Phoenix skaters enhance reputation

SKATERS from the Phoenix Artistic Roller Skating club have returned from competition in England with more national medals. They took part in the 2004 British Champion-ships at Stoke Mandeville Sports Centre.

Chloe Dyke and Bobby Roland gave representation in the cadet dance category and had to perform three compulsory dances, the Denver Shuffle, Kleiner Waltz and Siesta Tango.

In all three the Guernsey couple showed good body control and powerful edges for this standard, which awarded them good marks ranging from 7.0 to 7.4, with the best performance coming in the Tango.

To complete the event, they were then required to perform a 3min. freedance to music of their choice.

Dyke and Roland chose a Latin theme and once again pleased the audience with their enthusiastic and technical programme, which also reflected with the judges once again awarding similar marks to the compulsory section.

With their confident performances under their belt, Dyke and Roland have now been informed of their selection into the Great Britain squad for the Cadet European Championships being held in Hanau, Germany at the end of August.

Representation by Guernsey in the youth solo dance section was given by Kirsty Chick, Lauren Sauvage and Nicola Roland.

The young skaters were asked to perform two compulsory dances, the Keats foxtrot and Imperial tango and an original set pattern dance under the tempo of the charleston.

The foxtrot was performed by all the three skaters and each was awarded marks to place them between third and sixth position.

Moving to the Tango, Chick pulled out a great interpretation and technical skate to be awarded top marks of 7.7, which secured her third place at this stage, which was above all expectations.

Sauvage and Roland also performed the dance with good technique and were able to secure their places in sixth and seventh.

The OSP saw Chick perform her routine first. It was a fine performance which showed excellent facial and artistic interpretation of the charleston and which the judges rewarded with several eights.

Both Sauvage and Roland gave a good account of themselves and managed to finish in seventh and 10th respectively.

Chick awaited the final result, and much to her surprise had managed to push further ahead and place second overall.

Not only did she win the silver medal, but she has earned herself a place in the British team for the Cup of Europe competition being held in Sardinia at the end of September.

In the junior section, Saxon Prentice had to execute the blues and HK tango in the dance section.

With smooth edge-running and good technical work, Prentice placed fifth and together with her interpretation of the Lion King as her free dance programme she secured this position, which has shown a consistent improvement in the discipline over the past 12 months.

The final event of the weekend saw Darren Dyke enter the senior championships.

This was possibly the closest competition of the weekend with any of five skaters being in with a chance for medal honours.

Despite good performances in the two gold dances skated, Dyke was given a mixed reaction from the panel of judges who placed him fifth.

Dyke produced a very expressive performance in the freedance, which was a real crowd-pleaser, but despite getting a top mark of 9.0, he was unable to persuade the judges to lift him higher in the field and finished overall in fifth.