Mrs Redboots
09-09-2002, 06:12 AM
Well, the 2nd World Ice Challenge has been and gone. The event covered two days, with free skating and dance on Saturday, and Interpretive skating and dance on the Sunday. There was also a great deal of social dancing, which is always fun.
The dance events were a little different to usual ones, in that four or five couples started on the ice at once, and in those events with more than four skaters, the top four went through to a final skate-off to be held on the Sunday. Each couple (there were no solo dance events) entered whichever dances they felt able for, on the understanding that if you were obviously too good for the dance in question, you would be disqualified. We entered for the Dutch Waltz and Canasta Tango, and, in a triumph of hope over experience, the Swing Dance, and I also entered the Ladies' Interpretive category. There were 7 couples in the Dutch Waltz, so you can imagine our joy when we were asked to "skate off" between 3 couples for the 2nd two places in the final. Apparently two couples were clearly through, and two clearly not through, but they couldn't choose between 3 of us! Sadly, my nerves got the better of me, and we didn't make the final, and I was slightly annoyed that they did have a 5-couple final in the Canasta Tango, as there wasn't time to have a skate-off. Oh well - at least we are OFF THE BOTTOM now, and that is wonderful news!
Our Canasta was, with hindsight, rather flat, so we didn't make the final there, and we didn't expect to in the Swing Dance, despite being in the "easy" half of the draw! But we had fun trying, and were pleased with how we skated.
Meanwhile the highlight of the first day was John Johnson of the USA skating a gold men's programme, which was utterly fantastic!
On the second day, the Interpretive classes were held, and I was delighted to finish 5th, so again not last. Barbara Standke's "Pink Panther" routine was a delightful winner.
However, the highlight of the day came in the young adult category, with Tim Connor's hilarious "Wreck!" programme, which had everybody in fits of laughter. It was wonderfully acted, and the skating - all footwork - was excellent, too.
The dance finals came next, with some surprises and some delights - we may not have made the finals, but the other couple from our club came 2nd in the Dutch Waltz and won the Canasta Tango, to their and our delight!
The big sadness was that the organiser of the event, Elizabeth Gibbs, was unable to be present due to family illness. She and her husband were in everybody's thoughts and prayers. But the event ran smoothly and well, with only two nasty falls and, so far as I am aware, no serious injuries.
It was a very good time; slightly disappointing that the majority of skaters were from the UK, but perhaps that was inevitable at this time of year. It was good to see those who did come from France, Switzerland, Australia, New Zealand and the USA, though. We are all looking forward to meeting again at the next competition - Oxford Seniors for the UK dancers, and the Dune of Flanders Cup for the internationals!
The dance events were a little different to usual ones, in that four or five couples started on the ice at once, and in those events with more than four skaters, the top four went through to a final skate-off to be held on the Sunday. Each couple (there were no solo dance events) entered whichever dances they felt able for, on the understanding that if you were obviously too good for the dance in question, you would be disqualified. We entered for the Dutch Waltz and Canasta Tango, and, in a triumph of hope over experience, the Swing Dance, and I also entered the Ladies' Interpretive category. There were 7 couples in the Dutch Waltz, so you can imagine our joy when we were asked to "skate off" between 3 couples for the 2nd two places in the final. Apparently two couples were clearly through, and two clearly not through, but they couldn't choose between 3 of us! Sadly, my nerves got the better of me, and we didn't make the final, and I was slightly annoyed that they did have a 5-couple final in the Canasta Tango, as there wasn't time to have a skate-off. Oh well - at least we are OFF THE BOTTOM now, and that is wonderful news!
Our Canasta was, with hindsight, rather flat, so we didn't make the final there, and we didn't expect to in the Swing Dance, despite being in the "easy" half of the draw! But we had fun trying, and were pleased with how we skated.
Meanwhile the highlight of the first day was John Johnson of the USA skating a gold men's programme, which was utterly fantastic!
On the second day, the Interpretive classes were held, and I was delighted to finish 5th, so again not last. Barbara Standke's "Pink Panther" routine was a delightful winner.
However, the highlight of the day came in the young adult category, with Tim Connor's hilarious "Wreck!" programme, which had everybody in fits of laughter. It was wonderfully acted, and the skating - all footwork - was excellent, too.
The dance finals came next, with some surprises and some delights - we may not have made the finals, but the other couple from our club came 2nd in the Dutch Waltz and won the Canasta Tango, to their and our delight!
The big sadness was that the organiser of the event, Elizabeth Gibbs, was unable to be present due to family illness. She and her husband were in everybody's thoughts and prayers. But the event ran smoothly and well, with only two nasty falls and, so far as I am aware, no serious injuries.
It was a very good time; slightly disappointing that the majority of skaters were from the UK, but perhaps that was inevitable at this time of year. It was good to see those who did come from France, Switzerland, Australia, New Zealand and the USA, though. We are all looking forward to meeting again at the next competition - Oxford Seniors for the UK dancers, and the Dune of Flanders Cup for the internationals!