2022 Midwestern and Pacific Coast Synchronized Skating Sectional Championships Preview

by Kaci McComis

This week, the Midwestern Synchronized Skating Sectional Championships and the Pacific Coast Synchronized Skating Sectional Championships will be taking place for the first time since the 2019-2020 season. The event will be taking place at the Wings Event Center in Kalamazoo, Michigan. As two of the most anticipated events of the season, this week’s championships are sure to be extra exciting and memorable for all teams participating. 

IJS

The competition kicks off Thursday afternoon with the Pacific Coast preliminary championships. Tremors of San Francisco, Shining Blades, and Denver Synchronicity will compete head to head for the gold medal. 

Following the Pacific Coast preliminary event, the Midwestern preliminary teams will skate. Sixteen teams will be competing for the championship title. Top contenders in this event are Teams Elite, Cleveland Ice Storm, Crystallettes, and Fond Du Lac Blades. All three teams have consistently placed in the top three at their competitions this season and Fond Du Lac Blades and Teams Elite have been undefeated. 

Next up is the Pacific Coast pre juvenile championships. Ice Denettes Harmony, Fire Crystals, Pacific Edge, Matrix, Denver Synchronicity, Sparks Synchronized Skating, Tremors of San Francisco, and Shining Blades will compete. Pacific Edge and Matrix will be looking for a spot on the podium, as the teams placed first and second respectively at the Fall Classic. 

The Pacific Coast open juvenile championships will be the last event on Thursday evening. Tremors of San Francisco, Ice Denettes Synergy, Silver Stars, Matrix, Rose City Synchronicity, and Pacific Edge will be taking the ice. Matrix and Ice Denettes Synergy are top contenders in the event, as both teams broke thirty points at the Fall Classic. 

Friday morning starts off with the largest division of the entire event, the Midwestern pre juvenile championships. Nineteen teams will be looking to put out their best skates of the season. Teams Elite, Crystallettes, Chicago Skates, and Onyx Infinity are top contenders in the event. Teams Elite is currently undefeated and will be hoping to keep up their winning streak. 

Following the Pre Juv event, the Pacific Coast intermediate group kicks off the first qualifying event of the competition to determine which four teams will head to Colorado Springs this March. The Pacific Coast intermediate championships has six teams: Ice Denettes Affinity, Pacific Edge, Tremors of San Francisco, Sparks Synchronized Skating, California Gold, and Team Del Sol. California Gold and Team Del Sol are top contenders in this event, as both teams landed on the podium at the Fall Classic. Team Del Sol also earned the bronze medal at Porter. 

Following the Pacific Coast intermediate championships is the Midwestern intermediate championships. In this event, top four will move on to nationals. In a flight fifteen teams deep, Teams Elite, Fond Du Lac Blades, Capital Ice Chips, and Northernettes are the top contenders in the event. Teams Elite and Capital Ice Chips are currently both undefeated, while Fond Du Lac Blades and Northernettes have consistently placed on the podium at all their competitions this season. 

After an exciting intermediate event, the Midwestern open juvenile teams will go head to head in their championships. Seventeen teams will be competing for the top spot. Teams Elite, Chicago Skates, Capital Ice Chill, and Traverse City Northern Lights are the top contenders this season. Teams Elite currently reigns as undefeated, while Chicago Skates has consistently placed in the top two at competitions this season. Traverse City Northern Lights and Capital Ice Chill have joined the competitors mentioned above on the podium as well. 

The next event will be the Pacific Coast novice championships. Denver Synchronicity, California Gold, and LA Synchro. Although the three teams will advance to the U.S Synchronized Skating Championships, they will be hoping to put out their best skates yet. 

Following will be the Midwestern novice championships. Out of the ten teams competing, Starlights, Crystallettes, Teams Elite, Northernettes, and Fond Du Lac Blades will all be looking to earn a top five spot to Colorado Springs later this season. Starlights just came off a win at Synchro Illinois, while Teams Elite has consistently placed in the top two all season. Northernettes, Fond Du Lac Blades, and Crystalletes all have landed on the podium at prior competitions this season. 

Ending the night on Friday will be the Midwestern junior short program event. Saint Louis Synergy, Dazzlers, and Wisconsin Inspire will be competing. All three teams will move on to compete at nationals. 

Saturday morning starts off with the Pacific Coast juvenile championships. LA Synchro will be the only team competing, and will move on to compete at nationals. 

Following the quick Pacific Coast juvenile event will be the Midwestern juvenile championships. Out of the twelve teams competing, Teams Elite, Starlights, Capital Ice Connection, Fond Du Lac Blades, Crystallettes, and Hockettes are looking to make a top six placement to move on to nationals. While all teams have placed in the top five all season, Teams Elite Juvenile reigns as undefeated, as they recently broke fifty points at Synchro Illinois. 

Up next will be the Pacific Coast adult championships. Denver Synchronicity and Team Del Sol Adult will go head to head for first place. Both teams will be advancing to the U.S. Synchronized Skating Championships. After the Pacific Coast adult division will be the Midwestern adult championships. Michigan Adult SST, Crystalletes, Saint Louis Synergy, Kansas City Illusion, and United Ice will compete for the title of sectional champion, while still advancing to the national championships. 

After the Midwestern adult championships will be the Midwestern masters championships. Starlights, Goldenettes SST, Onyx Infinity, Allegro!, and Kalamazoo Kinetic all plan on putting out their best skates this weekend. All five teams will be advancing to compete in Colorado Springs this March. 

The Midwestern collegiate championships will be taking place after the Midwestern masters championships. University of Illinois SST, University of Michigan SST, Western Michigan University, Trine University Varsity, Adrian College SST, Michigan State University SST, University of Notre Dame, and Miami University Collegiate Varsity SST will all be competing for a top six spot to nationals. Miami University, Western Michigan University, University of Michigan, and Adrian College are the top four contenders of this event, with Miami University breaking one-hundred points at Porter, Western Michigan University and University of Michigan consistently placing on the podium at competitions this season, and Adrian College fresh off a win at Synchro Illinois. Following the collegiate event, the Midwestern junior free skate will wrap up the IJS events of the competition. 

6.0

Saturday also kicks off the 6.0 events in the secondary rink. The Midwestern open collegiate championships will be the first 6.0 group to skate. University of Michigan SST, Western Michigan University, Adrian College Varsity SST, Northwestern University, Michigan State University SST, Trine University Varsity SST, and Ohio University SST will be competing. Trine University Varsity SST, Western Michigan University, Adrian College Varsity SST, and University of Michigan SST are all top contenders in this division. All these teams have consistently placed in the top four at their events this season making the competition for the gold medal tight. 

Following the Midwestern open collegiate championships is the Pacific Coast open adult championship. Matrix will be the only team competing and look to put out their best skate of the season. Up next will be the Midwestern open masters championships. Onyx Infinity, Madison Ice Diamonds, Synchro Panache, Allegro!, and Arctic Edge Unity will be competing. All teams will be looking for a spot on the podium this weekend.

After the Midwestern open masters championships will be the Midwestern open adult championships. Lake Effect Flurries, Evolution, Leather and Laces, Kansas City Illusion, Trine University Varsity SST, and Austintatious Stars will be competing. Lake Effect Flurries, and Evolution are top contenders of this event. Evolution is currently undefeated, while Lake Effect Flurries has consistently placed in the top at competitions. 

Rounding out the 6.0 events Saturday afternoon will be the Pacific Coast open masters championships. Matrix will be the only team competing and look to putting out a clean skate. 

Best of luck to all teams competing in the Midwestern and Pacific Coast Synchronized Skating Sectional Championships! Be sure to follow @GetItCalled and @GIC_Results for future updates on the competition this weekend.