Portland, Maine, Selected to Host 2009 U.S. Synchronized Skating Championships

(5/12/08) - U.S. Figure Skating has announced the selection of Portland, Maine, as the site of the 2009 U.S. Synchronized Skating Championships. The event will take place March 3-7, 2009 at the Cumberland County Civic Center and will be hosted by the North Atlantic Figure Skating Club.

In addition to being the primary selection event for the World Synchronized Skating Championships, the annual event crowns the U.S. champions in eight levels: juvenile, intermediate, novice, junior, senior, collegiate, adult and masters. At the 2008 U.S. Synchronized Skating Championships in Providence, R.I., the Haydenettes won the gold in the senior division, with Miami University taking silver and the Crystallettes bronze.

Synchronized skating is a popular and growing discipline within U.S. Figure Skating. There are approximately 525 synchronized teams registered with U.S. Figure Skating nationwide. Last season, more than 4,500 athletes on 288 synchronized teams competed at the Eastern, Midwestern and Pacific Coast synchronized skating sectional championships, with 92 teams advancing to the U.S. Synchronized Skating Championships.