Well done Solway Sk8ters
Solway Sk8ing Club has had good reason to feel very proud of their achievements over the past few years but this year the synchronised skating teams have surpassed themselves with history making achievements. After the final competition of the season, Solway Comets, Solway Eclipse and Solway Stars all returned from the Britannia Cup held in Sheffield as champions where, over the two days of the competition, the teams’ personal best scores were smashed, Solway Eclipse recorded the highest score a British Mixed Age team has ever achieved in competition and Solway Stars became the first Scottish team ever to become ISU Junior British Champions.
It certainly was a weekend to remember for the club with all of the talented young skaters reaping the rewards of the hard work and practice required to complete at this level. Alongside the numerous messages of congratulations recorded to all of the young skaters for their unprecedented results, credit for must also go to Philip Carter (Head Coach), Molly Coxon, Julie Tyson, Rachel Latimer, Gemma Fergusson and the whole team of helpers and parents who have all contributed to Solway Sk8ing Club’s recent and past successes.
Wallace Hall Academy has had a number of pupils involved with Solway Sk8ing over the years and we have been delighted to help celebrate their achievements and recognise their talent on the ice. This year it is no exception with two of our pupils, Heather Gibson and Lily Simpson, coming back as British Champions: Lily and Heather both skated with Solway Eclipse and Heather also competed as a member of the Solway Stars team. The girls have both been skating since around the age of 7, progressing up through the figure skating grades onto being selected as team members and competing with the club.
Heather said: “I'm so proud of everything I've achieved with my skating teams this season and the Britannia cup weekend has topped it all off. To be part of Solway Stars, the first ever Scottish British Champions of the junior ISU category in history, is an achievement I will forever be proud of. To also be part of Solway Eclipse and being crowned new British champions of the mixed age category while setting a new all-time PB for a British team in this category, was another a huge achievement too. I am so excited to see what we can do next season and see what new goals we can achieve. It's a great feeling, like we are unstoppable.”
Lily added: “To come home from our final competition of the season as British Champions is an amazing feeling. I felt so proud to be part of Solway Eclipse and was really delighted that we smashed our previous PB and set a new British PB in the mixed age category. I was also excited at what both the other teams achieved. I train up with Solway Stars and, although I am too young to compete with them just yet, I'm so proud of what they have achieved. I love competing with Eclipse and training with the Stars and I'm looking forward to new challenges and competitions next year. Synchronised skating is a fantastic sport and I have made some amazing friends. Winning gold medals makes all the very early morning and late evening training sessions worth it.”
Barry Graham, Head Teacher at Wallace Hall, said: “It is great to hear of Lily and Heather’s skating success. The girls are fully committed to their sport, training hard both before and after school to improve their individual skating skills and fitness alongside working with the other skaters to perfect the technically challenging and exciting routines developed by the coaches. The communication, commitment and teamwork they have demonstrated alongside the discipline required to be part of such a high achieving club is excellent preparation for the future. Well done girls.”
