The Rockettes kept their silver position after the short program, although they scored lower in the free program than Team Unique, who took bronze.
Jonne Niemeläinen,
STT Sports
The Canadian team Les Supremes won the World Figure Skating Championship in Lake Placid, USA. Finland’s Helsinki Rockettes finished second and Team Unique was third.
The Canadian team led the race already after the short program. The Total Score of Les Supremes was 240.98.
The Rockettes kept their silver position after the short program, although they scored lower in the free program than Team Unique, who took bronze. The Rockettes’ Total Points were 239.56 and they got 160.95 points from the free program. Team Unique’s Total score was 237.68 and the free program score was 161.55.
The fall hurt
Coach of the Rockettes Kaisa Arrateig according to the team’s skating was great and contained wonderful elements.
– I was disturbed by the fact that there was not enough loud sound in the ice rink. The girls did a great job, but the music, which is needed for support in skating, was played really quietly. Clearly, the ice rink also lived with the Canadians, and we were the underdogs, Arrateig commented to Urheilu.
The coach knew why the gold did not come, because one fall in transition cost the result a point.
– The fall, which was caused by the formation being too tight after the lift and one girl tripping over the other’s legs, was of course unfortunate. That’s probably what the gold is going for this time, he estimated.
Captain of the Rockettes Petra Viitanen was on the same lines.
– It was a sad fall, but the feeling on the ice was amazing. We had fun, the captain summed up.
Coach of Team Unique Mirjami Penttinen admitted that he didn’t monitor the quality of his team’s performance while skating, as he was nervous that the team would stay up.
– I am really satisfied with our achievements, because last year our team was fourth in the Championship and now the champion of Finland and the bronze medalist of the World Championship.
– Although I have had good and wonderful teams, I have never had such a good team in terms of skill. That’s why it was easier to start this season. It has been good for both skaters and coaches to breathe here.
Finland already has 29 medals from the World Championships
Les Supremes won the WC gold last year as well. The Finnish team that won the World Cup gold last time is Marigold IceUnity, who celebrated the world championship in Stockholm in 2018.
The Rockettes have won the World Cup gold three times, in 2008, 2010 and 2011. Team Unique won the World Championship in 2013.
Fresh silver and bronze bring the Finnish World Cup medal balance to 29 medals. World Championship competitions have been organized in the sport 22 times.
This year’s venue, Lake Placid, is known for the 1980 Winter Olympics. It is located in the Adirondack Mountains in northeastern New York state near the Canadian border.