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The first stage of the Challenger Series is about to start


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Lexettes after training in Hala Olivia ice rink in Gdansk, Poland. (Credits: Lexettes - 2022)

This may sound crazy to some countries currently back in lockdown, but the first stage of the 2021-22 Challenger Series is well on its way to starting in Gdansk, Poland, Thursday. The American Lexettes team will be among the most serious competitors in the junior event. Interview!

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Hello Lexettes! First of all, how is your team doing at the very beginning of 2022?

We finished off 2021 strong and we are hoping to keep that energy in 2022. 

You have just arrived in Poland, how was your trip?

We had a smooth flight and now we are ready to continue training. 

What were the Covid restrictions? What did you have to do to make the trip? 

We are fully vaccinated and we all tested negative three hours before departing. In order to travel, we needed proof of vaccination and a negative test. We are staying in our “bubble” and are always wearing masks in public in addition to training in them except for run throughs.

Is this your first international competition since the pandemic? 

Yes, and we are so fortunate that we are able to travel to compete. We are looking forward to competing for international audience.

What are your first impressions of Poland? 

This is our first time in Poland as a team. We were amazed by how big the rink was and we were able to meet some members of Team Ice Fire who were very welcoming. We are looking forward to visiting the city in the coming days. We love the hospitality of everybody here in Poland and we feel very welcomed. The food is delicious and the people are so kind. 



What are your goals for this Challenger Series?

Our goal is to put out two strong programs that reflect what we do in our training.  We hope to take in every minute of our first international experience and we are thrilled and honored to represent USA.

Can you tell us more about your two programs this season? 

Our short music is "Raganu Nakts" by Tautumeitas which is a Latvian song that translates to "Midsummer Night" in English. We worked hard to portray the "festival" through the use of sharp and soft movements.

Our free program is a variation of last year's program to "Rescue" by Lauren Daigle. It has a distinctly different feel from our short program. In order to make our emotions more genuine for this program, each skater has drawn a story from their own life with the common theme of overcoming sorrow and loneliness. 

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What are your plans after Poland? Are you staying in Europe?

We plan on flying back to Boston before returning to Europe at the Marie Lundmark Trophy. After international competitions, we are training for Nationals in Colorado Springs in March and we are hopeful to be chosen for junior world championships in Innsbruck, Austria.

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Results - TOP 3

6th Hevelius Cup
Gdansk (POL)
JAN 06, 2022 - JAN 08, 2022

Junior
TEAM Score
1Crystal Ice (RUS)201.87
2Valley Bay Synchro (FIN)180.72
3Teams Elite (USA)169.74

Senior
TEAM Score
1Team Tatarstan (RUS)226.00
2Crystal Ice (RUS)212.04
3Dream Edges (FIN)210.35