Photo by KRPhotogs/U.S. Figure Skating
LAS VEGAS, NV. — Eighty-eight U.S. synchronized skating teams headed to Las Vegas for the 2024 U.S. Synchronized Skating Championships, and there was a first-time winner in the junior event.
Teams Elite, of Northbrook, Illinois, won their first-ever U.S. junior title Feb. 22 in Las Vegas. In first after the short program by more than three points, Teams Elite, who were fourth at last year’s Nationals, had two falls in their free skate and also received a minus 1.49 GOE on their synchronized spin element. They earned a free skate score of 124.98, which was second in the free skate, but they earned their best-ever total score, 198.87, at the U.S. Championships to claim the title.
“This is insane,” Abbi Nelson from Teams Elite said on winning the gold. “This is what you dream of ever since you were a little girl or little boy. To actually accomplish it, it makes me feel so proud of ourselves. Every moment that we put into practice has led to this moment. It feels beyond amazing.”
Teams Edge will compete at the ISU World Junior Synchronized Skating Championships in Neuchatel, Switzerland, March 15-16. They last competed at the World Junior Synchronized Skating Championships in 2022, where they won the bronze medal.
The Skyliners, of the Skating Club of New York, who broke the record for the most U.S. junior synchronized skating titles last season, won the silver medal in Vegas. In fourth after the short program, the Skyliners’ free skate included positive GOEs on all elements and no deductions. It was the best free skate of the junior event (131.37). They earned a total score of 197.41 to jump up and claim the silver medal. The Skyliners have earned a top-three placement every season since 2015.
“It was amazing to come off the ice. It felt so surreal. We worked together,” Alessandra Cipollone from the Skyliners said of the team’s skate. “We were thinking of ourselves as a team. We weren’t worried about scores. We were just focused and we came out with a score that was really just amazing. I’m proud of it.”
The Skyliners, who are four-time World Junior medalists, will compete at the World Junior Synchronized Skating Championships as the reigning World Junior bronze medalists.
Team Image, who trains in Hackensack, New Jersey, finished in third place. This is the third straight year the team has finished on the podium at the U.S. Championships. They were silver medalists in 2023 and won gold in 2022.
“It was completely amazing. I’m so proud of what we’ve done and what we’ve accomplished in the season so far. Getting off the ice, it was just a surreal experience,” said Sophie Ryan of Team Image.
The Lexettes finished in fourth place. They have been named first alternate for Junior World Synchronized Skating Championships while Team Image will be the second alternate.
Senior Elite 12
Hayden Select, of the Skating Club of Boston, won its second-straight senior elite 12 title in the discipline’s only second season at the U.S. Synchronized Skating Championships. Hayden Select won the event by close to 33-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, said Julianna Calvallo from Hayden Select. “We were able to regroup and put out a solid program, which is important.”
The Hockettes, of the Ann Arbor Figure Skating Club, competing in the senior elite 12 division for the first year, earned the silver.
“I feel absolutely incredible after that skate,” said Lily Baumhardt from the Hockettes on their skate. “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.”
Synchro teams are comprised of 16 skaters. In senior elite 12, each team has 12 skaters.
Senior
U.S. Synchronized Skating Championships ended with the senior event where the Haydenettes added another win on their record, marking their 31th U.S. title and their 14th-straight win. The Haydenettes, out of the Skating Club of Boston, earned level three and four on all their elements, along with positive GOEs on them. They only suffered a deduction on a fall. They earned a total score of 234.42.
Autumn Coulthard from the Haydenettes shared what it felt like winning gold: “It feels great. This (Las Vegas) is actually my hometown, so having such a supportive crowd with friends, family, everyone here cheering us on has been really amazing and really magical. It feels good. This is just the beginning for us and we’re going to keep working hard.”
The Haydenettes are the most decorated synchronized skating team in U.S. Figure Skating history. They will represent Team USA at the ISU World Synchronized Skating Championships in Zagreb, Croatia, April 5-6.
The Skyliners won the silver medal with their best-ever score (221.58). The only mistake in their free skate was a downgrade on their move element.
I think that was what we’ve been working for all season and for that to come and be the performance that we put out, we just feel so great,” said Emily Schneider from Skyliners.
The silver medal is the best result for the Skyliners since 2020. They will be joining the Haydenettes at the World Championships.
Miami University finished in third with a total score of 191.08. They have finished in the top three for the third straight year. Adrian College secured the pewter medal for the second time in the last three years. Miami University has been named as the first alternate for Worlds with Adrian College as the second alternate.
Worth-noting in the Masters’ event is Naomi Lang Strong, who won five U.S. titles (1999-2003) and competed at the 2002 Winter Olympics with her ice dance partner Peter Tchernyshev, won the bronze medal with her masters’ synchro team, Ice Denettes Tenacity, from the Desert Ice Skating Club of Arizona.
For full results, including results of the adult, masters, intermediate, juvenile, novice and collegiate events, click here.
