British Skating News, 2022 and beyond

[Belsornia]

It's disappointing that Graham has retired, but it's not a total surprise after he wasn't able to get back to competition following his injury and relocation last year. I wonder if any of the other British men will manage to up their tech content further and put a bit of pressure on Ed Appleby. It's great that we have him but a bit of domestic competition is generally a good thing.

And if any other British skaters are planning to quit or split please announce it now so we can get all the bad news out of the way!

So potentially six junior teams next seasons, since it seems pretty certain Marler-Davies/Black will move up (she’s aging into juniors, he’s aging out of novice and IMO they looked ready at the British). Of course, that assumes no-one splits up…

Lou Koch / Alexander Buchholdt, whose only competition was the British Championships, have already split. He's back on IPS (still based in Villard de Lans)

 

[Karen-W]

New British Junior Ice Dance team - Tallulah Neary & Alex Spruill

Tallulah Belle | Figure Skater on Instagram: "New adventures 😁 @ice_dance_alex and I super excited to announce our partnership for @britishiceskating 🇬🇧 can’t wait for the season ahead competing with the best team around us ❤️ @ben_agosto @yebinmok @

248 likes, 27 comments - tallulah.neary_ on March 28, 2024: "New adventures 😁 @ice_dance_alex and I super excited to announce our partnership for @britishiceskating 🇬🇧 can’t wait for the season ahead competing with the best team around us ❤️ @ben_agosto @yebinmok @monumenticerinks...

www.instagram.com

 

[Belsornia]

Looks like they’re training in Colorado with Ben Agosto - exciting! I hope they stick together (at least long enough for Ben to get a trip to Sheff).

And I’m starting to feel cautiously optimistic that we might be getting back towards a pre-pandemic number of ice dance teams next season.

 

[Belsornia]

BIS held a Performance Camp for singles and pairs (in Nottingham, not Sheffield )

British Ice Skating on Instagram: "Single & Pairs Performance Camp! ⭐️🇬🇧 Massive thank you to all the coaches, athletes and staff for making such a successful training camp for our skaters! Having a collective of Britains best figure skaters train

365 likes, 2 comments - britishiceskating on April 30, 2024: "Single & Pairs Performance Camp! ⭐️🇬🇧 Massive thank you to all the coaches, athletes and staff for making such a successful training camp for our skaters! Having a collective of Britains best figure skaters train out of the...

www.instagram.com

As well as the current performance squad members, it looks like they invited Zarah Wood and Alex Lapsky in junior pairs (they'll be eligible to compete internationally if the age changes proposed by the ISU Council are passed at the congress in June); Edward Solovyov (guess he's moving up to junior men); and Daria Dalgich, Lilian Musgrave, Leilah Patten, Alice Smith, and Arina Vorobeva in junior women. Looks like there will be quite a competition for the three JGP spots!


Mark Hanretty has choreographed a new free skate for Vaipan-Law/Digby (music tba):

Anastasia Kristina Vaipan-Law on Instagram: "Free program☑️🦩 Thankyou @markhanretty for a wonderful few days creating this new free program for us! We absolutely love it and so excited to show everyone!🤩 @luke_digby"

368 likes, 11 comments - anastasiavaipanlaw_ on April 25, 2024: "Free program☑️🦩 Thankyou @markhanretty for a wonderful few days creating this new free program for us! We absolutely love it and so excited to show everyone!🤩 @luke_digby".

www.instagram.com

I had mixed feelings about their Survivor FS, so I'm looking forward to seeing this. Has Mark choreographed for pairs before? At Worlds Ana said that they would be getting a new SP from Chris Dean.

 

[morqet]

Mark Hanretty has choreographed a new free skate for Vaipan-Law/Digby (music tba):

Anastasia Kristina Vaipan-Law on Instagram: "Free program☑️🦩 Thankyou @markhanretty for a wonderful few days creating this new free program for us! We absolutely love it and so excited to show everyone!🤩 @luke_digby"

368 likes, 11 comments - anastasiavaipanlaw_ on April 25, 2024: "Free program☑️🦩 Thankyou @markhanretty for a wonderful few days creating this new free program for us! We absolutely love it and so excited to show everyone!🤩 @luke_digby".

www.instagram.com

I had mixed feelings about their Survivor FS, so I'm looking forward to seeing this. Has Mark choreographed for pairs before? At Worlds Ana said that they would be getting a new SP from Chris Dean.

I'm guessing from Ana's emojis that they are using The Crimson Wing soundtrack, including Arrival of the Birds/Transformation - would be a nice departure in style from the Survivor FS.

 

[Karen-W]

Sophia Bushell is now representing Spain.

New Spanish ice dance team! Sophia Bushell & Antonio Pena - training at SK in Madrid.

Login • Instagram

Welcome back to Instagram. Sign in to check out what your friends, family & interests have been capturing & sharing around the world.

www.instagram.com

 

[Belsornia]

Sigh.

But I am glad that Sophia has found a new partner, and I hope this is the one that works out for her.

 

[Wyliefan]

Neamh Davison and Daniel Borisov are a new British pairs team. He formerly skated singles for the U.S. https://www.instagram.com/p/C7aoPfHuZwY/?igsh=dWc4bDk2a2o0YWgz&img_index=1

 

[Sylvia]

Neamh Davison, 19 (previously skated in Junior Pairs with Shailesh Caller for GBR until 2023: http://www.isuresults.com/bios/isufs00114293.htm) has formed a new Senior(?) pair with Daniel Borisov (competed in Junior Men at the U.S. Midwestern Sectional Singles Final in November 2022) - looks like they are training with Trudy Oltmanns in Minnesota; announced via their new team account:

Neamh Davison & Daniel Borisov on Instagram: "So excited to start our new journey with @britishiceskating 🇬🇧⛸️"

206 likes, 17 comments - neamhanddaniel_ on May 25, 2024: "So excited to start our new journey with @britishiceskating 🇬🇧⛸️".

www.instagram.com

 

[Karen-W]

How old is Daniel? They might be able to compete junior if he is young enough presuming the proposed age increases pass next month.

 

[Sylvia]

How old is Daniel? They might be able to compete junior if he is young enough presuming the proposed age increases pass next month.

I don't know for sure but I assume Borisov is currently 23 or younger (just re-posted the news of this new GBR pair in the Pairs general discussion thread): https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/th...uble-salchow-club.110748/page-11#post-6599401

 

[Karen-W]

Copying over from the Pairs thread...

Another new British team (competing in juniors) - Rebecca Ritchie and Kyle McLeod (previously partnered with Lucy Hay - link to their ISU bio - http://www.isuresults.com/bios/isufs00113899.htm) -

Ice Dundee on Instagram: "‼️New Partnership‼️ Here at Ice Dundee, we are delighted to announce our new Junior Pair Team ➡️ Rebecca Ritchie and Kyle McLeod💪⛸️ Kyle is no stranger to pair skating having competed at the 2024 Junior World Championships a

301 likes, 4 comments - ice_dundee on May 30, 2024: "‼️New Partnership‼️ Here at Ice Dundee, we are delighted to announce our new Junior Pair Team ➡️ Rebecca Ritchie and Kyle McLeod💪⛸️ Kyle is no stranger to pair skating having competed at the 2024 Junior World Championships and has teamed up...

www.instagram.com

 

[Belsornia]

Not to count our chickens, but it's looking like we might have more pairs than spots on the podium at the British Championships (junior or senior depending on whether the age proposals pass)!

 

[Belsornia]

New British Junior Ice Dance team - Tallulah Neary & Alex Spruill

Tallulah Belle | Figure Skater on Instagram: "New adventures 😁 @ice_dance_alex and I super excited to announce our partnership for @britishiceskating 🇬🇧 can’t wait for the season ahead competing with the best team around us ❤️ @ben_agosto @yebinmok @

248 likes, 27 comments - tallulah.neary_ on March 28, 2024: "New adventures 😁 @ice_dance_alex and I super excited to announce our partnership for @britishiceskating 🇬🇧 can’t wait for the season ahead competing with the best team around us ❤️ @ben_agosto @yebinmok @monumenticerinks...

www.instagram.com

BIS is running a partnered dance open alongside the new solo dance Qualifier in March. The entry list is out (on Sportity) and we have a new junior dance team: Megan Cunningham and Jamie Hammond. They’ve both come from solo dance (and another set of ice dance siblings with Jack and Jamie).


So potentially six junior teams next seasons, since it seems pretty certain Marler-Davies/Black will move up (she’s aging into juniors, he’s aging out of novice and IMO they looked ready at the British). Of course, that assumes no-one splits up…

That’s always a big assumption when it comes to junior dance…

Neary/Spruill and Cunningham/Hammond were both at the BIS dance camp a couple of weeks ago, but it appears both have since split. (Tallulah and Jamie are both freshly back on IPS.)

 

[clairecloutier]

A new interview with Lilah Fear & Lewis Gibson:

Fear/Gibson: "The crowd is part of our team" - A divine sport

Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson have risen from an improbable start to challenge for the podium at the World Championship level. Their unique rapport with audiences is key to both their success and their creative process.

adivinesport.com

 

[Belsornia]

All the Lily/Lilly/Lillies of British ice dance were back in Sheffield last week for the Solo Dance Championships. A minor upset with defending champion Jess Marjot holding off Alana Pang, who's beaten her several times domestically and internationally this season. BIS' stream of the FDs is still up on YouTube (low quality but with audio )

Senior
Gold: Jessica Marjot (Streatham) - FD a Britney Spears medley: Stronger / Everytime / (You Drive Me) Crazy
Silver: Alana Pang (Sheffield) - Phantom of the Opera
Bronze: Margot Orange (Sheffield) - weird mashup of Justin Timberlake's Cry Me A River and the Euphoria "I'm so tired" song

Junior
Gold: Lily Bakhtiari (Deeside) - cello cover of Nothing Else Matters and Paint It Black
Silver: Anna-Maria Kislitsyn (Blackburn) - Gabriel's Oboe with English lyrics / Experience
Bronze: Lillie Pang (Sheffield) - Madonna: Material Girl / Vogue

Other champions: Maya Jhangiani (Streatham) - Advanced Novice, Amelia Kislitsyn (Blackburn) - Intermediate Novice, Yan To Abbie Chan (Sheffield) - Basic Novice, Elsie Blake Hughes (Blackburn) - Juvenile, Emma Duthie (Aberdeen) - Beginner.

This was the first year the championships had combined gender events. Unfortunately for all the girls looking for partners, zero men in seniors and juniors. And no boys managed a podium finish in any of the lower levels.

 

[Belsornia]

IDC interview with Bekker/Hernandez

Some fairly candid comments about their rough Euros and recovering from that, and about the mindshift switch from fighting for medals in juniors to being a mid-tier senior team. (And James being a Nick Buckland fanboy, of course.) The interview was conducted at Worlds, so nothing on new programmes etc.


Also an IDC interview with Natasha Griffin, who recently came 4th at the Solo Dance Championships.

 

[Belsornia]

Entries for the August Qualifier are out on Sportity, and as usual give us some status updates on pairs and dance teams.

Four teams are down to compete in junior pairs! Wood/Lapsky, domestic debut for Davison/Borisov, and competitive debut for Ritchie/McLeod and another new team, Sophie Dracas and Pelham Wright. His last singles competition was the British Championships in 2021 (10th in junior men), she's also competed in singles and made it to the novice championships. From instagram, it looks like they're training in Slough with Hamish Gaman.

Zinia Wood is competing in junior women, so I guess her partnership didn't work out. Anyone know if Coley/Casey are still together / planning to compete this season?

In dance, we have a new team in Advanced Novice, Lillie Jackson and Joshua Field (Sheffield; she's from the land of the Lillies, solo dance, and looks like he's from singles) and a new to GBR team in Intermediate Novice, Sofia Gates and Nikolas Vayo, who competed in the US last season and were 10th in juvenile at the ice dance final. She's British, and they train in North Carolina, coached by her father, Mathew Gates. I'm glad he finally made his way back to GB ice dance!

As usual for the August event, good turn out in dance. 3 teams in junior (Slatter/Ongay-Perez, Harrison/Dicks, Marler-Davies/Black; no Hairsine/Surenkov-Gultchev so I'm guessing they've got the first JGP) and all 5 senior teams from last season.

They're also including solo dance in the event this time, but the fields are pretty sparse (unsurprisingly, coming only 6 weeks afther the Solo Dance Championships).

 

[Belsornia]

Per the JGP Riga entry list, Alexander Buchholdt has switched to Finland (listed as a sub with Hilda Taylor). He may have been the scariest lifter I have seen in dance, but it's a real shame to lose yet another partner - there's been such an exodus in recent years.

JGP entries for Riga (and an idea of some likely get subsequent assignments from the subs list):
Men: Lucas Fitterer (Jedidiah Lincoln, Tao MacRae)
Pairs: Neamh Davison / Daniel Borisov
Dance: Molly Hairsine / Alessio Surenkov-Gultchev (Ashlie Slatter / Atl Ongay-Perez, Mimi Marler Davies / Joseph Black)

 

[Karen-W]

Liam Carr announced his retirement earlier today on IG -

Liam Carr on Instagram: "I would like to take a moment to announce my retirement from skating. I am so grateful to all the coaches that have helped shape me into the person I am today From my very first coach Kathy Bleak, all the way to my most recen

151 likes, 7 comments - liamtgcarr on July 30, 2024: "I would like to take a moment to announce my retirement from skating. I am so grateful to all the coaches that have helped shape me into the person I am today From my very first coach Kathy Bleak, all the way to my most recent coaches, John...

www.instagram.com

Hopefully Layla will find a new partner.

 

[Belsornia]

I hope so too! I really like her skating. I know she was nearly three years without a partner before she teamed with Liam, but hopefully her championship experience will help her this time. And she's still only 18, so with the new age rules would be able to build skills in juniors for a season or two if a new partner starts at a lower level.

If not, maybe she will consider solo dance. I think she has some experience, though I'm not sure if she's competed before.

 

[Iceskaterqueen589]

I hope so too! I really like her skating. I know she was nearly three years without a partner before she teamed with Liam, but hopefully her championship experience will help her this time. And she's still only 18, so with the new age rules would be able to build skills in juniors for a season or two if a new partner starts at a lower level.

If not, maybe she will consider solo dance. I think she has some experience, though I'm not sure if she's competed before.

 

[SandraMGfan]

Don't seem it's been shared yet in this thread but Sheffield Organising committee for Euros 2026 has opened application to volunteer already if anyone is interested!
Had a great time doing it for the Grand Prix on 2022, so will apply again!

 

[Karen-W]

The August Qualifier is happening this week. Here is the link to the results page -

August Qualifier 24

Event results for August Qualifier 24

bisresults.co.uk

Here is the link to the Day 4 livestream -

- YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

www.youtube.com

Junior Pairs SP starts at 9:30am, followed by Senior Women SP, and the day winds down with the Senior RD at 17:11pm - Fear/Gibson are last in the starting order.

 

[Belsornia]

If anyone is thinking of watching junior/senior dance on the stream, the competition is currently running about 20 mins ahead of schedule.

 

[Wyliefan]

Oh, thanks!

Gotta hand it to the British. Running behind schedule is common, but AHEAD of schedule? Unheard of!

 

[Wyliefan]

Junior dance is starting.

 

[Wyliefan]

As a rule I hate '70s fashion, but I admit Ash and Atl look adorable in their red tie dye.

 

[her grace]

Attempting to do Y-M-C-A arm movements while twizzling, now that looks difficult!

Some work to do on polishing and extending, as expected at this point in the season.

 

[Wyliefan]

Ash and Atl doing the YMCA arms to their first set of twizzles was everything. They look great for their first time out this season. Speed, connection, closeness were fantastic. Her second set of twizzles looked a little wobbly, but nothing else wrong as far as I could see.

But someone needs to tell her she's a bit young for O-face.