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Team Paradise (RUS) at the ISU World Synchronized Skating Championships 2019©International Skating Union (ISU) 

Team Paradise of Russia skated off with their third gold title, beating defending Champions Marigold Ice Unity of Finland on their rivals’ home ice. The Helsinki Rockettes moved up from fifth place to earn the bronze.

Paradise delivered an elegant and charming performance to “Die Fledermaus” (The Bat) by Johann Strauss. The now three-time World Champions picked up a level four for the Group Lift, the Pair Element and the Twizzles and a level three for the Move Element and the Intersection. The team from St. Petersburg scored 147.26 points and totaled 234.38 points to defend their overnight lead and take the gold. “After getting four gold medals in the Short Program we’re happy to finally get three gold medals (Short Program, Free Skating, overall result). This victory is very important to us,” team captain Anna Shkurdai commented. “When we took this music, we realized it wasn’t going to be an easy task. It is indeed a very well-known movie and music in Russia and in the rest of the world and we tried to bring across the atmosphere of a ball the best way possible and I think we did that,” she explained.

Team Marigold IceUnity (FIN) at the ISU World Synchronized Skating Championships 2019©International Skating Union (ISU) 

Skating to “Autobots”, “Optimus Prime” and “Total Defiance”, Marigold Ice Unity got their home crowd going and collected a level four for three elements as well, but lost one point because of a fall in the Artistic Line. With 142.80 points, the defending World Champions were ranked third in the Free Skating but held on to second place at 228.70 points. “We feel very happy about the final result and the crowd was just amazing. We’ve never skated in such an atmosphere,” team captain Sofia Ahti said. 

Team Rockettes (FIN) at the ISU World Synchronized Skating Championships 2019©International Skating Union (ISU) 

The Helsinki Rockettes produced three level four and three level three elements in their routine to “The Tsunami” and “Red Turtle” to earned the highest technical score. The Finns placed second in the Free Skating with 146.49 points and accumulated 228.61 points. “The whole team was quite satisfied with the bronze. Of course, it was a very small difference in the points, but overall it was a really good performance today,” team captain Nona Vihma noted.

Team Nexxice (CAN) slipped from third to fourth at 224.42 points and Team Tartastan (RUS) followed in fifth at 219.74 points. The Haydenettes moved up one spot to finish seventh (216.54 points).

For more information, full entry lists and results please see the ISU event page and the official website. Follow the event on social media using the hashtag: #WorldSynchro