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ICE STARS SHOW HOW SPORT HAS GROWN

By John Hamon - Friday, October 26, 2007
ICE STARS SHOW HOW SPORT HAS GROWN
Charlotte Mennie in clown costume during the artistic skating competition. Picture by Peter Boam.
Sport/Figure Skating
HOW the Island Figure Skating Championships have grown over the past four years.
In the past, competition would be a bare minimum but on Sunday at Planet Ice, in Ryde, more than 40 skaters participated in the latest hunt for titles.
For one family, there was a double celebration. The Southwell girls, Jemma and Zoe, both won their individual classes.
In the under level one, nine years and under, Jemma performed a superb routine to take the gold.
“I performed the routine in a competition in Bracknell and won a silver medal,” said Jemma, nine, a pupil at Bishop Lovett CE School.
“It was my fifth appearance in all and I was pleased with the way it went.”
For older sister, Zoe, it was her first appearance at level one and she blew the judges away with a superb routine that brought one of the biggest cheers of the day.
“I only passed my level one three weeks ago,” said Zoe, 11, who also goes to Bishop Lovett and has been skating for three years.
“I did not expect to win my first competition at this level but it was a great feeling.”
Cheering on his nieces was Ian Buckman, the Newport footballer and Portsmouth Under-11 manager, with his family. “I do not get to many of these competitions but, I must admit, I thoroughly enjoyed it and was very impressed with their enthusiasm and standard of skating,” he said.
The youngest competitor was Felicity Gingras, who did a very good routine to How Much Is That Doggy In The Window?
“I have been skating for two years and this was my first time in a competition,” said Felicity, six, who goes to Nettlestone Primary School. “I was happy with the way I skated.”
Club chair Karen Bicknell said: “All the skaters owe a big vote of thanks to our coach, Terri Fleming. She has worked wonders with all of them and we are looking forward to our Christmas Show this year.
“They all listen intently to her coaching and it is now paying dividends, as you can see by the big improvement made by them.
“I have been chairperson for two years and just in that time, the club has grown from 39 members to today’s figure of 120 and a lot of it is down to Terri.
“It is a very family-orientated club and all the parents pitch in with any tasks that need doing. This is what makes the club so friendly. No one is too big to do a job.”
  • More pictures in the Friday, October 26, County Press.