First Champions Crowned at 2020 U.S. Synchronized Skating Championships

The 2020 U.S. Synchronized Skating Championships kicked off today at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center in Providence, Rhode Island. New champions were crowned in the novice and masters competitions, while the Skyliners lead the junior field after the short program.

NOVICE

Teams Elite (Individual Member) captured the novice title to kick off the Championships in Providence, marking their first ever novice title in the organization. Based in the Chicago area, the team skated last and notched 88.12 points in their free skate set to “Proud Mary” by Tina Turner. Teams Elite received all positive grades of execution and were awarded Level 4 marks for their opening move element and no-hold element to clear the field by over six points.

“I thought it was good,” said Danielle Ostrower, head coach of Teams Elite. “I thought it was a little shaky, but they fought through it and I saw it in their eyes the second they started that they were going to do everything they could to make sure that the program felt amazing when they came off the ice.”

Winning the silver medal, the Skyliners Blue (SC of New York) tallied 81.70 points. This is the first year the club fielded two teams at the novice level with the combined squad taking the 2019 U.S. novice title. Their Aladdin-themed program included three Level 4 elements and they received 42.28 points for their program components.

Hailing from Hayden Recreation Centre FSC, the Star Mates took third place with 77.96 points. The team finished third at the Eastern Sectional Synchronized Skating Championships and topped their sectional score by nearly eight points. Their swing medley routine included a strong Level 4 traveling circle to close the program. Last season, the Massachusetts-based team finished eighth in the competition.

Picking up the pewter medal, Skyliners Black (SC of New York) scored 76.82 points. The second team out of the SC of New York notched Level 4 marks for four elements in their skate to music from Finding Neverland.

MASTERS

Esprit de Corps (Hayden Recreation Centre FSC) earned the masters title for the first time since 2015. The team scored 44.89 points for their “Party Rock” themed program. They received a Level 4 mark for their linear line, which was their highest scoring element with 4.86 points, and scored all positive grades of execution in their skate. Esprit de Corps was also the Eastern Sectional champion with 43.32 and the top qualifier coming into Providence.

“It’s my first U.S. Synchronized Skating Championships,” said Esprit de Corps skater Sarah Johnson. “It was incredible and a whole lot of fun. I’ve skated for years and years, but this is my first time on a qualifying team. It was great to skate with a great group of women and it was really empowering.”

In second place, Allegro! (Individual Member) scored 42.54 points. The 2019 masters champions skated to “Vogue” by Madonna and notched a Level 4 for their rotating wheel. The team topped their score from Midwestern Sectionals (38.80) and received a program components score of 21.54 points. Allegro! was also the Midwestern Sectional champion, scoring 38.80 points in Albany, New York.

Winning the bronze medal, DC EDGE (Washington FSC) scored 42.20 points. They finished just off the podium in 2019 and bounced back with their Sister Act program. Their linear line element was a Level 4 and highest scoring element with 4.69 points. DC EDGE also improved on their sectional score, notching 38.58 points in Albany.

The Goldenettes (Mentor FSC) earned the pewter medal in the masters competition with 38.58 points. Their Rock of Ages program included a closing Level 4 rotating wheel.

JUNIOR

The Skyliners (SC of New York) came out on top after the short program, collecting 70.68 points, a new season’s best. The three-time reigning U.S. junior champions tallied Level 4 and Level 3 marks for all of their elements, including a Level 4 no-hold-Level 4 step sequence combination that scored 8.73 points. Their “Memories” themed program was based on music from the motion picture Cats. The two-time World Junior medalists enter Friday’s free skate with an eight-point lead.

“This was a great day for us,” said Skyliners skater Olivia Marshall. “We have been working very hard since our international season. This was a season’s best for us, so this is definitely one of our best skates and we are very happy with it going into World Juniors.”

Skating last, the Starlights (Individual Member) sit in second place with 62.40 points. Skating to an overall Cinderella theme this season, their short program conveyed “Cinderella in rags” and received three Level 4 elements. The 2019 U.S. junior silver medalists received all positive grades of execution.

Teams Elite (Individual Member) is in third place after the short program. In their skate to “Ain’t No Sunshine,” the Chicago-based team scored 61.62 points and executed a Level 4 no-hold-Level 4 step sequence combination that received 8.17 points.

Rounding out the top four, Team Image SST (Yonkers FSC) scored 59.75 points. Their Flamenco-themed skate received all positive grades of execution and was a season’s best.

Competition continues tomorrow with the intermediate free skate, senior short program and junior free skate. The junior, senior and collegiate competition can be streamed live and on-demand on the Figure Skating Pass on NBC Sports Gold. The juvenile, novice, intermediate, adult and masters competition are available on Video Corner on the U.S. Figure Skating Fan Zone.

Full results