7th at the last World Championships, Nova Senior skated its short program in Saint-Hubert. (Credits: Sebastien Muller - 2019)

As every year, the first weekend of December is the launch of the competition season for the Quebec synchronized skating teams. The teams met at the Invitation St-Hubert and presented their programs to the judges and spectators, for the 25th edition.

On Saturday, December 7th, the following categories skated twice: Pre-Juvenile, Juvenile, Intermediate, Open, Novice, Junior and Senior. On Sunday, it was the second day of competition (new this year) for other categories: Elementary, Beginner, Pre-Novice, Adults I, II and III.

Each team was able to skate twice, which allowed some to improve and correct some mistakes. 

In addition to the presentation of the Nova Senior program, two Junior teams competed this weekend in Saint-Hubert.

Already in the lead after the short program, Nova representing the South Shore won this first Quebec event with a total of 157.62 points. The Junior Pirouettes of Laval finished second with a score of 116.08 points.

The Intermediaries competition was exciting. Les Eclypses were ranked fourth in the first program but held on to second place with 95.62 points after their second performance. The victory went to Golding Ice that totaled 98.04 points. The Cassiopée team from Sherbrooke finished third with its "Where Is the Love?" program. The team won a total score of 93.12 points. Skating to Sherlock Holmes, Evolution took fourth place, followed by the Starlight team representing Ontario.

With six participating teams, the Novice category lets us expect intense competitions in the coming months. Nova Novice finished first with 102.11 points overall. Les Suprêmes Novices of St-Leonard took the silver medal (98.56 points) and Golding Ice claimed the bronze (96.67 points). Laval's Pirouettes, Illusion, and Starlight completed the rankings.

The themes were exploited to the maximum, from the dance medley, Spice Girls to Casa De Papel. We also saw that men from Senior teams last season, inspired other skaters. More and more teams now consist of young girls and several young boys.

By skating twice the free program (first passage counted at 0.5 and the second passage counted totally), the Pirouettes team won the Open event with a score of 123.74 points. Cassiopée finished in second place with a total of 114.37 points and Les Suprêmes took bronze (103.32 points).

Les Fines Lames de Lévis are the winners in the Pré-Novices category (49,10), followed by Les Ailes d'Argent of Mont-Laurier and Synergie.

In the Juvenile competition, Nova finished first (45.74). Golding Ice and Les Éclypses completed the podium. Nine teams skated in this division.

In the Pre-Juveniles (which gathered ten teams) field, the victory went to Les Pirouettes with a total score of 27.33 points. Golding Ice and Nova arrived respectively in second and third positions.

Les Fines Lames de Lévis also won the gold in the Elementary division, Starlight took the silver and Synergie the bronze.

For the Adult categories, Cassiopée (Adult I), L'Odyssée (Adult II) and Les Rythmiks de Lanaudière (Adult III) finished the weekend with a gold medal. Note that 30 teams competed in these categories this weekend!

It was a busy weekend for everyone, so it looks very promising for the rest of the season.