black ice, but had many friends and family in Minneapolis to cheer her on. “The friendships I made with my teammates have become lifelong and we share an incredible bond,” Bridge said. Bridge coached and was a U.S. technical specialist after competing, adding that the change from the 6.0 system to the international judging system has accelerated teams’ technical progress. Sarah Jack-Grzymkowski, a mem- ber of Team Elan, said competing on home ice as Team USA was unforgetta- ble. “The crowd was so loud and ener- getic,” she said. “To experience that with my teammates, knowing we had accom- plished our biggest goal together, really made a great ending to our season and is something we talk about still 20 years later.” Stepping on the ice, representing the United States at the first World Synchronized Skating Championships, was surreal, Haydenette Melissa Irving
Christensen said.
“I remember standing along the boards, waiting for our name to be announced,” Christensen said. “I saw American flags everywhere; the entire arena was chanting U S A! U S A! We were not just the Haydenettes, we were Team USA 1. We were competing not just for our club, but for all of the U.S. synchro teams, from the beginner lines through our fellow senior teams. It was such an amazing and impactful moment that I was holding back tears. It is a powerful memory that will always be with me and has helped define who I am today.” Christensen remains involved in the sport as national synchronized skating technical specialist, a sectional synchro- nized skating competition judge and a gold singles test judge. “It is an honor and privilege to work with my fellow officials to give back to the sport that gave me so much,” she said. Since the first championships, teams from the United States have won
Former Haydenette Melissa Irving Chris- tensen kept tickets to the inaugural event in 2000.
six World medals: Miami University (silver, 2007) and Haydenettes (bronze, 2010–13, 2016). The U.S. has hosted the championships five times, which includes this weekend’s competition in Lake Placid, New York. Many of those skaters, officials and organizers who attended the 2000 championships said they plan to be at this weekend’s World Synchronized Skating Championships, cheering on the next generation of Team USA.
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