Synchronized Skating - News & Announcements

~ as of March 23, 2011

Announcements

NEXXICE Senior Claims Top Prize at International Event in London, ON

Our congratulations and with special thanks to NEXXICE for the official photo from the event and press release. They captured top spot at London SynchroFest International, held December 28-29, 2011 in London, Ontario.

Ontario Regional Synchronized Skating Championships

• NOTE: the deadline has been extended to January 19, 2012 for both the online registration and registration package. Registrations will NOT be accepted after this date and will be returned. We recommend that you courier your package to 276 King St. West, Prescott, ON to avoid disappointment.

Deveau/Winfield Synchronized Skating Invitational

• Competition Promotional Flyer [1p, PDF]

ISU Communication 1678 - Synchronized Skating

A link is available from the Synchro Technical page. This communication replaces Communication 1636 (Appendix A, B & C only), 1658 (pages 1-3), and includes clarifications to ISU Communication 1649. Links to Skate Canada documentation and ISU Technical Communications are also available.

Nexxice Senior Places 5th at ISU World Synchronized Skating Championships in Helsinki, Finland, April 8-9, 2011

WO Synchro Teams Win Junior & Senior Championships at Nationals!

Another great National Championships for synchronized skating in Brampton, ON, February 24-26, 2011. Congratulations to all teams!

Canadian Champions - Nexxice Senior & Nexxice Junior!

• Nexxice Senior qualified to represent Canada at the 2011 ISU World Synchronized Skating Championships in Helsinki, Finland, April 1-2, 2011
• Nexxice Junior qualified in January to represent Canada at 2011 ISU World Challenge Cup for Juniors in Neuchatel, Switzerland, March 10-12, 2011

2011 Central Regionals Results

27 WO Synchro Teams participated in the Central Regional Synchronized Skating Championships on February 11-13, 2011 in North Bay.

15 teams came home with medals! 6 Gold, 4 Silver, 5 Bronze

Good luck to the teams going to the Synchronized Skating National and Adult National Championships!

Western Ontario Results

Senior	• Nexxice, KWSC / Burlington - 1st
Junior	• Nexxice, KWSC / Burlington - 1st
Open	• Nexxice, KWSC / Burlington - 1st
Intermediate	• Synchronicity, London SC - 2nd • Innovation, WC St Catharines - 3rd • Ilderton Silver Jets, Ilderton SC - 4 • Ice Image, Burlington - 5 • Alvinston Ice Angels, Alvinston SC - 12
Novice	• Ice Image, Burlington SC - 2nd • Ilderton Precisionniares, Ilderton SC - 3rd
Pre-Novice	• REVOLUTION, Jordan SC - 1st • Synchronicity, London SC - 2nd • Plattsville Pizzazz, Plattsville SC - 5
Juvenile	• Ilderton Mini Jets, Ilderton SC - 2nd • Ice Image, Burlington SC - 3rd • Synchronicity, London SC - 5 • B-Pizzazzed, Plattsville SC - 7
Elementary	• Petite Pizzazz, Plattsville SC - 6
Adult SYS 3	• On the Edge, Brooke & Alvinston SC - 1st • Classic Image, Burlington SC - 4
Adult SYS 2	• Ice FX, Watford SC - 3rd • South Coast Synchro, Langton SC - 5 • Ancaster Affinity, Ancaster SC - 6 • Innovation, WC St. Catharines - 10
Adult SYS 1	• Synchronicity, London SC - 1st • Innovation, WC St. Catharines - 3rd • Ilderton Classic Jets, Ilderton SC - 5

Team Canada One Returns Home From the ISU World Synchronized Skating Championships

Nexxice (Senior) returned from Colorado Springs with a 5th place overall finish. Even though the team did not come home with the results they wanted, the defending World Champions represented Canada with style and class. Two falls in the short program proved to be costly, but they laid down an exquisitely beautiful long program and captured everyone's hearts in the arena, clearly the crowd's favorite! And the team received a perfect 10 score for performance from one of the judges. Congrats girls! We are proud of you!

A heartfelt message from a Nexxice Dad - Frank Lortiz

There's been a lot of chatter about was and wasn't accomplished this past year... but this is what I saw...

I saw an artistic vision come to life over the last few months through the work of a dedicated team of coaches, dance artists, and athletes all very talented in their fields. As a team they composed an artistic concept that was fleshed into a set of poetic movements on ice. This was then stitched into a whole to produce a seamless choreography of music, colour, and movement. They worked tirelessly to perfect the execution never losing the vision of producing a work of art. When the time came, they hid their toil and sweat behind smiling faces, dazzling dresses, and graceful dance manoeuvres. As the season progressed the spectacle delighted audiences for months. And in the end they did accomplish what they set out to do... to create a work of art that they would be proud of for life. The whole indeed was greater than the sum of its parts. Were they the best in the world at 6:05:32 pm on April 10, 2010? Some thought no, but they were very close. Now they will savour their successes, analyze their shortcomings and become ever more determined to better their work in their pursuit of excellence. Like standing on the head of a pin, perfection allows a good view for a brief moment but it's awfully unstable and you usually can't stay there too long. I believe that most of you will agree that its not perfection that's important but rather the pursuit of that ideal that really matters.

... that's what I saw happen this past year and as a parent I could not have hoped for a better outcome for my daughter.

Well done Team Canada 1 NEXXICE 2010. We all participated in an extraordinary chapter in our girls' lives and we have been enriched (and also de-riched) by the experience.

Nexxice Short Program

Nexxice Long Program ~ watch it on YouTube

Gotta love those Canadian Fans!

Photo credit - Skate Canada / Jim Coveart

Are You Interested in Becoming a Synchro Judge?

We're looking for present and former skaters who would be interested in becoming a synchronized skating judge. New synchronized judge clinic is being planned for early February 2009.

Criteria - The skater needs to have a skating background that includes:

• Any two of Junior Bronze free skate, dance or skills; or
• Any one of Senior Bronze free skate, dance, or skills; or
• Juvenile competitive test; or
• Any one higher test level

Interested? Contact Andrew Bosco, WO Synchro Judges Rep., andrew.bosco[at]gmail.com

WOS Synchro Coaches - Videos of Synchro Events

• Synchro Nationals start from 1988, 1992 - 2004 recent
• Worlds 2000
• Precision Canada International - Toronto 1994
• Snowflake International - 1993, 1995
• various WO Sectionals, Gold Medallion competitions

Please note that we can no longer lend these videos due to copyright issues. However, these can be viewed on the premises by phoning ahead to set up a suitable day/time at the Section Office. Contact Lori, 519-686-0431 ext. 21 or memberservice@skating-wos.on.ca

Testimonial of a Synchro Skater

"First you are a part of it, then it becomes a part of you" (anonymous) For some, Synchronized skating is synonymous with commitment, unison, speed, teamwork, dedication and emotion. Having skated on a synchronized skating team for more than 13 years, I know it is so much more that that! A lot of my friends do question why I continue to subject myself to the early morning practices, rigorous workouts and the stress of competitions. I synchro skate because the support felt as 19 other skaters struggle with you overpowers the pain inflicted by the workouts. And I compete as a synchro skater because the adrenaline rush while competing and the feeling of joy when you are finished makes you forget the feeling of stress that was overpowering right up until the moment when the music begins. We may arrive at our practices from all walks of life, but when we step on the ice we are one, we move as one, we succeed as one, we are a team. Central to synchronized skating is friends and family; throughout these years I have been blessed with many long-lasting friendships that offer support and happiness. For me, my coaches, managers, teammates as well as their parents have become a second family whom I can rely on at any time. Synchronized skating has allowed me to continue to skate with my close friends well beyond when I stopped skating individually. In this aspect synchronized skating is a sport for all ages. The sport of synchronized skating itself demands that the skater is comfortable and confident with his or her own body image and this has to be portrayed on the ice. I am grateful for all the experiences and opportunities synchronized skating has to offer. My club's synchronized skating program provides a positive and fun environment for physical activity and exercise. Furthermore, I am indebted for the life lessons I have learned from my participation in the sport of synchronized skating. Balancing school, work and synchronized skating has required me to develop time management skills, which are invaluable life skills. I have also been taught perseverance, commitment, discipline and responsibility as well as the meaning of sportsmanship. These lessons will undoubtedly benefit me in every aspect of my life. Not only has synchronized skating provided me with an immeasurable amount of happiness and memories, but also I am confident it has also contributed to making me the person I have become. Finally, I feel this quotation captures the spirit of synchronized skating, "There are many things in life that will catch your eye, but only a few will catch your heart… pursue those" (anonymous) ...from a Synchro skater