Squad Overview: Team Icicles Senior

• Squad Level: Senior
• Age Range: 17 to 25
• Coaches’ Names: Esther Morris, Lauren Kelly and Louise Alvey.
• Current Captains: Clare Whalley (C) Anna Longworth (VC)

2024/25 Season

• Starring in the Boden Clothing Christmas 2024 advert.
• Re-gaining our place on the British Ice Skating’s Performance Squad for the 24-25 season.
• Qualifying for the World Championships 2025 in Helsinki Finland.
• Achieving 50 points in our Short Programme and 100 in the Free (a long-standing goal within the team)

Previous International Experience

• The team have competed internationally in Scotland, Holland, France, Austria, Czech Republic and Germany over the previous years since we were established in 2018.
• As well as this, we have skated at 5 World Championships in Helsinki (2019, 2025) Toronto (2022) New York (2023) Croatia (2024).

Standout Achievement or Proudest Moment

• Competing at the World Championships 2025 in Helsinki to a sold-out arena of 8,000+ spectators.

What makes this squad unique?

• We have skaters who have uprooted their lives and moved across the country to live in Nottingham to train with Icicles Senior. This commitment is testament to our strong reputation as the pinnacle of synchronised skating in the UK, and the quality and depth of resources available through our facilities and coaching. 
• We are the only team in the UK where skaters can continue competing at an ISU level past the age of 19. 
• We have qualified for every World Championships every year since we were established. 

Highlight of the season so far?

• Our favourite moment of the season so far was the Kaisa Camp where we spent many days, early mornings and late nights, at the ice rink choreographing our programmes for the 25/26 season and spending quality time together as a new squad. 

Team traditions or rituals?

• As a team, we always touch the ice before we skate at competitions, this is a long-standing tradition to ourselves, and Icicles Junior and it has been present though decades of Icicles. Its origins come from a camp ‘respect the ice and the ice will respect you’. 
• We also sing and dance in the changing rooms before we skate at competitions, this helps us release some nervous energy and keeps the good vibes high.

Typical training week (days/hours)

• Monday – Off ice, run, ice (6pm-9pm)
• Tuesday – Flexibility (7pm)
• Wednesday – Off ice, run, ice (6pm-9pm)
• Thursday and Friday – Independent training
• Saturday – Off ice, Lift training, ice, Gym with PT (10am to 5pm)
• Sunday – Ice, off ice, lift training, ballet (5am to 10am)
  

Off-ice training activities (strength, dance, etc.)

• We have ballet class with a professional dancer and strength training at a local gym with a personal trainer every week.
• We have also worked alongside a sports psychologist and have occasional meetings with a nutritionist. 

How do you prepare for competitions? 

• Our training intensifies closer to competition season, and we try to spend as much time together on the ice as possible, this ensures we are well-prepared both mentally and physically for the competition season.

Photo & Videos