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Qualified for the 2022 Senior Worlds!
News
Qualified for the 2022 Senior Worlds!
Starlight Elite skated in their new costumes for the first time in competition. (Ville Vairinen - 2022)
They cheered on the Kiss & Cry and they were right. The Swiss senior team Starlight Elite reached on Sunday the minimum score set by its federation, Swiss Ice Skating, and thus qualified for the Worlds.
Starlight Elite has just arrived in Switzerland after a weekend of competition in Finland at the Marie Lundmark Trophy. Finishing 5th, the team from Zurich will keep excellent memories of this stage of the Challenger Series.
"We are very happy about reaching the required score. We are very proud that the team managed to present two solid programs after two years of not competing," said the coaches, Eveliina Lundman and Laura Zenklusen.
A strict training policy"We are very happy about reaching the required score. We are very proud that the team managed to present two solid programs after two years of not competing," said the coaches, Eveliina Lundman and Laura Zenklusen.
Luckily, the only senior team in Switzerland has recently been able to train without major restrictions. "We have had a couple of Covid cases though and it has been a challenge for the team to get a routine and for the individual skaters to come back as strong as they were," explained the coaches.
Of course, the team has kept a strict policy that only totally fit skaters - or tested negative for Covid - can come to training and still everyone is wearing a mask. The coaches explained that this rule "has forced the skaters to become more flexible with skating various positions". This has certainly helped the team deal with unexpected situations, like last weekend.
Of course, the team has kept a strict policy that only totally fit skaters - or tested negative for Covid - can come to training and still everyone is wearing a mask. The coaches explained that this rule "has forced the skaters to become more flexible with skating various positions". This has certainly helped the team deal with unexpected situations, like last weekend.
The happiness after the free program! The team learns that it has reached the minimum score. (Credits: Tero Wester Photography - 2022)
Starlight Elite coaches are very happy to have been lucky enough to compete, even though they couldn't travel and compete with the whole team. Indeed, a skater who tested positive to Covid before the trip could not travel with her team and had to stay in Switzerland.
More than 132 points, successful challenge!Despite the fierce competition last weekend and last minute changes due to the absence of a skater, the team managed to reach the minimum score of 132 points set by Swiss Ice Skating.
Thanks to this score, the team will represent Switzerland at the senior World Championships in early April in Canada. Until then, Starlight Elite will skate at the French Cup in two weeks, then participate in two Swiss competitions, the Neuchâtel Trophy in mid-February and the national championships at the beginning of March.
Thanks to this score, the team will represent Switzerland at the senior World Championships in early April in Canada. Until then, Starlight Elite will skate at the French Cup in two weeks, then participate in two Swiss competitions, the Neuchâtel Trophy in mid-February and the national championships at the beginning of March.
"Our goals for the next weeks are to stay healthy, to be able to train with all the skaters again and work on the overall quality of our programs. In addition to focusing on reaching the technical levels, we want to be able to show strong individual skating skills in both programs," said the head coach Eveliina Lundman and Laura Zenklusen.
Marie Lundmark Trophy 2022
Discover the photo gallery with all the teams
Discover the photo gallery with all the teams
