RUTLAND — Avery Heppenstall of Rutland will compete on Boston Fusion Novice team, a synchronized skating team representing The Skating Club of Boston, in the U.S. Synchronized Skating Championships Feb. 21-24 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Boston Fusion’s Novice Team was one of six novice teams to qualify for nationals in January at the Eastern Sectional Synchronized Skating Championships. The team will be one of only seven novice teams from across the country to compete at this elite level.
Synchronized skating is a demanding discipline of figure skating in which teams of eight to 20 skaters perform a program together, blending elements of singles skating, pairs skating and ice dance. Programs are characterized by teamwork, speed, intricate formations and challenging step sequences. Team Excel Novice practices seven months a year, for a minimum of six hours a week, on and off the ice. In addition, each skater trains with private coaches on individual skating skills, such as footwork, edge quality, freestyle jumps and spins, and ice dance.
In addition to its novice team, the organization’s juvenile, intermediate, collegiate and adult teams have qualified to compete at the U.S. championships.
