Recap

Team Paradise and Crystal Ice Junior won the first stage of the Russian Cup


Image

The Senior Team Paradise presented for the first time its free program. (Credits: Irina Yakovleva - 2019)

From the 2nd to the 3rd of November, the 1st Stage of the Russian Cup took place in Moscow. It was the first serious competition of the season for Russian skaters. So, the synchro community across the country was super excited to start.

The 2nd of November was the first competition day. Advanced Novice teams competed, but also Junior and Senior teams performed their short programs.
More than 100 points for Novices!
Let’s start with the Novice category, which was the most numerous: there were 14 teams and they all competed well. However, there can be only one winner and this time, it was evident. Team Sunrise -2 from Saint Petersburg earned 103,38 points. The 2nd place (with 79,08) was for the team Kazanochka from Kazan, and the 3rd place with 76,61 took Ice Fantasy from Moscow. 


Junior and Senior short programs
Junior teams showed amazing short programs, interesting and varied. After the first day, team Crystal Ice Junior was the leader. Skaters performed on the waltz from the soundtrack of “Masquerade” and earned 72,89 points. It was an emotional presentation with good technical level and even the fall in transition couldn’t spoil the performance. The team Sunrise-1 from Saint Petersburg got 2nd place after a short program, which got them 70,39 points. The skaters wonderfully performed to the music of the famous musical “Chicago”. It is noteworthy, that the creative beginning of the program perfectly went with the idea: skaters stood and started to move in the way as if the curtain had opened and the show started. The team Zhemchuzhina from Tolyatti has chosen beautiful music “Rain, in your eyes” by Ezio Bosso. Performing really nice, skaters got 52,93 points, which granted to them the 3rd place.


Image
Team Sunrise-1, silver medallist in the Junior division. (Credits: @n_slavnaya - 2019) 

There were only 2 teams in the Senior category, however, there was so much tension on the first day. The team Crystal Ice Senior from Moscow was the first on the ice. They showed a sublime program called “Alpha and Omega” skated to the music “Lacrimosa”. The team took 70,54 points and came second. Dancing passionate tango, despite a fall, Saint-Petersburg team Paradise confidently took the 1st place with 73,91 points. 
New programs presented on Sunday
The second day of this 1st Stage of the Russian Cup was even more spectacular. As in the last year, the team Crystal Ice Junior took 1st place. Their program skated to the music from the film “Schindler’s List” with good technique level, emotions and even a girl in the red coat. The performance brought them 132,67 points and 205,49 in total. By the free program, the team Sunrise-1 told the audience about the terrible period in the history of their hometown and Russia in general - the blockade of Leningrad during the Great Patriotic War. Skaters earned 126,01 points and 196,90 in total and took the 2nd place. The 3rd place was for the team Zhemchuzhina, who chose the Italian song “Il volo”. This tender and sensual program brought them 105,24 and 158,17 points in total. 


The free programs did not change the situation for Senior teams. However, it is interesting to note that both teams chose the same music for their free skate! Two completely different visions of famous "Bolero" by Maurice Ravel. The classical variation has been presented by Team Paradise. The skaters showed bright and highly unusual dresses. Paradise earned 153,71 and 227,62 points in total. The team Crystal Ice Senior performed a more modern approach to the “Bolero”: an interesting choreography and surprising musical turns. The team took the 2nd place with 136,93 points for the free program and 207,47 in total. 
The competition finished with the youngest

The competitions were finished by the youngest skaters – Basic Novice. There were only 4 teams in the category, nevertheless, all performances were fascinated and nice. The best score (50,96) has been done by the Team Golden Prize from Saint-Petersburg. The 2nd place (with 35,64 points) went to the team Zilant from Kazan. The team Zvezda from Chelyabinsk earned 30,30 and finished the third. 

The 1st Stage of the Russian Cup is over, but the season 2019-2020 is just beginning! There are many bright events ahead of us! See you at the end of November at the 2nd Stage of the Russian Cup in Novouralsk. 

Results - TOP 3

First stage of the Russian Cup 2019
Moscow (RUS)
NOV 01, 2019 - NOV 02, 2019

Novice A
TEAM Score
1Sunrise 2 (RUS)103.38
2Kazanochka (RUS)79.08
3Team Ice Fantasy (RUS)76.61

Junior
TEAM Score
1Crystal Ice (RUS)205.49
2Sunrise 1 (RUS)196.90
3Zhemchuzhina (RUS)158.17

Senior
TEAM Score
1Team Paradise (RUS)227.62
2Crystal Ice (RUS)207.47