Video: Team Icicles compete in the 2015 world championships, in Zagreb, Croatia
A Nottingham synchronised ice skating team is raising money to compete in a world championship competition in Canada.
Team Icicles have won the Junior British Synchronised Skating Championships for the last five years, most recently in January.
As a result, they have also competed in the Junior World Synchronised Skating Championship, representing Great Britain, in the last four.
The skaters have been selected to compete in Mississauga, Canada, at the two-day event running on Friday, March 10, and Saturday, March 11.
But the team needs to raise £18,000 as it has no public funding to cover such trips, and a Crowdfunding page has been set-up for people to donate to the cause.
The team is mainly funded by the skaters’ families and local fundraising efforts, and Team Icicles are hoping to send 16 girls, aged 13 to 18, along with two reserves, to the competition.
Coach Esther Bell, 25, from Mapperley, said: “This is an absolutely amazing opportunity for the girls.
“Usually, the junior world championships are in Europe – but this year is the first outside of Europe.
“It’s a real big dream for them. They’re the best of Britain in the junior competitions.”
They have twice competed in Croatia, Switzerland and Finland, with the Icicles achieving their highest finish of 14th, out of 25 countries, in 2015.
Felicity Mcpeake, who set up the Crowdfunding page, said the girls have worked incredibly hard over the season, adding: “One team member broke her collar bone in training and has worked hard get back to fitness and learn the routine.
“Many are juggling GCSE and A-level work to succeed.”
Esther says the team hope to finish higher this year, targeting the top-12.
So far, £1,193 has been raised.
