News

Junior Worlds 2024: Here Are the Participating Teams (2/2)

  • By Jura Synchro
  • MAR 11, 2024

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Team Seaside from Sweden will skate their powerful free program "Black Panther". (Credits: Synchro Skating Moments, Eva Rosta - 2024)

This Friday and Saturday, the city of Neuchâtel, Switzerland, will play host to the Junior World Championships. In this article, you'll discover the teams from around the world who are set to compete in this prestigious event. With a mix of seasoned contenders and newcomers, the competition promises to be thrilling.

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Teams Italy
Italy's Hot Shivers, from Sesto San Giovanni near Milan and coached by Andrea Gilardi, are renowned in Italian synchronized skating. Training about 8 hours weekly, they are the national champions. Their best World result was 7th last year, marking a high achievement for Italy, which qualified two teams this season.
The second team representing Italy is the Ladybirds, based in Milan. Cristina Francesca Pastorelli and Andrea Martina Perelli's team is making its World Championship debut. They are the national vice-champions, and their name symbolizes good luck, so best of luck to them!
Team Japan
Jingu Ice Messengers made a long journey from Japan to Switzerland. The coaches are Yu Hanamoto and Ken Tana, and the team is Asia's sole representative. They placed 12th in 2023 and aim to improve in their second Junior World appearance. Jingu will skate to “Galileo Medley” and “Fantastic Beasts.”

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Jingu Ice Messengers from Japan in their free skate. (Credits: Roy Ng - 2024)

Team Netherlands
Team Illuminettes, based in Eindhoven and coached by Angelique Visser, have been Dutch champions since 2016. Marking their 6th World appearance, their best was 15th in 2020 in Great Britain. Last year, they placed 19th. They will present a short program, to Meghan Trainor's "Me Too" and a free program to music from Disney's "Hocus Pocus" by John Debney.
Team New Zealand
Team Titanium from New Zealand, coached by the young yet experienced Tracy Danbrook, come from Auckland. Founded in 2017, reaching the Junior Worlds was their dream. They've been in Europe since late February, placing 6th at the Steel City Trophy. Making their debut in Neuchâtel, their programs are David Guetta's "Shot Me Down" and the "Hunger Games" theme for the free skate.
Learn more about Team Titanium
in our article!
Team Poland
Team Ice Fire, from Gdansk and coached by Agnieszka Filipowicz and Marcin Miedlarz, are the national champions. Training about 7 hours weekly on ice, they achieved their best World performance at 8th in 2023. They also placed 8th at the Hevelius Cup this season with a score of 145.36. Their programs are themed on “Cats” for the short program and the Devil for the free program.
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Team Spain
Here is Team Mirum, which comes from Madrid. The team is coached by Elvira Matveeva, a former Team Paradise captain, and Judith Martin Tineo. They achieved their best World placement at 16th in 2023. They aim to break into the top 15 this year.
Team Sweden
Team Seaside, training in Tjörn north of Göteborg under Therese Hillberg and Jenny Sandberg, practices 7 hours on ice weekly. They are the 2024 Swedish champions. Finishing 13th in 2023, their best World placements were 8th in 2020 and 2022. Their programs are themed on “Husavik” (short program) and “Black Panther” (free program).
Team Switzerland
Starlight Junior, coached by Eveliina Lundman, Anna Pfeifhofer, Katia Leininger, and Laura Zenklusen, trains in Zurich. Their second World appearance comes after a sole previous participation in 2020 in Great Britain, where they placed 17th. A few days ago, they clinched the national championship with a score of 145.16 and a gold medal.

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The Swiss Starlight team will participate in the Junior Worlds for the 2nd time. (Credits: Synchro Skating Moments, Eva Rosta - 2024)

Team Turkey
The young Team Bosphorus, from Istanbul and founded in 2022, is coached by Sila Olcaray & Ebru Kaya. Making their debut at the Worlds, they also participated in their first international competition at the Lumière Cup in the Netherlands this year. Living only their second season toghether, their free program is themed on "Matrix".
Teams USA
Highly anticipated, Teams Elite, based in Northbrook, Illinois, will represent the USA. Founded in 2018, the team is coached by Danielle Ostrower & Jamie Whyte, and will live their second World appearance. Indeed they previously earned bronze in 2022 in Austria. With an incredible 2023-2024 season, winning at the Hevelius Cup and Budapest Cup, they aim to continue their success. Their programs are “Moonlight Sonata” by Beethoven for the short program, and “Snake Charmers” for the free program.
Teams Elite's coach Danielle Ostrower shares her views with Jura Synchro
Read the article
The second well-known American team is none other than the Skyliners from New York. The skaters are coached by Joshua Babb and Pamela May, training 8 hours weekly on ice in Stamford, Connecticut. They placed 2nd at the Hevelius Cup with a score of 202.07, and were 3rd at the 2023 Worlds. With multiple World Championships appearances, including two silvers in 2022 and 2019 in Neuchâtel, they aim for gold this year. Their programs are “L’Oiseau de feu” for the short program and their rendition of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” for the free program.
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