Spring Break
Skating team competes for French Cup
Rachel Reeves
Issue date: 2/1/08 Section: Campus
Miami University's senior synchronized skating team left Tuesday for Rouen, France to compete this weekend for the French Cup International.
According to coach and alumnus of the Miami skating program, Lee Ann Shoker, they left after returning Monday from the U.S. National Skating Competition in Minnesota, where they skated in an exhibition after receiving Skating Magazine's Reader's Choice Michelle Kwan Trophy.
Shoker said the senior team also competed Jan. 11-13 in the Mid-American Championships in Fraser, Mich., taking first place in the short program and second in the long program.
Also competing in the MAC championships were Miami's collegiate and junior synchronized skating teams, with the collegiate team taking first and the junior taking third. Both of these teams left Thursday to compete this weekend at the Midwestern Synchronized Skating Championships in Nashville, Tenn.
Shoker said all three teams would be competing at the U.S. National Championships in Providence, R.I. at the end of February.
Last year, the collegiate team won its fourth consecutive national championship and the senior team took home a silver medal.
"The senior team will be vying for a national title this year," Shoker said. "They're expected to win the gold or silver medal and then go on to compete in Budapest, Hungary at the ISU World Synchronized Championships."
According to a press release by the Miami Athletic Department, if the team can hold on to its third place ranking, it will be the highest finish ever made by an American skating team at the World Championships, making U.S. skating history.
Shannie Len, a senior on the senior team, is excited about competing in France this weekend.
"It's a chance to see what higher level teams are doing," Len said. "It's basically our look into what's going to happen at (the World Championship)."
According to Shoker, Miami's synchronized skating team began as a club sport in the late 1970s and grew more competitive through the 1980s before finally becoming a varsity program in 1995.
According to coach and alumnus of the Miami skating program, Lee Ann Shoker, they left after returning Monday from the U.S. National Skating Competition in Minnesota, where they skated in an exhibition after receiving Skating Magazine's Reader's Choice Michelle Kwan Trophy.
Shoker said the senior team also competed Jan. 11-13 in the Mid-American Championships in Fraser, Mich., taking first place in the short program and second in the long program.
Also competing in the MAC championships were Miami's collegiate and junior synchronized skating teams, with the collegiate team taking first and the junior taking third. Both of these teams left Thursday to compete this weekend at the Midwestern Synchronized Skating Championships in Nashville, Tenn.
Shoker said all three teams would be competing at the U.S. National Championships in Providence, R.I. at the end of February.
Last year, the collegiate team won its fourth consecutive national championship and the senior team took home a silver medal.
"The senior team will be vying for a national title this year," Shoker said. "They're expected to win the gold or silver medal and then go on to compete in Budapest, Hungary at the ISU World Synchronized Championships."
According to a press release by the Miami Athletic Department, if the team can hold on to its third place ranking, it will be the highest finish ever made by an American skating team at the World Championships, making U.S. skating history.
Shannie Len, a senior on the senior team, is excited about competing in France this weekend.
"It's a chance to see what higher level teams are doing," Len said. "It's basically our look into what's going to happen at (the World Championship)."
According to Shoker, Miami's synchronized skating team began as a club sport in the late 1970s and grew more competitive through the 1980s before finally becoming a varsity program in 1995.
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