Photo credit Cynthia Slawter Photography/U.S. Figure Skating
By Alex Schauffler
Team USA claimed the top two spots on the podium at the Budapest Cup 2025 this past weekend as the Hockettes clinched gold and DC EDGE earned silver.
Making their 2025 international debuts, the Hockettes and DC EDGE went 1-2 to close out the junior synchronized skating competition season for the United States.
Hailing from Washington, D.C., DC EDGE came in first in the short program, performing to "You Say" by Loren Allred. They were the only team to earn positive grades of execution on every element. Their Level 4 twizzle element received a 1.17 grade of execution and was their highest scoring element at 7.67 points, helping them achieve a segment score of 58.00.
Meanwhile, the Hockettes skated their short program to "Time to Say Goodbye" by Andrea Bocelli, Matteo Bocelli and Hans Zimmer. They earned Level 4s on two elements, including a Level 4 twizzle element that generated7.41 points, securing a score of 56.09.
In the free skate, the Ann Arbor, Michigan-based Hockettes took the lead and the overall win after scoring a new season’s best 105.38 for the segment. All the elements in their “breaking the glass ceiling”-themed program received positive grades of execution, including a Level 4 synchronized spin and a Level 4 intersection. The team achieved a season’s best total score of 161.47 to clinch the gold.
Also finishing the competition with a season’s best total score of 156.14, DC EDGE claimed the silver after performing their “fairies”-themed free skate, which tallied 98.14, also a new season’s best. Their program featured Level 4 marks for five elements with their Level 4 intersection with a Level 3 points of intersection garnering 8.12 points.
To view full results, click here. For more information on Team USA synchronized skating, visit the U.S. Figure Skating Fan Zone.
