Magazine

Team Mystique (FIN): ”It’s really cool to enter the competition!”


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Team Mystique performing their short Program "African Sun" in the Finnish Championships. (Credits: Ville Vairinen - 2020)

Team Mystique from Finland is participating in the Junior Worlds at the end of the week. It will be the first time for this team and their team captains Anna Kivekäs and Anna Loimaranta together with team’s oldest skater Iitu Linna talk about their preparation for the event. The team is excited about what is to come and is pleased with the results of the season.

Your team was placed fourth in the Finnish Championships. Anyway, you are selected to represent Finland at Worlds thanks to the junior qualification that took place at the beginning of February. Did you reach your goals at Nationals?
Anna K: Of course it was a disappointment as we didn’t reach our level. We have learned a lesson and want to do our best at Worlds.
Iitu: Other teams performed well. We had a few mistakes.
Anna L: We now have our eyes on the World Championships.

How has the season gone overall?
Anna L: Really great. It has been a historic season.
Anna K: We have worked very hard and not just been going after the points.
Iitu: We have had really wonderful time.

The Junior Worlds will take place in Nottingham this week. How are you preparing for the competition?
Iitu: We are not changing anything in our training. We do the same we have done the entire season.
Anna K: We keep practicing and we had our ”send off” event on Saturday.

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Team Mystique won the third qualification (Credits: Santtu Jaakkola - 2020)

You were selected for Worlds based on the victory of third qualification. The other team (Team Fintastic) was selected based on average score. What do you think about this new criteria?

Iitu: It’s great. Several competitions during the whole season have an impact. Success in one competition is not enough.
Anna K: Teams must be good constantly.

Both teams selected have succeeded throughout the season. Team Fintastic won the first qualification and Team Mystique took gold in second and third qualifications.

During the season you have competed at two international competitions, one of which was California Cup which was part of ISU Challenger Series. What do you like about the competition and new series?

Anna L: It will certainly take our sport forward. We had a wonderful trip. 
Anna K: We went farther than we were used to.
Iitu: As a competition, it was similar to others.

Team Mystique earned 185.24 points at California Cup. They won the competition and finished the season at the 17th position in the ISU Challenger series.




You will participate in the official Junior Worlds for the first time. What is your goal?

Anna K: We are going to skate as well as we can.
Iitu: To skate on our own level and enjoy being there. It’s really cool to enter the competition!

Team Mystique won't be the only Finnish team in Nottingham this year. Team Fintastic is also preparing carefully this important event. Discover Team Fintastic's interview here!


Results - TOP 3

ISU World Junior Synchronized Skating Championships 2020
Nottingham (GBR)
MAR 13, 2020 - MAR 15, 2020

Junior
TEAM Score
1Team Fintastic (FIN)205.94
2Junost (RUS)205.23
3Crystal Ice (RUS)200.09