Senior Synchro Sectionals 2010

The sectional qualifying events took place the last weekend of January in Lowell, Massachusetts and Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Five senior teams competed across the nation, three at the Midwestern Championship and one each at the Eastern and Pacific Championships.

Last year a few teams had byes to Nationals and did not have to skate at a sectional event due to either the previous year's placement at Nationals or competing in an international event. This year, only a few teams had byes, but it still seemed to be a small roster of competitors for this fast growing sport. I suspect the economy is limiting skater's budgets which results in teams cutting back on their competitions and travel. Small fields and small audiences! In the Icenetwork archive it looked like about five people where in the stands and the crowd was thin in Cedar Rapids too.

Haydenettes

Haydenettes FB page

Eastern Sectional:
1. Haydenettes
Wow! The free skate to West Side Story was a clinic in synchro. My husband peered over my shoulder while I watched the archive. I told him he was witnessing the UK basketball of US synchro as they've won 18 championships. He shrugged and said if they were really the UK of synchro the audience would be packed. I'll have to think of another sports dynasty that wins consistently, yet quietly. Such a shame there were so few to witness them. Come on people! They medaled at Cup of Berlin this year! How many American synchro teams medaled internationally this year?

Midwestern Sectional:
1. Miami Redhawks
Their free skate just sings. It's come together so well since I saw it at their exhibition in the fall. They skate with the mark of Sara Kawahara now, and look like they are having fun with the music.
2. Western Michigan University
Last year's winners put out a solid skate. It's just hard to beat a varisty squad when you're a club.
3. Evolution
I always root for them; their coach always recognizes the Louisville coaches at events and says, "LOUIE-ville, LOUIE-ville!" in his French accent. They also had their practices after the Masters RiverStars at Nationals last year and always cheered our run throughs. They've had a rough season this year with music issues at Porter. (Their music either skipped or stopped, even on the back up CD.) They have popular music with Slumdog Millionaire but the Bollywood-vibe was lacking in this outing and there technical errors.

Pacific Sectional:
1. Ice'Kateers
I think this team moved up from Juniors last year and they had a good debut at senior sectionals. I wonder what happened to California Gold? Another team MIA, but glad to see the Ice'Kateers represent synchro on the west side!

Good Luck to all the teams in Minneapolis!