ADULT | 2012 U.S. SYNCHRONIZED SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS DC EDGE by RENEE FELTON “I’m in shock,” coach Jenny
DeSimone exclaimed after DC EDGE put on a record-breaking performance. Te adult team from the Wash- ington FSC won its first-ever medal in this division and did so with a score of 72.00 points, a mark that upended the former high score in this event by nearly 12 points (60.24 by Esprit de Corps in 2011). “Our goal was to wind up on
the podium,” co-coach and competi- tor Libby Rhoads said. “We’ve been so close in the past, so we knew we had it in us.” Skaters looked as though they had walked straight from a Pan Am flight circa 1975 and onto the ice. Te aviation-themed program, a hit with the DCU Center crowd, received top marks for both technical elements and program components.
“Tis fits our team perfectly,”
DeSimone said. “Te program has been magic from the beginning. We have received such a great response and I’m proud of what we have ac- complished.”
Te “Dreamgirls” from Esprit
de Corps (Hayden Recreation Centre FSC) came to Worcester as two-time defending adult champions. Tough they earned silver this season, the team now owns medals from five consecu- tive synchronized championships. “I’m excited with our perfor-
mance,” skater Melanie Barton said. “Of course we wanted to win, but this is fuel for the fire. Really, at the end of the day, we love each other and have fun. Whether we win or not, we stick together and learn from each experi- ence.”
Teir free skate earned 69.28 points, including 40.39 for program components. Te highlight of the pro- gram was a level four circle near the end of the program that earned 5.91 points including a grade of execution (GOE) of 0.71. An emotional bronze medal went
to Team Delaware (University of Dela- ware FSC) with 64.52 points. “Team Jen” dedicated the season to friend Jen Wickersham, who lost her battle with breast cancer in November at the
age of 29. “A lot of the skaters see themselves
in Jen,” coach Megan O’Donnell ex- plained. “Tey are all near her age and feel it's important to keep her spirit alive however they can. “Te message we are really try-
ing to get across with this free skate is that nobody is perfect, but we are all beautiful. During her battle, Jen un- derwent some gruesome treatments. No matter how sick she was, it didn’t change the fact that she was beautiful on the inside and out.” Delaware skated to a medley of
music by Pink, wore pink dresses and drew small hearts on the napes of their necks.
“Even though Jen didn’t skate on our team, she was still a member,” skater Meghan Ramick said. “Every time we go on the ice we are fighting for our dear friend. We take the emo- tions of our memories with us when- ever we take the ice.” Te Crystallettes (Dearborn,
Mich.) finished fourth with 63.02 points.
DC EDGE
ADULT MEDALS
GOLD
DC EDGE 72.00
SILVER
Esprit de Corps 69.28
BRONZE Team Delaware 64.52
FOURTH Crystallettes 63.02
SKATING 19
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