Months of difficult training paid off for 26 of the athletes on Maple Ridge Skating Club’s IceSymmetryx synchronized skating teams.
Their Juvenile and Pre-Novice girl’s teams both took top spots in their respective divisions at the 2020 Mountain Regional Synchronized Skating Championships in Red Deer, AB on Jan. 26.
With over 600 skaters representing Alberta, B.C., North West Territories, Nunavut, and Yukon; the competition was a big one, and the Maple Ridge teams were able to perform under the pressure.
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Success comes as little surprise to club co-manager, Jessica Rico.
“Their strength is their friendship,” she said.
“They are very good team workers, they are very dedicated, and they’re goal oriented. They know they want to win and they know they have to train very hard, so they do.”
Strong coaching has been integral to the club’s progress. Rico said Brenda Boulin and Elyse Marlo have established excellent rapport with the squad and are constantly pushing them to develop and realize their collective potential.
In the Juvenile category, which is made up of competitors ages 10 to 13, IceSymmetryx earned 37.7 points to best the second place team from Carstairs, AB, who scored 33.11 points, and the third place squad from Edmonton, who scored 31.96 points.
IceSymmetrix’s Pre-Novice girls, who range in age from 14 to 17 scored a whopping 50.13 points, which bested second place Aldergrove (43.24 points) and the Lower Mainland Skating Club (41.46 points).
The teams last meet of the season will be on Feb. 15.
Locals who want to cheer the girls on can attend the West Coast Challenge at the Ladner Leisure Centre in Delta.
ronan.p.odoherty@blackpress.ca
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