This year we collected an amazing 5257 vouchers!! This not only means that we have exceeded our second target of 3680, but have been able to order 2 sets of hurdles; 1 x 9 metre training ladder and be able to bank some 570 vouchers to get us off to a good start for next year!

A huge thank you to everyone who has collected this year. If there are any remaining vouchers out there, then please don't keep them for next year. Sandra received 135 2008 vouchers this year, which have had to be destroyed, because Tesco will not accept them.

As to the prize for the most collected ... this went to the Walker family (collecting almost half the vouchers between them).

The stall that the club had at the Holy Fair raised £359.80. Many thanks to everybody who donated items for the Holy Fair where the Flyers had a stall today.

A particular thanks is also due to all the people who helped out on the stall. Namely Fiona (the brain behind the ideas), Shannon (particularly for giving up her room to store stuff), Samantha, Roz, Cathy, Sylvia, Lainy (our stall should have won first prize) Logan, Gail Gillies, and Jenny.

On Saturday 6th of June, the Ayrshire Flyers had their 3rd annual awards night. This was a tremendous success with a great turnout. It is always strange to see skaters out of their natural habitat - and is amazing to see the range of skaters that we now have in the club.

Many thanks to all those that went to a lot of effort in arranging the evening, especially Alex and Lorraine.

Full Report and Photos

The Annual Awards Party will be held on Saturday 6th June in the Ayr Railway Welfare Club from 5:00 pm until 9:00 pm.

Alex and Lainy will be distributing leaflets. Please fill in your requirements on the back of the leaflet and return that half to Lainy or Alex, together with your money, by training on Thursday 28th May.

This was a great evening last year - make sure you don't miss it this year.

Everyone Welcome - Skaters, Friends and Family

Leaflets have been distributed. If you have not received one please see Alex - or print from here: Page 1 | Page 2

The wait is over - the results for the parents race are in - almost. There has been much confusion over the results and we having been seeking photographic evidence, but chaos prevailed on the day, so we're making some (if not most) of it up.

However, there is no confusion for 1st place. With a clear win (in fact, such a clear win there was some doubt he was skating in the same race), our new Parent Champion is Aaron's Dad. The other parents would like to thank him for his restraint in not lapping them twice in the 2 lap final.

Behind Aaron's Dad things get less clear - in fact they get positively murky. Carol and Cathy fought to the line (literally) in a very close finish, splitting the line judges. Turns out that is irrelevant, though, as Cathy was DQ'd for impeding - several times (not a good example from the Team Leader). So with Carol in 2nd place and Cathy disgraced - who is in 3rd? Please email to let us know. Any parent wishing to claim 3rd place can apply, but please supply appropriate photographic evidence (of the race, nothing else) - or the ever-welcome bribe.

Archie, in his bid to generate yet more chaos and mayhem included a relay race this year. The ladies (Carol, Gail, Sylvia and Cathy) team got of to a flying start and with some exemplary changes (hope the Flyers A Team were taking note) took an early lead over the men (Shannon's Dad, Stephen's Dad, Aiden's Dad and Aaron's Dad).

However, the men had the new champion on their team and he easily made up the distance (Cathy was heard to comment that he could have made it look a bit more difficult ...) to take the first parents relay for the men.

A huge well done to all parents who were brave enough to step on the ice. Our club coach was very proud and when asked to comment on the race, said "Let's face it - the whole aim of the event is to embarrass as many parents as possible" [or something similar - Ed].

Job done then - and the photos to prove it.

The Club Championships once again showed the full spectrum of talent within the Club, ranging from a British champion down to...the parents. The real skaters were on first fighting out a scratch and handicap event. The results were:

Well done to them, and all the Club's skaters for a very successful season.

Unfortunately, the serious skaters were followed by the Parents Competition. Here words like “Sportsmanship”, “Fair Play” and “Rules” could not apply. No, it was back to the usual cheating, foul language and petty behaviour we've come to enjoy. The event was split into Ladies, Mens and a Relay event — although it all looked a chaotic jumble to the viewing public. Some photos of the event can be found here (Note: British Olympic selectors can skip this section).

Here is the next in our series of Training Tips: it deals with the False Start. It is vital to get a good start, and the great skaters are on a knife-edge that can often lead to a false start. Here, one of our great skaters, Billy, demonstrates his advanced false start technique. Notice the power-lunge and straight trailing leg giving power and control. Masterful.

Ayrshire Flyers and Nottingham IRC were brought together in the 2000m Relay. A junior team, consisting of Frazer (AFSSC), Dylan (NIRC), Darius (NIRC) and Caitlin (NIRC), skated against the Dutch, French and the Belgium teams.

The juniors excelled themselves and took 1st place in their group. Given this was the first time this team skated togehter, they impressed us with their team work, good clear changes and skating ability. You would have thought they had done this before...

Ayrshire Flyers were also represented in the Masters Relay 3000m, with Stewart Logan, Shannon Scott, Peter Van Eeden and Lila Hansen entering themselves as team "EUROPE". They performed well together, again taking first place in their group.

April was Frazer's month in Europe.

Two weeks ago he went to the Easter Cup in Gent, Belgium for his first International competition. He competed in the Junior E Boys in a large field of 22 skaters and put in a tremendous effort to come 12th overall.

He continued his international campaign at the Closing Games in Turnhout, Belgium again in Junior E in his second ever International competition. This time he came in 9th in a field of 19 skaters from all across Europe.

These two competitions are included in the five competitions which make up the Golden Sun Award, with each competition having over 180 skaters from 27 clubs from 6 countries the West Europe.

Fraser's results have placed him 21st best skater in Europe overall for the Golden Sun Award.

Shannon and Stewart went with Fraser to the Closing Games.

Shannon continued her great results in Europe this year and raced with determination in the Junior C Girls. She took 4th overall in the 1000m, and a fabulous 1st place in the 500m and achieved her first European podium position, with an overall 3rd place.

Traditionally many Masters came to this competition, giving this competition a very special and friendly atmosphere. Stewart skated very competitively in the Masters, earning a 4th place, just missing out on a podium place.

Full results and photos for both competitions are available on Shortrack Online, with video higlights available on YouTube.

The Flyers had a great end to the season with the 2009 British Championships in Nottingham.

Congratulations to our new British Champions: Kathryn took the Gold Medal in the PeeWee Girls, with Alison taking the Gold in the Juvenile Girls. A tremendous end to a very successful season for both girls.

In an extremely close competition (less than half a second between the three girls in all 3 finals), the other medals in the Juvenile Girls went to Shannon (Silver) and Rosslyn (Bronze).

Euan had a terrific weekend of skating, especially on the Sunday and took the Bronze medal in the Juvenile Boys in another close competition.

Craig, as ever, decided to do things the hard way, keeping us on our toes with a fall and injury. However he still managed to cross the line in style (if backwards) in his 1000m final, to secure Silver in the Junior Men.

Once again the whole team put in a great perfomance, from PeeWees to Masters, with a total of 6 medals putting the Ayrshire Flyers at the top of the medal table, in joint lead with Nottingham. Overall the skaters set 13 pbs and 4 Scottish Records (Kathryn, in all 3 distances skated, and Euan in the 333m).

So well done to: Fiona, Kathryn, Fraser, Roy, Euan, Alison, Shannon, Rosslyn, Lorna, Suzanne, Shelley, Rachel, Jennifer, Rhys, Craig and Stewart.

Huge thanks to Archie for all the preparation and support for the British and throughout the season, it's been a great one.

Full results can be found here with PBs and Records summarised here.

Photos now available ...

Jnr Club Captain: Euan T.

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