Former local skaters set to take on the world

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This article was published 02/04/2011 (5304 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Lee Chandler broke the ice when he landed a berth on Canada’s top senior synchronized skating team, alongside fellow Skate Brandon graduate Holly Peyton.

Just one year after their successful tryouts with the elite NEXXICE team out of Burlington, Ont., the former Brandon residents are bound for the world championships, which are set for April 8 and 9 in Helsinki, Finland.

NEXXICE won the Canadian championship in February and earned extra media attention because Chandler, who turned 21 in March, is the lone male on the 24-member team.

"He’s the first boy to ever go to worlds for Canada," said Peyton, who is Chandler’s girlfriend. "That’s exciting in itself. People weren’t sure how that was going to be, with a boy on NEXXICE. It’s never been done before. But it’s been really great. We’ve had lots of good feedback, so we’re excited."

Chandler, who grew up in Boissevain, has drawn on his experiences as a synchro skater with the Killarney Gravity and Wheat City ConnXion.

"I’ve done it for seven years, so I’ve had to do it for quite a while and I’m pretty used to it now," Chandler said before the national champions flew out of Toronto on Thursday. "The biggest adjustment this year is it’s a much more competitive team. We’re a fairly high-level, elite team. I did synchro more recreational (in the past). But other than that, it’s still a lot of fun. Just a lot more hours that we’re spending at the rink."

Chandler and Peyton were Wheat City teammates at the nationals last year when they were inspired to try out for Canada’s flagship team last Easter.

"It’s amazing, in a way, to watch NEXXICE," said Peyton, who is originally from Swan River and attended Brandon University. "They have a completely different skating style from any other team. We watched them at nationals last year and immediately, I just thought, ‘I want to do that.’ It was just so amazing.

"Both Lee and I talked about it before tryouts that we didn’t really have any huge expectations. But we had both made the decision that if one of us made it, we would both come (to Ontario)."

Last May, the former solo skaters moved to Burlington, where they train with the synchro team and hold down jobs. Now they’re in Finland, preparing for the worlds.

"Everyone is real excited," said the 21-year-old Peyton, in just her second season of synchro. "We’ve been practising every day this week and everyone is tired but ready to go. We’re going in with highest points out of all the teams, but that’s not going to change our goal to skate (well)."

She said Chandler has become a fixture with the team, though his mere presence is an attention-grabber.

"We’ve been getting lots of questions, ‘How has it changed the team dynamic?’ He’s got to modify some things, like blending in height-wise and costuming. That makes it a little more difficult, but it doesn’t seem really any different. Everyone brings what they have to offer to the team and everyone is equal. He’s a great skater as well."

Chandler believes the team has overcome any early hiccups.

"It was a little difficult at first, just choreography-wise, making sure that I’m blended in properly," he said. "But other than that, it’s been pretty good. It hasn’t been too much of a struggle. There’s two girls on the team that are close to my height(six feet), so that was not too bad for height-wise.

"I like (synchro). It’s definitely different. My singles career was finished. It was just an opportunity for me to continue skating. It’s been a great experience."

He’s embracing that experience with his girlfriend of two years.

"It has been (extra special), sharing it with someone like that," Chandler said. "It has been kind of cool to do this together. It’s actually gone by extremely fast. It feels like we just moved here yesterday and we’re already off to worlds. It’s been a real good transition so far."