Burlington’s Nexxice first after short program at ISU World Synchronized Skating Championships

HAMILTON – Crowd favorites Nexxice from nearby Burlington, Ont., brought the house down Friday night at the FirstOntario Centre producing the top short program at the 20-country ISU World Synchronized Skating Championships.

Approximately 6,700 fans attended the event.

Nexxice, Canada’s top-ranked entry at the event, earned 71.06 points and are ahead of Finland in second at 70.39 and Sweden in third at 69.94. Skating to “MUD” by The Road Hammers Nexxice earned two level fours and three level threes in their performance..

Skating for Nexxice are Shannon Aikman-Jones, Maria Albanese, Ellicia Beaudoin, Emma Bonafiglia, Kelly Britten, Courtney Broadhurst, Lee Chandler, Alessia Chiovitti, Carla Coveart, Samantha Defino, Courtney Gray, Yu Hanamoto, Renata Khuzina, Victoria Kwan, Kristen Loritz, Nichole Manahan, Kerrin Caitlin McKinnon, Victoria Smith, Kiersten Tietz and Gillian Tyler.

‘’It was just electric out there, the crowd was fantastic,’’ said team member Kristen Loritz. We felt the energy as we stepped on the ice and carried with us until the finishing pass. We practice with simulated crowd noise all week and that helped the girls relax.’’

Nexxice are the nine-time consecutive Canadian champions and the only North American team to win the world championships (2009). They’ve won silver at the last three worlds.

Canada’s second entry, les Suprêmes from St-Léonard, Que., are in seventh spot. Skating for Les Suprêmes are: Elodie Marie Acheron, Audrey Bédard, Jessica Bernardo, Lou-Ann Bezeau-Tremblay, Joannie Brazeau, Sara Irma Corona, Alexandra Del Vecchio, Laurie Désilets, Jacqueline Hampshire, Maria-Victoria Langon, Clémence Léa Marduel, Agathe Sigrid Merlier, An-Kim Nguyen, Minh-Thu Tina Nguyen, Anne-Louise Normand, Geneviève Rougeau, Marina Rousseau, Laurra Olivia Sena, Claudia Sforzin and Yasuko Uchida.

Les Suprêmes have been runners-up at the past five nationals and were sixth at worlds in 2014.

This is the third time Canada has hosted the event in its 16 year history, with Canada having won medals at 10 of those previous events.

Full results: 2015 ISU World Synchronized Skating Championships