Recap

Dream Edges and Rockettes, leaders in Finland


Image

Dream Edges presented its new short program called "Ugly Duckling". / Credits: Kirsi Laine Photography

The 1st National Synchronized Skating Qualification in Finland started today at Metro Arena, Espoo. After the short programs on Saturday, Helsinki Rockettes topped the Senior competition. In Juniors, Dream Edges took the first place and Finettes is the winner of today´s Novice competition. 

A few weeks ago, the Senior new short programs have been unveiled at Finlandia Trophy. The performances were already very good but since then, all the teams have worked very hard to improve their technique and cleanliness. The panel anyhow was quite strict and only the winner Helsinki Rockettes exceeded the limit of 80 points and improved their performance with 10 points getting scores 80.73. They did a very clean performance with no errors and pleased the jury.



Marigold IceUnity took the second position and gathered 78.58 points with their Olympic dream program “Why not?” Earning scores 78.15. Team Unique was the third. They didn´t reach the intended levels in their Block, No hold and Wheel elements but anyway they got the best Component scores due to their vivid and skillful performance. Lumineers took the fourth place with 67.38 points. They skated very beautifully and the whole combination: music, dresses, and performance was a pleasure to watch.


Image
Team Unique once again showed full energy in its short program. / Credits: Kirsi Laine Photography

In the Junior competition, all eyes were on the winner of the last season Dream Edges and many fans were asking how they will skate. Today the team fulfilled all expectations and caught the leading position with 76.00 points. They skated according to their theme of “Ugly Duckling” very softly and concentrated covered with elegant blue-and-gray dresses. There were no doubts about their lead.

Finishing second, Musketeers got points 71.13. Their amazing dresses were a perfect choice for the Manga-style performance for the theme “Cosplay”. Not far behind them with 69.06 points is Team Fintastic. They really had great speed and attitude skating their “The Curse of the Ghost Riders”.



This time the Novice competition has been split into two parts, the first teams competed on Saturday, the rest will be skating on Sunday. There are 9 teams in both divisions. In the first section, the winner was Finettes earning 67.73 points. Their skating was secured and strong, almost as Junior level. The theme “Banshee –The spirit of darkness” was a very harmonious wholeness.

Team Starlights took the second place remembering us of the becoming Christmas. Their mischievous “The Grinch” gathered 59.42 points, which was quite a gap from the winner. Valley Bay Synchronics was the third and their “Slavic circle dance” really was one of the briskest performances of the day. They had good technique, a lot of variety and interest. The score of 55.25 was totally earned.


Image
Finettes won Saturday's Novice competition. / Credits: Kirsi Laine Photography

Generally speaking, in today’s competition the scale of the points was quite wide in Junior and Novice teams. So it seems that the new scoring system really brings out the basic skating skills of the teams to the highlight.

Results - TOP 3

Finnish first qualifications 2018
Espoo (FIN)
OCT 27, 2018 - OCT 28, 2018

Novice A
TEAM Score
1Finettes (FIN)67.73
2Starlights (FIN)59.42
3Valley Bay Synchronics (FIN)55.25

Novice A
TEAM Score
1Team Dynamique (FIN)64.47
2Diamond Edges (FIN)62.17
3Aurora Borealis (FIN)58.76

Junior
TEAM Score
1Dream Edges (FIN)183.94
2Team Fintastic (FIN)174.34
3Musketeers (FIN)172.77

Senior
TEAM Score
1Marigold IceUnity (FIN)209.20
2Helsinki Rockettes (FIN)208.36
3Team Unique (FIN)207.86