Les Supremes of Canada triumph to take second consecutive World Synchronized title in Lake Placid

It was another day of edge-of-your-seat competition at the 2023 World Synchronized Championships, held at the storied Herb Brooks Arena in Lake Placid, as the sport’s finest teams from all around the globe faced off against one another in fierce fashion in hopes of clinching big marks and high placement at this main skating event.

In the final tally, Les Supremes, the electric Canadian contingent who claimed gold at the 2022 World Synchronized Championships triumphed once again, winding up at the top of the 23-team roster leaderboard with the highest marks of the competition, a 240.98.

Skating to the dramatic operatic theme of Madame Butterfly as reinterpreted through a compilation of various selections by Apashe, Tommee Profitt and Karl Hugo, this troupe was all about heart, energy and technique as they expressed a victorious final narrative in regard to this famously tragic story to earn a season’s best of 161.98.

“Our free program this season is Madame Butterfly,” said Olivia Di Giandomenico, Les Supremes Team Captain. “So we took the classical story of Madame Butterfly and we decided to change the ending so that she really fights for herself and her happiness and thrives at the end.”

The energy and execution by this team was in fact, so exceptional that it brought virtually all of the spectators at the nearly packed Herb Brooks Arena to their feet with near-deafening applause at its finish.

Specifically, their program featured artful split lifts, fluid death spirals, a lightning-quick and tight intersection and fast twizzles, counters and brackets and steps done with speed, excellent body lean and edges, among other memorable things.

For members of this Montreal-based team, it was all about preparation and hard work.

“It’s an honor to be on the podium today,” said Julia Bernardo, Les Supremes Team Captain. “We’ve been working super hard all season and improving our programs after every competition. It’s a great reward after a long season.”

Team Helsinki Rockettes of Finland, the 2022 World bronze medalists, scored silver with a 239.56 total with a stunning free skate to a theme that revolved around Mozart’s famous dramatic (and final) composition, ‘Requiem in D Minor.’

Another huge crowd favorite, the Rockettes racked up a 160.95 for their performance, putting them in third in this portion of the competition behind Les Supremes and Finland’s Team Unique, respectively.

This program, which was about energy, speed, skill, athleticism and artistry, featured many standout elements including a high-flying lift sequence in which several skaters did Cirque de Soleil-like backbend moves, synchronized death spirals from interesting entries, an intricate footwork sequence and lightning-quick pass through.

For skaters of this team, the goal was to put out their best performance.

“It feels amazing and it’s an honor,” said Petra Viitanen, Team Helsinki Rockettes’ Captain. “We have worked hard and it’s a great achievement to be on the podium.”

Despite a minor slip coming out of a lift, the Rockette’s performance was so dynamic, powerful, technical and intricate, it generated a great deal of buzz among spectators long after the competition had concluded, much like that of the performances of the other podium finishers, which certainly spoke volumes about their work.

Team Unique of Finland, meanwhile, secured bronze with a 237.68.

Skating to selections by Barbara Pravi and Shigeru Umebayashi, this uber-focused team executed a gorgeous lift sequence in which they did vertical 180-degree positions, nice camel spins, fast footwork and a level-four no-hold to earn a season’s best of 161.55 as well as second place in this segment of the competition.

“We wanted to really use out strength, which is our artistry and body movements,” said Jenni Puhakka, Team Unique Captain.

Puhakka’s teammates agreed.

“We are also very happy,” said Tullia Niituinpera, Team Unique Captain. “It’s been such a nice journey this whole season.”

Team Nexxice of Canada earned a 155.91 for their electric free skate to Ryuchi Sakamoto’s ‘El Mar Mediterrani’ to clinch fourth with a 228.08 total.

“We built upon last season into this season and it was really memorable,” said Emma Daigle, Team Nexxice Captain. “It was amazing being out there, especially seeing all the Canadian flags.”

The Haydenettes, the Boston-based reigning U.S. titlists, racked up an impressive fifth-place finish with a 218.32 total.

This renowned synchro faction climbed from sixth in the short to fifth overall for their incredible free skate to David Madsen’s ‘Quest for Souls,’ in which they earned a 153.55.

This program featured a fast and fluid no-hold element, dramatic death spirals, beautifully extended lifts and an adrenalized footwork line sequence, among other things.

“We went out there, did our job and it really paid off,” said Cameron Feeley, a Haydenettes Captain. “We were definitely focused, especially on the crowd. Having the crowd on our side throughout the whole performance made us calm, but also gave us excitement.”

Feeley’s teammate and fellow Haydenettes Captain, Autumn Coulthard, agreed.

“It was amazing to be out there,” said Coulthard. “We were fighting for every element and leaving everything out there.”

Canada’s Les Supremes soar to first in short at World Synchronized Championships

Les Supremes, the 2022 International Skating Union Canadian World gold medalists, catapulted to first in the short program at the 2023 World Synchronized Championships in Lake Placid with a rock-solid short performance for which they racked up a season’s best, a 79.00, edging out the top spot among the 23-team roster by nearly one point.

Skating to Estrella Morente’s ‘La Di a la Cazae Alcance,’ this 16-member Montreal-based squad skated in the manner of top world contenders as they were all about power, precision and purpose, much to the delight of the packed house of spectators at the famed Herb Brooks Arena in Lake Placid, New York that was filled with a sizable Canadian, as well as American contingent as well.

“It was super fun being out there and after every element we really felt the energy of the crowd,” said Julia Bernardo of Les Supremes. “I think the crowd fuels us and we just love the sport.”

This team executed all of their elements with strength, aptitude, unity and confidence, particularly the spirals, twizzles and slide sequence that featured cool slides, among other things.

“We’re really happy with our skate,” said Bernardo. “The crowd was super welcoming and it was fun to see all the Canadian flags with everyone standing and cheering us on.”

Finland’s Team Helsinki Rockettes scored the second-highest marks in this portion of the competition, a 78.61, for their high-charged program to Kate Bush’s ‘Breathing’ and Karl Hugo’s ‘Rebirth Breaths.’

Commanding the ice with the confidence of seasoned global contenders, this team flew around the ice with power, speed and confidence, earning big scores for all of their required elements.

In particular, this team’s no-hold pass through, line step sequence and spirals were notable and also helped earn them high grade of execution marks.

“It was amazing. We did it together and felt the team, felt the ice, felt the audience and it was amazing,” said Petra Viitanen, the Rockette’s Team Captain.

Team Unique of Finland, wearing stunning red dresses, wowed the Lake Placid crowd with their performance to ‘I See Red’ and ‘Wicked Ways’ by Everybody Loves An Outlaw for which they earned a 76.13, a season’s best.

“It was really, really loud and we enjoyed it a lot,” said Tullia Niituinpera, of Team Unique. “Of course, it feels really good to reach a new season best in the most important competition of the season.”

Team Miami University of the U.S. placed an impressive fifth with a 70.07 for their sensational routine to the iconic classic rock hit ‘Dream On’ as performed by Cinematic Pop and Rob Gardner.

Another major crowd favorite (especially considering they were representing the U.S. here in Lake Placid) this team resonated of elegance, power and precision and executed memorable elements such as a wheel featuring a skater doing a lovely layback spin as well as a fluid step sequence, among other things.

For the skaters on this team, it was all about working together and expressing the narrative of the music, which was inspired by the memorable film ‘Miracle’ that tells the story of the U.S. hockey team defeating Russia when they claimed gold at the 1980 Olympics at the Herb Brooks Arena where this event was being held.

“It was incredible being out there,” said Brittany Rivelli of Team Miami University. “We just wanted to go out there and show the world who we are and this music really resonated with us.”

Rivelli’s teammate Isabella Nicole Quintero, agreed.

“We watched the movie ‘Miracle’ last week and it really inspired us,” said Quintero, whose team scored silver at the 2023 U.S. Synchro Championships. “Our motto is grit drives success.”

The Haydenettes, the 2023 U.S. titlists from Boston, were sixth after the short program with a score of 64.77.

“It was such an incredible experience, especially during the whole warmup time,” said Cameron Feeley of the Haydenettes. “Then I think in our opening pose, we felt the energy and as soon as the music started, we were locked in and in our zone and the crowd was there giving us energy, but we made sure to stay in our bubble and stay focused throughout the whole time.”