The precision, teamwork, and pageantry of synchronized skating will be on full display at the 2014 Terry Conners Synchronized Skating Open, co-hosted by Skating Club of Southern Connecticut (SCSC) and Southern Connecticut Synchronized Skating (SCSS).
SCSS Sprites: Front Row, L to R: Daniela Castagna, Anastasia Ladyka, Sabrina Paris, Sofia Gonzalez, Samantha Paris, Sarah Arevalo, Caitlyn Foster Back Row, L to R: Nevaeh Mills, Leah Shiff, Charlotte Carter, Adeline Hawley, Paola Gonzalez, Cynthia Chen, Nicole Salanty
The event will take place Dec. 6-7 at the Terry Conners Rink in Stamford and is expected to draw more than 880 skaters, their families, coaches, officials and fans from the tri-state area and around the Eastern Seaboard.
From 4:00PM to 8PM on Saturday, and from 10AM to 3PM on Sunday, spectators will be able to watch 67 teams compete at the: Beginner 1, 2, and 3 levels; the Preliminary, Pre-Juvenile, Juvenile, Open Juvenile, Intermediate, Open Adult, and Open Masters levels.
SCSS Shadows: Front Row L to R: Michelle Han, Stephanie Tancs, Danielle Nugent, Samantha Scordo, Brooke Ferris; Back Row L to R: Amanda Brea, Kalaudia Auz, Klara Hoherchak, Emily Merole, Emilly Hernandez, Natalie Pesantez.
The host team, Southern CT Synchronized Skating, skates three lines:
- Shadows (Open Juvenile)
- Shimmers (Pre-Juvenile)
- Sprites (Beginner 2)
This year’s SCSS team is comprised of a total of 40 skaters from: Stamford, Greenwich, Westport, Darien, Norwalk, New Canaan and White Plains.
SCSS Shimmers: Front Row L to R: Natalie Hernandez, Nevada Rivera, Deanna Gladstone, Chloe Gerace, Athena Hartigan, Rachel Iannazzo, Isabella Osinovsky, Back Row L to R: Vanessa Wynter, Isabela Malone, Kelly Fox, Olivia Linnartz, Julia Brown, Kara McLaughlin, Alyssa Fish, Madeline Ciampa
This year’s Terry Conners Open has a record number of teams, reflecting the growing popularity of synchronized skating.
In 2013, there were 55 teams, with a total of 786 skaters. This year the number has increased to about 880.
The increased participation at the lower levels also shows that the sport continues to attract new and young skaters. According to USFSA, it is one of the fastest-growing ice sports in the world. Currently, 22 countries and five continents compete at a global level. The first U.S. Synchronized Skating Championships was in 1984, the World Cup event in 1996, and the first World Synchronized Skating Championships in 2000. There is growing momentum to add synchronized skating in time for the 2018 Olympic Games.
Each leveled team consists of 8-20 skaters who perform a program together. Each program is judged on required elements, speed, challenging step sequences, and precision, as well as for style and artistic expression.
The competition is only one of two competitions in the tri-state area.
Only cash is accepted at the door. Daily event admission tickets can be purchased at the door for $10 for adults, $5 for children under 12 and senior citizens.
More information is available online for the Southern CT Synchronized Skating team and The Skating Club of Southern CT (SCSC)
Terry Conners Rink is located at 1125 Cove Rd, Stamford.
Email news tips to Greenwich Free Press editor [email protected]
Like us on Facebook
Twitter @GWCHFreePress
Subscribe to the daily Greenwich Free Press newsletter.