We were very proud to support the first synchro competition held by Sheffield Synchronized Skating Academy. The event was held on 8/9 March 2019 at iceSheffield, and it was clear right from the start that so much work has gone in behind the scenes to make it a world-class event, and one that is solidly on our calendar for next year!
The run up to the competition wasn’t quite so smooth for us – we decided to make a change to our intersection after the Trophy D’Ecosse in the three practices we had, but unfortunately we lost ice the whole week before the Steel City Trophy due to issues with the ice at Hull Arena. We therefore had to work off ice in a local gym studio.
Competition day itself was great. We had a slightly shaky practice but did plenty of off ice practice in the nearby sports hall which had been set aside for the teams to get ready in. It was also a treat that our two reserve skaters could take part in the opening ceremony – these typically only happen at the beginning of the event, rather than the beginning of each day, which means that our team isn’t always there to take part.
We placed 4th in the adult category with a score slightly lower than we got at the Trophy D’Ecosse, but were really pleased with our performance. Our component scores and GOE (grade of execution) were solid but we lost a few marks on small technical issues which meant we lost a couple of levels. We loved the experience in Sheffield though, and it was a great way for us to finish the competitive season.