The
Skyliners The record setting Skyliners Junior team have had a phenomenal season this year so far! They took home the bronze medal in international competition at the Spring Cup in Milan Italy, and were once again chosen by the United States Figure Skating Association to represent the United States as Team USA at the Prague Cup held in Prague, Czech Republic, from January 26 through February 1, 2010. They also performed two powerful programs at the Colonial Classic in Massachusetts to be named to the 2010 World Team earlier in January. The Juniors will travel to Sweden in March to hit the ice against perennial powers house teams from Finland, Canada and Sweden. 
The Skyliners Organization supports five teams with skaters who range in age between 5 and 18. With athletes hailing from Connecticut, New York, and New Jersey, they represent the Windy Hill Skating Club and the Skating Club of New York and are seasoned champions. Synchronized skating, originally called precision skating, consists of 12-20 athletes skating on ice at one time moving as one flowing unit at high speeds. For a synchronized team to flow in unison, individual skaters must be competent at a variety of skating skills, including speed, footwork and ice presence. The team performs a program set to music, with required formations including circles, lines, blocks, wheels, and intersections. The teams are required to perform difficult step sequences involving a number of complicated turns and movements. There are international synchronized skating competitions at the novice, junior, and senior levels (with senior being the most elite). Although not currently an Olympic sport, in 2007 synchronized skating took one step closer to Olympic contention when it was selected to be part of the Universiade or World University Games as a demonstration sport. 
Tryouts for next year’s Skyliners teams will be held in April, 2010 and several “Skating with the Skyliners” events will be held throughout the year as a way to introduce new skaters to the sport. Visit the Skyliners at www.skylinerssynchro.com on the web to find out more about the Skyliners. The team: Meghan Barr, Ridgefield, CT; Alexandra Boisselle, Manhasset, NY; Esther Brot, Hastings on Hudson, NY; Judith Chung, Chappaqua, NY; Sennett Cook, Pelham, NY; Stephanie Damascus, Greenwich, CT; Katharina Devitofranceschi, Stamford, CT; Alyssa Fox, Voorhees, NJ; Marlena Holter, Cortlandt Manor, NY; Caitlin Lombardi, Monroe, CT; Jenn Marshall, Greenwich, CT; Audrey McQuade, N. White Plains, NY; Ashley Mulhern, New Canaan, CT; Hideko Nara, New York, NY; Eliana Roth, Cherry Hill, NJ; Jenny Schwartzman, Katonah, NY; Paige Shepperly, New Vernon, NJ; Ashley Snow, Darien, CT; Lauren Snow, Darien, CT; Rachel Terry, South Orange, NJ. |
