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!

Denver Sectionals Photos

So I'm terrible about blogging. I enjoy reading others' blogs more than writing my own. Here are some photos from Midwestern Synchro Sectionals.

No surprises, we came in last - but last here equalled a pewter medal and a trip to Nationals!

All of our practices are over, both on-ice and off. Just chillin' at the hotel waiting to do hair and makeup in a couple of hours.

We're skating in a real arena! A small arena, but a minor league hockey team plays there and an NBA development team of some sort. The temperature is comfortable along with cushy seats. There is a jumbotron in the center and a screen that loops around the seats. Oooh, then there are the locker rooms.

The locker rooms were clean and didn't smell like hockey equipment. They had regular bathrooms - that actually had doors on the stalls. Basically, they are professional rooms - clubhouse locker rooms - not the typical hole in the wall under the bleachers room for hockey. It had carpet in areas plus rubber matting for skates. There was some workout equipment around too.

I have been downing water as my skin is so dry, but I think I'm handling the altitude well. Several of my teammates have had some difficulty or have had asthma problems. I noticed WARNING sign about the altitude leaving the locker room after our official practice.

Our practices have been OK. I think our best was this morning at the practice rink a suburb over. We actually moved our moving circle for the first time in awhile. It seems to be coming together. We have already qualified for Nationals as all four masters teams move on. I hope we skate like deserve to go. I'll try my best.

Taquitos

Pretty much chilled with the team and skating moms for the juvenile team at the hotel for the rest of the day.

We had an off ice practice above the bar and then discovered the hospitality room. There was an assortment of festive beverages, chips and veggies, plus TAQUITOS! My favorite snack.

I just spent 30 mins on the elliptical to lose some of the taquitos. I'm very tired from the mix of travel and disruptive weather over the past few days. I'm off to a quick shower and then I'm hitting the sack.

We made it

I'm in Broomfield, CO for the 2009 Midwestern Synchronized Skating Sectionals.

It was a treacherous journey... our team's flight was scheduled to leave Louisville at 7:00 a.m. Instead, the plane had a mechanical error and Northwest booked us on later flight at 8:45.... in Cincinnati two days after a winter storm coated the region with ice.

They gave us vouchers for cabs so we packed in 4 to a cab to make it to Cincy. Our driver drove with his emergency blinkers on at about 35 mph most of the way. Two other cabs stopped for gas and potty breaks which were cutting it close and they arrived at the airport just as we did. The driver finally said, "It danger, I scare." He also said he wasn't driving back home any time soon. Poor guy.

The check in crew was great and got us through as fast a possible, especially since we all had to check our skates. We ran to security and then to the gate. Fortunately, the plane waited for all of us.

It was a direct flight too which was nice. I got to sit next to Beverly Duburow who skates in Lexington and remembered me skating there as a teenager when her kids skated. It was enjoyable catching up with her finding out about how her kids are doing and any other skaters that were from Lexington. She is skating on the adult team.

With over 20 people with the Masters and Adult teams combined, we booked a limo to take us the hotel. Goofy limo pics coming soon...