(March 11, 2003)
The three Canadian synchronized skating teams entered at an international synchronized skating competition, the 2003 Zagreb Snowflakes Trophy, produced some impressive results at the event.

Teams from countries all over the world competed at the event, which was held March 6-8 at Zagreb's Dom Sportova Arena. Coming off a fifth-place finish in the Senior division at the 2003 BMO Financial Group Skate Canada Synchronized Nationals, black ice earned the gold medal with dynamic short and long programs.

The team was awarded marks ranging from 5.1 for technical merit and 5.2 to 5.8 for presentation for its free skate.

Finishing just off the podium in fourth-place in the Senior division was Canada's Ice Elite. Like black ice, Ice Elite also competed in the 2003 BMO Financial Group Skate Canada Synchronized Nationals, where the team placed sixth, just behind black ice.

The judges gave Ice Elite marks ranging from 4.6 to 4.9 for technical merit and 4.7 to 5.0 for presentation.

Taking home the silver medal was the Finnish team of Steps on Ice, and Orion, from the Czech Republic, captured the bronze medal.

Canada also had success in the Junior competition. Ice Lightning, which finished in seventh-place in the Junior division at the 2003 BMO Financial Group Skate Canada Synchronized Nationals, captured the gold medal in the Junior event. The team was placed first by the judges in both the short program and the free skate.

Ice Lightning's marks for the free skate ranged from 4.4 to 5.0 for technical merit and 4.4 to 5.3 for presentation.

Finishing second was Starlight Juniors, of Switzerland, and taking home the bronze medal was the Czech Republic's Balance.