The junior team Dream Edges, winner of the first qualifications this weekend. (Credits: Ville Vairinen - 2020)

Taking advantage of a "stable" COVID situation, Finland resumed last weekend its synchro season. After eight months of waiting, what a pleasure to finally live again synchronized competitions! With masks and fewer spectators in the arena, back coming and competing at a price.

The location of the cameras in the Tampere ice rink made it impossible to see the audience. Sparse on one side of the stadium, the spectators of these first Finnish qualifications and our correspondents on-site had to follow the event in a strict security protocol.

First of all, the number of tickets was limited in order to avoid large gatherings. Second, the wearing of a mask was mandatory inside the rink. Finally, the spectators were invited to encourage their favorite teams by using sounds rather than shouting. Sanitary measures oblige.

It has been a different atmosphere then, while synchro fans are known for their warm shouts and team songs.

But the game is worthwhile! With the exception of two teams who were unable to participate in the competition, all of the athletes had the chance to present their new programs that were both amazing and creative. And what a pleasure the synchro fans (even behind their computers) had to discover these new creations.

As for the teams, the sanitary rules were followed strictly. The athletes had to wait for one behind the other without masks, then performed their program (also without masks), then put it on as soon as they left the ice to then join a Kiss & Cry set up in the heights of the rink,  hearing for the scores before leaving the arena. It was indeed forbidden for the teams to stay in the stadium to watch the other participants.

Some teams have even pushed the precision and the look to match their masks with their competition outfits. For example, we saw the Musketeers with a striped mask for their short program, or the Helsinki Rockettes wearing an elegant shiny mask to perfectly match their dresses. The Covid could therefore change the fashion for synchronized skating; who knows?

Anyway, and even if the emotions on the Kiss & Cry were more challenging to perceive under the masks and the encouragements of the spectators a little more discreet, it is a great success for the Tampere club, which almost managed to do forget about the health situation in the world.

Special mention to all the people who made this competition possible: the staff, the volunteers, and all the people who took the trouble to disinfect the boards and the athletes' hands after each passage.

Thank you! For a weekend, the synchro world once again made us dream!