Local ice-skaters bring home silver medal
Ice-Lantics to compete in championship this month

Above, the Ice-Lantics synchronized ice-skating team. Below, the team wins a silver medal. Pictured: Gabriella Stewart, of Red Bank (l-r), Kelsey Jagusch of Monmouth Regional High School and Vinci Rego of Red Bank Catholic High School.

The Ice-Lantics intermediate synchronized skating team returned from Connecticut last month sporting medals after placing at their first competition of the season.

The team, which includes teens from Long Branch, Eatontown, Ocean Township and Oceanport, competed at the Terry Connors Synchronized Skating Classic in Stamford in December and received silver medals for their ice-skating routine. The event draws teams from across the Middle Atlantic and lower New England states.

Skating for the first time at the teenaged intermediate level, the team debuted its "Gladiator" program of formations and maneuvers, intricate footwork, and transitions with speed and accuracy in complete unison to music from the awardwinning film score.

"It's exciting to know our hard work paid off," said team member Vinci Rego, 14, of Long Branch. "I'm happy with the accomplishment but especially about doing it with the team."

Her teammate, Gabriella Stewart, 13, of Oakhurst, added, "Synchro teaches you to have trust in your teammates. And it's not just about having fun and skating with your friends. It's about striving to reach your goals."

The team is expected to compete this month at the United States Figure Skating's 2009 Eastern Synchronized Skating Sectional Championships in Morris Township.

Synchronized skating is the fastestgrowing discipline in the sport of figure skating with more than 500 teams competing across the country, according to a press release from the organization.

The Garden State Skating Club's Ice- Lantics Synchronized Skating Association, a nonprofit organization, was established in 1996 with 12 skaters. This season's intermediate squad consists of 21 skaters, and the organization also fields two beginner teams.

Coached by Lynne Leger and Konstantin Kaplan and assistant coach Kaitlyn Buffone, the team practices at the Gold Coast

Ice Arena in Wall.

"Everyone on our team is like a family," said Ice-Lantics member Kelsey Jagusch, 14, of Eatontown. "It makes me feel so grateful to have their support around me on the ice in front of the judges.

"We all help each other out, so it's really special and amazing to celebrate a win together," Jagusch said.

Leger, of Oceanport, added, "These skaters have been working together since last spring to meet the challenges of competing at a higher level, under a new judging system, while rolling with endless adjustments to the choreography.

"To pass this first test so successfully against more experienced teams is a great shot in the arm for them," Leger added.