Canada wins silver medal at ISU World Synchronized Skating Championships

COURMAYEUR, Italy – Nexxice from the Burlington (Ont.) Skating Club won the silver medal for Canada for the third straight year on Saturday at the ISU World Synchronized Skating Championships.

Marigold Ice Unity from Finland took the gold with 223.45 points, Nexxice moved from third after the short program to second with 220.88 and Rockettes from Finland dropped a spot for the bronze at 220.66.

“It feels great to get the silver, it’s always a great accomplishment to win a medal at the international level,” said Nexxice co-captain Lee Chandler, the first male to win a medal at the world championships with a senior team in Canada.

Nexxice, which performed to music from West Side Story, equalled Marigold earning level four marks for their eight technical elements and delighted the sellout crowd.

“We increased the intensity of our performance from the short program,” said Chandler. “The crowd really enjoyed our take on the gang’s routine in the story.”

Also on the Nexxice squad were Shannon Aikman-Jones, Maria Albanese, Ellicia Beaudoin, Kelly Britten, Courtney Broadhurst, Anna Cappuccitti, Carla Coveart, Samantha Defino, Yu Hanamoto, Victoria Kwan, Katia Leininger, Kristen Loritz, Bethany Rees, Renee Richardson, Victoria Smith, Kiersten Tietz, Jillian Tyler, Emily Van Den Akker and Julia Uhlitzsch.

Les Suprêmes from St-Léonard, Que., gained two spots in the standings for sixth place.

The Suprêmes skaters were Élodie Acheron, Audrey Bédard, Karyane Bélisle, Lydia Bergeron, Jessica Bernardo, Lou-Ann Bezeau-Tremblay, Josyane Cholette, Sara Irma Corona, Alexandra DelVecchio, Laurie Desilets, Maria-Victoria Langon, Sarah Leblond, Sophie-Anne Lemay, Clémence Lea Marduel, Agathe Sigrid Merlier, An Kim Nguyen, Chloé Perrin, Geneviève Rougeau, Marina Rousseau and Claudia Sforzin.

Louis Daignault