Recap

Fierce and high-level competitions have started!


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Team Unique from Finland tops Senior's short. (Credit: Ville Vairinen - 2022)

The third stage of the Challenger Series began on Saturday in a huge and beautiful ice rink. 17 teams skated at the Marie Lundmark Trophy, in Turku, Finland.

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Until last week, the organizing committee waited for a decision on whether the competition could be held this year. Finally, the Regional State Administrative Agency of Southwest Finland decided to continue the Covid-19 restrictions, which made it impossible to take the audience to the happening.

Fortunately, the competition could still take place, and 17 enthusiastic teams in three different categories competed on the ice on Saturday.

Team Unique is leading the Senior category
Team Unique's (FIN) short program "Merci" has garnered admiration with its touching sentimentality from the very beginning of the season. The program was also technically successful. They got 78.13 points for their program and are currently in first place. 

Helsinki Rockettes' (FIN) performance, "Femme Fatale", was once again strong and convincing. They also had a good speed and unison and received almost the same PCS as Team Unique. One fall in the Travelling Circle decreased their technical scores. They reached a total score of 75.58 points, and they finished in second place.

The Russian Junost Senior team was formed last year due to the good success of the club's junior team Junost Junior. It was very interesting to see their performance in their first international competition. Their charming short program "And The Waltz Goes On" gathered 71.11 points, and they claimed third place. They had the best skating skills scores of the competition.  


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Junost Senior made a strong impression in its first international competition. (Credit: Tero Wester Photography - 2022)

Team Dream Edges Senior (FIN), also a new team of this season, has already redeemed its place among the top talent. This time, their youthful and action-packed short program "Prodigy" got 67.72 points, and they are currently in fourth place.

Starlight Elite (SUI) chose Hurts' music "Unspoken" for their short program this season. The team skated with good confidence and made no errors. The team claimed fifth place with a total score of 46.53 points. 

Team Junost took the first place in the Junior short programs
Junost Junior (RUS) relied on a classical style and beautifully skated their "February" theme, like ballerinas. They are currently in first place with a total score of 69.83 points.

Team Mystique (FIN) was invited to the competition at the last minute because of the cancellation of Dream Edges Junior. The team succeeded excellently despite a very short preparation time for the competition. Their "Last Breath of Winter" gathered 66.43 points in frosty gray dresses, and the team is now in second place.


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Junost took the lead in the Junior Short programs. (Credits: Tero Wester Photography - 2022)

Team Fintastic (FIN) succeeded quite well in their hypnotic and strong short program "Force of Her Nature". They got 62.39 points and the third position. 

This was not a lucky day for Sunrise 1 Junior (RUS) team. Their Move Element had a massive collision, and four skaters fell. Otherwise, they had a great speed with good skating skills. Their "Micmacs a tire-larigot" got 59.48 points, and they placed 4th after the short program.

In this competition, the only team coming from North America was finally Gold Ice Junior (CAN). They came to Finland a week ago and have practiced since then for example, in Espoo and Turku. Their program "Beggin" by the music of Madcon was a smooth and pleasant whole. The team finished fifth, receiving 54.34 points.


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Gold Ice Junior proudly represented Canada! (Credits: Ville Vairinen - 2022)

Team Sunrise 2 won the Advanced Novice competition
In the Advanced Novice competition, Sunrise 2 (RUS), the only team outside Finland, achieved the best score of the day, 96.89! Their program "Toxic" was speedy and skillful, and they finished in the first place.

Team Finettes (FIN) took home the silver medals with a total score of 88.78 points. They succeeded well in their sensitive but powerful program "The Diary of a Young Girl" and made no errors.

In blue-and-red dresses, Team Dynamique (FIN) had some problems with their Intersection and one fall in their program "The Story of Harley Quinn" but despite that the team reached good points 85.13 and third place.


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Sunrise 2 grabbed the lead in the Advanced Novice division with a huge score! (Credits: Tero Wester Photography - 2022)

Valley Bay Synchronics (FIN) skated very nicely to their music. They finished in fourth place with a program named "The Creation of a Symphony". Their performance brought them 81.78 points.

Starlights (FIN) and the program "Desert Spirits" ranked fifth. They had one fall, and they got overall 77.47 points. 

Skating in their hometown ice rink gave Filiae Aboensis (FIN) good confidence. "Arsene Lupin – Gentleman Burgler" was a positive performance that brought them 70.66 points. That was their record of this season and they ranked sixth.

Diamond Edges (FIN) was not so lucky with their program "Ouija". They had three falls that confused the program. They earned a total score of 67.89 points and seventh place.

The competition will continue on Sunday with the junior and senior free programs. 

Results - TOP 3

Marie Lundmark Trophy 2022
Turku (FIN)
JAN 20, 2022 - JAN 23, 2022

Novice A
TEAM Score
1Sunrise 2 (RUS)96.89
2Finettes (FIN)88.78
3Team Dynamique (FIN)85.13

Junior
TEAM Score
1Junost (RUS)203.78
2Sunrise 1 (RUS)188.72
3Team Fintastic (FIN)182.23

Senior
TEAM Score
1Helsinki Rockettes (FIN)220.95
2Team Unique (FIN)214.51
3Junost (RUS)206.01