Restaurant group help out ice skating youngsters
East Kilbride Ice Figure Skating Club stars produced some plucky performances at an international event in Austria recently after striking a new sponsorship deal with Nandos.
The popular peri-peri chicken chain, who have a restaurant at The Hub EK in East Kilbride Shopping Centre, supported five of the club’s elite skaters for their trip to the Cup of Tyrol to represent Great Britain earlier this month, providing training jackets for them.
Unfortunately, the girls did not return with any medals but they were happy with their determined displays.
Christie Shannon placed 32nd overall with a total score of 66.47. Christie was in the advance novice category and skated twice with a short and long programme which included four double jumps and two Level Three spins and was delighted to have her triple jump counted.
Holly Freeman was competing in the novice‘B’category and placed seventh with a score of 24.22, which included the sixth highest score but also a 1.50 deduction for falls.
Holly’s skate included two Level Two spins, a change foot sit with a grade of execution (GOE) of .50 and a change foot combination.
Taylor Mcleod, who was competing at novice level, finished in 33rd place out of 41 with a score of 27.83. Her routine included four double jumps, Level Two steps and a Level Two change foot combination spin, but Taylor received no mark for her change foot sit spin to finish.
Cara McCabe placed 31st with a score of 29.20 in the novice‘A’category. Cara’s boot lace came undone during her program, but she continued until the end managing to produce four cleanly landed double jumps, and two Level Two spins, a change foot sit and a change foot combination to finish, along the way.
Finally, Rebecca Geddes placed 15th in the novice‘A’category with a personal best score of 32.85. Her programme included five double jumps and two Level Two spins.
On a more successful note, three of the girls were competing at the Magnum Open in Auchenharvie last weekend.
Cara placed first in novice‘A’, Taylor placed second in novice‘B’and Christie placed first in advance novice for her short programme and third in the long.
Club spokeswoman Laura McCabe said: “Unfortunately our trip to wasn’t the most successful but all the girls were able to bring back positives. They are absolutely delighted with their jackets and have received quite a few comments about how good they look. Nando’s gave us a catalogue of merchandise and allowed the girls to choose which jacket they preferred.
“Thanks to Euan and Paul at Nandos for their support.”