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Team Russia 1 surprise leaders after short program at Worlds

Well that was exciting!

Skating eleventh in a field of 21 teams, RUS1 managed to hold on to win the short program at the World Synchronized Skating Championships in Sweden today, even after all top nine teams skated clean. Yes — RUS1, who has exactly zero World Championship medals (save for one “small” silver from 2007 where they placed second in the short before falling to eighth in the free), and finished seventh in 2011, currently leads a field that includes all the medalists from nearly every World Championship, ever. Only three former medal-winners aren’t competing in Gothenburg: Miami University (USA), Team Unique (FIN), and now-defunct black ice (CAN).  (more…)

Canadian, Finnish, and U.S. teams to compete for World berths

You can’t become a World Champion without getting to the World Championships.

Sounds painfully obvious, no? While true, it is the most important consideration for Senior teams headed to their respective National Championships in Canada, Finland, and the U.S.A. this week and next. Each country will qualify two teams to compete at the World Championships in Gothenburg, Sweden, in April. But while it will be considered an upset if Nexxice (CAN) and the Haydenettes (USA) don’t earn berths to represent their countries at Worlds, Finnish Nationals is anyone’s game. (more…)

World’s top teams will compete for $50,000 in prize money in London

Wow.

It’s been years since a Senior International was held in Canada (other than Worlds), so the announcement that London, Ontario, host of the 2007 World Synchro Championships, would be holding an event this December was exciting simply on its own. But now there’s $50,000 in prize money involved?

That’s a big deal.

The news comes from an article on the John Labatt Centre’s website, where you can also purchase tickets. Yes, $50,000 is a pittance compared to what singles skaters, ice dancers, and pairs teams earn on the ISU Grand Prix circuit, when you consider how many individual athletes a synchro competition involves. It doesn’t matter whether the prize money for Synchro in the City is in Canadian or American dollars, or some other currency entirely–split $50,000 among one team, some teams, or all of the teams, and it disappears pretty quickly no matter whose mug is on the bills. What’s worth more than the amount, however, is the additional legitimacy this brings to the sport. If this trend continues, could we actually see synchro skaters start to regularly earn money as professional athletes?

That’s a very big deal.

Tickets for the 2011 Synchro in the City — London Synchrofest International (could they have chosen a longer name?) go on sale Friday, October 21st. Maybe Santa will bring me a seat sale for Christmas.

 

Finland and USA defend podium at 2011 World Championships

Rockettes (FIN1) successfully defended their title as World Champions today, a feat no team has managed to achieve since Team Surprise (SWE1) did it way back in 2000 and 2001. It was also the first time the entire podium has been identical at back-to-back championships, with Marigold Ice Unity (FIN2) repeating as silver medalists, and the Haydenettes (USA1) earning their second consecutive bronze medal.

Full results, including protocols, are here. A few interesting facts:

  • In the free skate, the top 5 teams all earned the same technical base value, though no team received all their calls.
  • FIN2 and USA1 both were both given deductions for a late start in the free (teams must begin skating within 10 seconds of the music starting). Neither deduction affected the overall results, though FIN2 would have won the free program portion without it.
  • For the first time, the top 10 was made up entirely of teams from countries who had 2 entries at Worlds. This was true for all segments of the competition.
  • There has still never been a team from any country other than Finland, Sweden, Canada, or USA on the podium at Worlds. Finland has won 16 medals to date, Sweden 10, Canada 7, and USA 3.
  • Finland is the only country to have had two teams on the podium at Worlds–and they’ve done it an impressive 5 times in 12 championships (2004, 2005, 2006, 2010, and 2011).
  • Finland has only been shut out of the medals once, in 2007. That year, Sweden, USA, and Canada were on the podium.
  • No team has ever won more than two consecutive World Championships. If Rockettes can win gold again next year, it will be the first three-peat. (Team Surprise did, however, win back-to-back World Challenge Cups in 1998 and 1999, followed by a victory at the first ISU World Championships in 2000.)

I couldn’t be there in person this year, and sadly, there was no live feed available outside Finland. Twitter was hopping though, and updates are still coming in from around the globe tagged #SynchroWorlds. In Canada (and perhaps some border cities/states), you can watch the CBC broadcast next Saturday, April 16, from 4-6 PM (EDT).

I’ll likely have some more thoughts after videos start to surface, and I have a chance to scrutinize the protocols further. Congratulations to all the competitors. Though for many of you it will be brief, enjoy your off-season!