It’s all about Orion….
In case you didn’t know, Orion are Lee Valley Ice Centre’s Adult Synchro Team. (If you are not sure what a Synchro Team is, please click here https://iceskatinglessonslondon.co.uk/lessons/synchronized-skating/)
Orion have been training together as a team since around 2007, and in 2009 I came along and began coaching them. In the last ten years of representing London in Synchro, many skaters have come and gone but they have evolved a great deal in that time. Orion are one of the most multicultural adult teams on the circuit, with skaters from many European countries plus Canada, USA, and Australia. They are a veritable mix of professions, which brings many interesting skills to the team that go beyond skating! The captains (Harriet Rushmer and Jamie Hanson), are the most dedicated and hard working captains I have ever had the pleasure of working with.
They began their last competitive season with a fantastic score of 22.82 at the Skate London Synchro Open, taking the gold medal spot ahead of 7 other teams with their sassy and exciting Prince tribute. This was a triumph for the skaters who had spent the entire Spring and Summer of 2019 working really hard on (and off!) the ice, despite having demanding full time jobs and family commitments.
Following the success of their first season’s competition, we took the teams to Eindhoven in Holland for a Synchro Competition called Lumiere Cup. Orion’s winning streak continued with a fantastic score of 23.18 and another Gold medal for the team. A celebratory Christmas was had by all.
In January they had the British Championships (Britannia Cup) and managed to net a PB score of 23.90 and bag a bronze medal. Their last competition of the season was at an international called Steel City Trophy, where they managed a huge score of 27.41 and were just pipped to first place on the podium by a French team.
They also won a sponsorship from a company called Two Birds London, which is a company that designs specialist skate wear. They won the sponsorship with this video;
Due to being so committed, motivated and just extremely likeable, they also received a chunk of sponsorship money from an anonymous benefactor! Whoever you are, we thank you greatly.
It was without a doubt a fantastic season for such a spirited team, and it just goes to show that hard work does eventually pay off.
Team Orion now top the National rankings! Which gave us all something to be happy about during our Covid downtime.
At the moment our team training is virtual only – but that’s not stopping them from working hard and focusing on fitness. We hope to be back at Lee Valley and on the ice soon!
