2023 British National Championships

[dorispulaski]

They start today, November 30, 2023, and continue for the next four days at Ice Sheffield.

Federation web page:

Events | British Ice Skating

All upcoming events and competitions.

www.iceskating.org.uk

Schedule

https://x.com/BritishIceSkate/status/1729880576948400245?s=20

Livestream packages are available

British Ice Skating TV

British Ice Skating TV

tv.iceskating.org.uk

Tickets are available

Buy tickets – British Figure Skating Championships 2023 – Ice Sheffield

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www.tickettailor.com

Info seems to be mostly on their Facebook page:

British Ice Skating | Sheffield

British Ice Skating, Sheffield. 32,883 likes · 640 talking about this · 603 were here. The UK's governing body for Singles, Pairs, Dance, Synchro, Short Track and Long Track Skating.

www.facebook.com

 

[CrazyKittenLady]

Entries/results table:

British Championships 2023

Event results for British Championships 2023

www.johnds.org

 

[FlossieH]

Commentary is better than last year. It's the better of the two commentators mentioned, plus someone who knows skating and the skaters.

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

Commentary is better than last year. It's the better of the two commentators mentioned, plus someone who knows skating and the skaters.

Jenny Bill?

OK, so she is normally busy doing the rinkside announcing. But on the occasions when I have heard her doing commentary, she has been brilliant!

CaroLiza_fan

 

[FlossieH]

Jenny Bill?

OK, so she is normally busy doing the rinkside announcing. But on the occasions when I have heard her doing commentary, she has been brilliant!

CaroLiza_fan

I think the coach who's with Claire was called Phil Harris.

Apparently 'Christian and Graham' (I assume Newberry?) have just moved to the States to coach there. Provided my assumption that he was referring to the Newberry's is correct, it would explain why Graham hasn't been competing this season.

 

[Weetos]

I think the coach who's with Claire was called Phil Harris.

Apparently 'Christian and Graham' (I assume Newberry?) have just moved to the States to coach there. Provided my assumption that he was referring to the Newberry's is correct, it would explain why Graham hasn't been competing this season.

Yes, I saw this move announced by Graham on Instagram so definitely them.

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

I think the coach who's with Claire was called Phil Harris.

YES!!!

Phil Harris was one of the skaters that stepped in as a guest commentator in 2018, and he was a revelation. A total natural behind the microphone. And I think I said at the time that he was so good that I wished either Eurosport or the BBC would pick him up as a regular commentator.

That said, he isn't doing too badly as a coach. Watching him with his charges at competitions, he seems like a natural at that too.

Apparently 'Christian and Graham' (I assume Newberry?) have just moved to the States to coach there. Provided my assumption that he was referring to the Newberry's is correct, it would explain why Graham hasn't been competing this season.

Yep, it's the Newberrys. Christian is Graham's Dad. And I think the move to America was mentioned on here somewhere a couple of weeks ago. But, I took it as meaning that Christian would be coaching and Graham training.

It's a shame if Graham has stopped competing to concentrate on coaching. The battle between him and Ed was developing nicely. But, there are a crop of younger skaters coming through that should keep Ed on his toes!

CaroLiza_fan

 

[Ruthypegs]

Jenny Bill?

OK, so she is normally busy doing the rinkside announcing. But on the occasions when I have heard her doing commentary, she has been brilliant!

CaroLiza_fan

If it's Jenny Bill, then I wonder who's doing the announcing? Jenny is a fabulous announcer, too.

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

If it's Jenny Bill, then I wonder who's doing the announcing? Jenny is a fabulous announcer, too.

At the Tayside Trophy in October, Jenny did the announcing for the ISU part of the event on the first two days, and then somebody else did the announcing for the club part of the event on the last three days.

I don't know who this other announcer was, but she did a great job too. It was exactly the same style of announcing that Jenny does. In fact, it wasn't until I saw the announcer on camera doing the Podium Ceremonies at the end of the day on the Monday that I realised that it wasn't Jenny doing it any more!

So, she could easily step in without causing any upset to the spectators if Jenny was needed for commentary.

But, there's no need to worry, as @FlossieH has already clarified that it's Phil Harris that she was talking about. So, Jenny probably will be doing the announcing.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[FlossieH]

It's Robin Cousins with Claire now. Paul Harris has to go because he has a student competing. Both commentary pairings seem to be working well. Whilst Claire doesn't have any expertise in figure skating, she does retain things she learns. That is the big difference between her and the BBC one who always seems proud about her ignorance and seemingly doesn't try to learn.

 

[Ruthypegs]

It's Robin Cousins with Claire now. Paul Harris has to go because he has a student competing. Both commentary pairings seem to be working well. Whilst Claire doesn't have any expertise in figure skating, she does retain things she learns. That is the big difference between her and the BBC one who always seems proud about her ignorance and seemingly doesn't try to learn.

Does Robin Cousins normally commentate at nationals? It sounds like they've improved the commentary this year.

 

[Royston]

As nice as she sounds, would you have a commentator who has no clue what's going on in any other sport. I've been watching skating for years and we haven't moved on at all. It drives me mad that we don't take it seriously in this country. We should have commentators like Mark Hanretty who commentate on what they see and are brilliant at it. Figure skating fans who pay to view it know exactly what's going on, or will learn/pick it up. Also, the "thank you skater" at the end of the performances is proper cringe, it's as if they've just done a test skate. Just announce their name again like they do in all other countries!

And what's with the dreadful sound! Why start a performance and then blast up the volume so you can't hear any crowd noise!

Anyway, we really need to move on to be taken seriously in this sport, because it is a sport. I've been a huge fan since the mid 80s and it's as if the people who run these events have no idea.

Rant over and back to watching the action (as cringe worthy as it is - and I don't mean the skaters at all - there have been some very good skates so far).

 

[FlossieH]

Honestly, the commentary is a lot better than it is some years. We at least aren't getting the "I don't know anything about skating, ha, ha, ha" attitude this year. I can see that Claire has tried to familiarise herself with the skaters, and I appreciate that.

 

[NanaPat]

As nice as she sounds, would you have a commentator who has no clue what's going on in any other sport.

For the last Olympics, sport climbing was an event for the first time. One the CBC, the men's event had two commentators who were both climbing experts, and they were terrible - much too esoteric for a casual audience. One was busy speculating about all the possible mathematical outcomes in the final.

The women's event had one climbing specialist and Brenda Irving, who is a general sportscaster who does some figure skating. They were much better, as Brenda asked all the questions casual viewers wanted to know. They even discussed how to actually do some of the bouldering moves, and then one of the climbers chose an unconventional approach that the climbing commentator had suggested.

So "doesn't know the sport" is not necessarily bad, if the "professional sports commentator" is good.

 

[FlossieH]

Jedidah Lincoln has come a huge way since moving his training to France. Huge score.

 

[FlossieH]

I think Arin Yorke has just got his highest score too

 

[WednesdayMarch]

Someone told me about https://www.flixbus.co.uk/bus-routes recently - they run cheapish services to/from Sheffield, including stopping at Meadowhall, right next to Icesheffield. Hope it might be useful.

Meadowhall wasn't right next to Ice Sheffield last year when I was at the Grand Prix. I swear I still have the blisters from the hike!

 

[Weetos]

Ah I need to catch up! Glad to see they've had some good skates so far

 

[FlossieH]

This Junior mens comp is really interesting. Tao has done a very good skate too.

 

[Weetos]

Wow, Lloyd has really improved on his presentation!

Just went back and watched Arin and Jedediah as well, what a great competition so far.