Skate expectations!

For the Blackburn Arena-based club has just enjoyed its best overall season in its 13-year history, culminating with success at the recent British Championships in Sheffield.

While the club produced two more pairs of national champions, the amount of skaters that took part pleased director of coaching, Karen Barber even more.

For 14 skaters all took part in the most prestigious event in the national ice skating calendar raising hopes that the club could be going on to bigger and better things.

Karen, who helped set up the school in 1990, said: "We have produced more champions in a single season before but the fact the we had more skaters in Sheffield than we have ever had is what gave me most pleasure.

"It not only shows that we are still producing champions but also turning out high class skaters who are capable of top three finishes."

It is that consistency of producing fine skaters that has built up Blackburn's reputation as one of the top coaching venues in the country -- and attracting young skaters from as far as Scotland.

"We're not a Centre of Excellence like Sheffield or Nottingham but our young skaters make us excellent. We go about our work quietly and turn up and win all the medals!"

And there were plenty of medals that turned up back at Blackburn Arena after those championships early in December.

Rebecca Collett from Halifax and Hamish Gaman from Surrey -- who both now train and live in the Blackburn area -- were named British Junior Pairs champions.

And Stacey Kemp from Leyland and David King from Carlisle won the British Primary Pairs title to bring more glory back to Blackburn Arena.

Other skaters who did well at the Sheffield championships were Chris Tees who was fifth in the Senior Men's finals. Collett, who enjoyed success in the pairs, was fourth in the junior ladies one place ahead of Jessica Hitchmough.

In the pairs, Blackburn's Michelle Royds and Jamie Whyte were second while Lizzie Schofield and Jamie Burns were in fourth place. In the Primary Dance, Darren Powell and Sophie Wright were also fourth while Sophie Johnson was third in the Primary Ladies.

The fact that skaters attracted to the Arena have gained success will have given Karen a lot of joy, but the home-grown talent of Blackburn-born Dannielle Guppy is more than a bonus.

For the 18-year-old is one of the more senior skaters at the Arena and she topped a fine personal year by finishing in second place in the British Senior Figure Skating Championship.

Karen added: "I have worked with Dannielle ever since she first started skating at the Arena and it fills me with immense pride to see her doing so well.

"I remember her as a youngster who could barely skate and now she is the second best in her field in the country."

Dannielle's mother Sylvia, who works as something of a press officer for the club, is also delighted for her daughter's success -- and is certain there is more to come.

She said: "Dannielle has worked very hard this year after coming fifth in last year's championship. She has done well in a number of events around the country leading up to the championships and it was brilliant to see her finish in second place.

"Dannielle took third place in her first ever appearance in the senior finals a few years ago but this was an even better performance. It makes all her hard work and all the travelling done my myself and her dad all the more worthwhile."

The former Pleckgate High School is a former junior British champion and Sylvia says she would now like to see her go on and compete at international level.

"I still think Dannielle has plenty more to learn and can get a lot better. It would be great for her to compete at international level and that is something we will be aiming for in the coming year."

Dannielle, who also studied at Blackburn College, has had to fund herself due to lack of Lottery funding.

Karen believes she can improve on her results while also act as a role model for local skaters.

"While we work hard with our skaters to improve them at national level, we also spend a lot of time with the youngsters because there could be a Dannielle Guppy among them."

The Arena's current crop of successful skaters shows that Karen and her team of coaches have bounced back from 2000 when a number of her stars left the area.

She said: "That was our last really good year but the problem was that a few of our coaches left and took their skaters with them.

"We have worked hard to attract more skaters here and we are delighted with the progress we have made."

That progress has been down to the coaching staff now working out of Blackburn Arena.

For while Blackburn Arena may not have the facilities to match other venue across the country, it has a team of coaches to rival any skating school.

For Karen, who has competed in two Olympic Games, is joined by her husband Steven Pickervance, Kathryn and Keith Hudson and Dawn Spendlove.

The five make up the cream of the coaching crop at Blackburn Arena.

Karen said: "We may not have the facilities of Sheffield or Nottingham but we have the coaching team that I believe is as good as anywhere.

"I am very proud of what we have achieved and think we can go on and achieve a lot more."

To underline the fact Rebecca Collet and Hamish Gaman have been selected to take part in the European Championships in Budapest and the World Championships in Holland next year. And, if Rebecca and Hamish do take part, then they will be the first Arena skaters to compete at European and World level.

For Karen and her team, she is hoping their success is just the tip of the iceberg.