Burlington’s Nexxice working on a hot ice performance

The World Synchronized Skating Championships will be held in Hamilton this coming April, and Burlington’s Nexxice senior team is working hard to make sure they have home-ice advantage.

The team has been training at the FirstOntario centre for several months now.

Their country-themed short program is a salute to Canadian culture, in light of the fact that the championships will be held in Hamilton. Co-captain Kristen Loritz says “it’s going to be something to look out for, for sure.”

She has been competing with Nexxice for the past seven years. “I was on the 2009 team when we brought the gold home to Canada. First Canadian team to do that, and it’s an honor to be here in FOC trying to do the same for this April.”

Nexxice has won silver at the last three world championships. They are unlike many of their competitors because – while they are able to achieve synchronicity as a team – they are very different, individually.

They range in age from 16 to 24; they have varying heights, shapes and genders. What brings them together is their incredible skating skill.

Co-captain Lee Chandler: “I was a competitive figure skater for singles for many years and synchro just has this pull.”

“It’s a crowd pleaser, it’s something that’s really amazing to watch. You have to have knees like an ice dancer, be able to spin like a free style skater, and do that with 16 other people, so…”

While Nexxice is a Canadian team, their reputation has attracted skaters from Russia, Australia, Japan and the U.S. to join them. Together, they’re working towards what could be their 9th straight national championship at the end of February, and perhaps, a golden performance at the world’s in April.