Photo Credit: KrPhotogs Photography
Hayden Select won its second straight U.S. title in the senior elite 12 division at the 2024 U.S. Synchronized Skating Championships in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The Hockettes, competing in the division for the first year, earned the silver.
In the senior short program, the Haydenettes took a dominating lead of nearly 10 points. They will look to win their 14th straight U.S. championship and 31st overall on Saturday.
In the first event of the day, Teams Elite secured their second title of the U.S. Championships, clinching gold in the juvenile division after winning junior on Thursday.
SENIOR ELITE 12 FREE SKATE
Remaining undefeated in the senior elite 12 discipline at the U.S. Synchronized Skating Championships, Hayden Select clinched its second straight gold medal.
They totaled 193.44 points, winning the title by more than 30 points, and scored 121.05 in the free skate.
Despite two falls, the team from Norwood, Massachusetts, earned Level 4 marks on three elements in their performance to "Palladio: 1 Allegretto" by Karl Jenkins, including a pair element that scored 8.73 points.
“It wasn't our strongest skate, but I think it was strong in the sense that we held ourselves together even when we had a little mistake,” Hayden Select team member Julianna Calvello said. “We were able to regroup and put out a solid program, which is important."
In their first year in the senior elite 12 division, the Hockettes claimed the silver. Skating to a modern mobsters theme with music from The Godfather and Succession, the Hockettes recorded five Level 4 elements to tally 109.64 points in the free skate and 160.53 points overall.
"I feel absolutely incredible after that skate,” Hockettes team member Lily Baumhardt said. “I think we went out there and we did what we wanted to do, and I think we're all super happy with how it ended."
SENIOR SHORT PROGRAM
U.S. Figure Skating’s most decorated team with 30 U.S. Championships, including 13 straight, the Haydenettes took a lead of nearly 10 points after the short program with a score of 80.19.
Performing to "Clair de Lune" by Imagine Music, the five-time World bronze medalists started with a strong move element and ended with an intersection, the highest scoring element of the competition at 10.46 points.
“We’re skating to ‘"Clair de Lune,’ which is a really classical piece of music that I think really is popular with the audience,” second-year Haydenette Rosa Hahn said. “I think we’re just trying to show off the more graceful, elegant and emotional aspect of our skating. I think that this music really connects with us and connects with our coach and our choreographer, and we just want to show off the skating skills we’ve been working on and really pushing our emotion and our performance aspect of this program.”
Looking to upgrade the color of their medal after bringing home bronze the last two seasons, the Skyliners finished the short program in second place with 70.76 points.
Their skate to "Writing's on the Wall" by Sam Smith featured two Level 4 elements, but they incurred a one-point deduction for a fall.
"We had a couple mistakes, but I think we got the score we wanted, and we can improve in the long," said Calla Loehr, who is in her third year with the Skyliners.
In third place, Miami University skated to "The Big Smoke" by Audiomachine. They opened with a Level 4 move element and a Level 4 twizzle element, but also suffered a fall in their routine, scoring 67.90.
The RedHawks have earned the silver medal the last two seasons.
"It was exciting to be on national ice in front of such a great crowd and such a big sea of red,” fourth-year Miami University skater Annie Givens said. “There were some unfortunate little mistakes, but I thought we were down on our knees, bended good, filled out our movements, so I was proud of that."
Adrian College rounded out the top four with 56.50 points.
JUVENILE
Teams Elite returned to the top of the podium in the juvenile division, clinching the gold with a score of 62.00.
The title marks the team’s third in the last four years the U.S. Championships have been held and second of the week in Las Vegas.
The team’s upbeat, happy birthday-themed free skate was highlighted by two Level 4 elements, including their intersection, which received 8.00 points, the highest scoring element of the competition.
“I feel really good about our skate,” second year Teams Elite skater Sydney Melchiori said. “I feel like all the hard work and preparation we had put in coming up to nationals had really paid off when we hit that ending pose of our program. We really worked hard for that skate.”
With the silver medal, the Skyliners kept their medal streak alive as they have earned a top-three result 13 of the last 14 years the U.S. Championships have been held.
They were awarded the highest component scores of the competition for their free skate with a disco theme. Their skate included a Level 3 intersection with a Level 3 point of intersection and a Level 3 move element, tallying 59.58 points.
Led by an intersection that received a Level 4 call and featured a Level 3 point of intersection, Team Image’s boxing-themed performance received 57.55 points.
DC EDGE’s pewter medal marked their first podium finish since 2020. With two Level 3 elements, they scored 54.03.
Competition wraps up on Saturday with the intermediate, novice, collegiate and senior free skates. Following the senior free skate, the two teams who will represent Team USA at the ISU World Synchronized Skating Championships will be named.
The junior, senior elite 12, collegiate and senior competitions can be streamed live on Peacock Premium. The juvenile, novice, intermediate, adult and masters competition are available to watch on the U.S. Figure Skating YouTube page. Fans can also follow along on the 2024 U.S. Synchronized Skating Championships event page.
