Being in second place after the short program at the 2019 U.S. Synchronized Skating Championships didn't sit well with the
Haydenettes.
The defending champions, with nine consecutive national titles, were walking the tightrope, hoping to make it 10. They scored 80.12, just short of the
Skyliners with 82.58.
That's when the circus came to town.
The team's free skate program is set to a mix of songs from
The Greatest Showman soundtrack. Sarah Checkosky and Sharon Neff, two
Haydenettes skaters, found out about the new theatrical performance with the rest of the team at their first boot camp of the season, back in May 2018.
"For me, this has been one of the most challenging Haydenette program," Neff said. "We really need to make sure that we're all on the same count, the same page, and pretty much this entire season, we've all had full trust in each other."
Neff knows a thing or two about trust. She finds herself in the middle of a wheel, where the other 15 members form three lines and begin to rotate clockwise while Neff is held by one skate and either arm. That's just one of the many daunting, circus-like lifts throughout the program.
"There's a lot of dangerous stuff going on so there's just a ton of trust, awareness and communication," Checkosky said.
But the risk hasn't stopped them from falling in love with the program and what it has become.
"It's just been really fun building and seeing how it takes on a life of its own," Checkosky said. "We have a lot of fun tricks where everyone feels special in a different part of the program, and I think we really just love how everyone gets their moment to shine."
Knowing how physically demanding the program would be, the team did their best to calm the nerves with steady hands and easy lifts, hoping to wow the judges and secure a strong finish.
"It was so nerve-wracking taking the ice," Checkosky said. "Most of us have had experience being put under that type of pressure before, and I think it really is a testament to our team. We've done this program so many times together, both at our home practice rink and in front of a crowd, and we have each other's backs, we have faith in each other."
The performance ended up being the show-stopper they were hoping for, earning them 146.25 in the free program and making them 10-time consecutive national champions.
"We were so happy to go out and skate our free program like that, because it had been so consistent and strong at practice," Checkosky said. "But then seeing the scores and the audience's reaction was incredible. I think in that moment we realized that we have a really great chance at Worlds, and that we have so much to build off of."
The team shared plenty of tight hugs after the win and secured their ticket to the ISU World Synchronized Skating Championships 2019 in Helsinki,.
"We're hoping to come to Worlds and top that skate," Neff said. "We've been working really hard this past month."
Leading into their final international competition of the season, small tweaks and changes were made to both their short and free skate programs. More practices, monitoring sessions and off-ice training. And now that big-top show is off for its debut in Finland.
"It's always super exciting to head back to a World Championships and be surrounded by such an amazing, incredible competitive environment," Neff said. "We're even more excited because we have the 'Greatest Show,' and we've made so many improvements, and I think this is just another incredible opportunity that
Haydenettes are so lucky to be a part of."
But those same nerves, the ones that tugged on them at their first international debut at the Mozart Cup in Austria, at previous Worlds appearances, and in their second-place position at U.S. Championships, will be back with a vengeance.
"We know the crowd is going to be crazy and it's going to be a loud, fun environment," Checkosky said. "We can enjoy the crowd and the energy, but we also need to stay in our bubble and stay focused."
And have fun of course.
Neff and Checkosky are grateful on behalf of the team for the continued support of fans who have attended competitions, sent well wishes and believed in them throughout the season. More than just putting on a their 'Greatest Show' yet, they hope to make everyone proud.
"We hope we can throw it down again and show everyone just how far we've come," Checkosky said.
The
Haydenettes are in seventh place after the short program at ISU World Synchronized Skating Championships 2019 and will skate in the free skate tomorrow. Tune into the action live and on demand on the
Figure Skating Pass on NBC Sports Gold.
