Four U.S. SYNCHRONIZED SKATING TEAMS SET TO COMPETE AT MOZART CUP
Colorado Springs, Colo. (January 20, 2011) - Four U.S. synchronized skating teams will compete at the inaugural Mozart Cup in Salzburg, Austria this weekend. The Haydenettes, the reigning U.S. champions, and the Starlights make up the senior delegation, while the Lexettes and Miami University Junior will compete at the junior level.
The event takes place Jan. 21-23 at the Eisarena Salzburg, Austria.
The Haydenettes, representing the Hayden Recreation Centre FSC in Lexington, Mass., followed their 18th U.S. title with a bronze-medal showing at the 2010 World Synchronized Skating Championships. Led by coaches Saga Krantz and Deirdre Wilson, the team placed third at its international assignment a season ago, the Cup of Berlin.
The Starlights, out of Buffalo Grove, Ill., compete for just the second season as seniors. A year ago, the Skokie Valley SC representatives finished ninth at the French Cup before placing fourth at the U.S. Synchronized Championships.
The Hayden Recreation Centre's junior team, the Lexettes, join the Haydenettes in Salzburg. The Lexettes began their season with a third-place finish at the World Junior Team Selection Competition two weeks ago in Fond du Lac, Wis. The 2010 U.S. junior bronze medalists hope to medal internationally in consecutive seasons after placing third last winter at the Cup of Berlin.
Rounding out the U.S. contingent is Miami University Junior, out of Oxford, Ohio. Highlights from the RedHawks' 2010 campaign included a silver medal at the Neuchatel Trophy and a fifth-place showing at the U.S. Synchronized Championships.
Finland's Marigold Ice Unity, the 2010 World silver medalists, and reigning Austrian champions, Sweet Mozart, will compete with the Haydenettes for the title on the senior level. The 2010 Junior World Cup Challenge silver and bronze medalists, Nexxice (Canada) and the Musketeers (Finland), respectively, look to ascend to the top of the junior podium.
