loops, still have problems w/it, coach syas i ahve bad technique). I was competing at a local competition at USFSA basic skills freestyle level 4 and I came in third place in my age group b/c I fell on the stupid loop. It was fun overall but a bit of a disaster b/c I didnt get a dress in time and had to skate in a going out little black dress lol.

I want to wait untill i pass juvenile USFSA b4 i do another competition.

OMG sheffield, my favorite place on earth. going back there this summer, soooo excited. haha sry just had to say that

So I guess I'd need a coach in order to be in a competition?