SynchroNice / Third Edition / 2018

Hello Iines and Aino-Kaisa. First of all, I would like to knowwhen the both of you started skating, will you do the kick-off Iines? Sure, I started skating when I was 3 years old. My mom just took me to the local rink to practice and I have been skating ever since, that makes 21 years of skating to date! And did you immediately start with Syn- chro? I first skated in EVT from which I switched to my current club HSK to skate for TeamMystique in 2011. I skated one year in TeamMystique after which I switched to skate for Team Unique. This is my sixth season in Team Unique and my third sea- son already as a captain of this wonderful team, Team Unique. And how about you Aino-Kaisa? Well, I started skating when I was 3 as well. I had wished for skates from Santa the Christmas before and when Santa brought me my so desired first skates I began skating at the local club in Porvoo. Also, straight into Synchro? No, I started skating singles and actually did both singles and synchro for a couple of years. I skated at a rather small club and we only had a few teams so I decided to try out for TeamMystique in Helsinki in 2012. I was lucky enough to make the team and I skated for Team Mystique for two years after which I moved to Team Unique. This is my fourth season in Team Unique and my first as one of the captains of the team. You’re probably rolemodels tomany young skaters, being team captains of such a great team. Do you still have role models yourself? Iines? No, I don’t have any specific role model, but as a captain of Team Unique I do look up to our former captain Minttu. I also admire many of our teammembers as they are all very talented and I adore the spec- tacular skating of many ice dancers and single skaters, for example Gabriella Papadakis & Guil- laume Cizeron and Carolina Kostner are definitely among my favourites. Aino-Kaisa? I can’t really think of specific role models, but I have to mention my old coach in Porvoo. She also skated for Team Unique, she showed me that it is possible to come from a teeny-weeny club and to make it to the top. Life is not all about skating, is it? What do you do when you are not skating? Iines? Skating synchro in Finland sucks up pretty much all of your time. We practice five times a week, totalling up to 24 hours a week. Do you have a job or are you studying? I work fulltime as a secretary in a construction firm and my typical day is pretty much work and skating. When I do have spare time, I like to watch Netflix, currently my favourite series is the Crown. I like to see my friends as often as possible and luckily, I get to see most of them five times a week Many of you know Marigold IceUnity or the Helsinki Rockettes, but maybe a little less known is another very talented team and the former World Champion Team Unique. The 3 of them battle every year for selection to World’s and they always end up very close to each other. Unique’s last qualification for World’s was during the Season 2015/16. Coach Mirjami Penttinen is their very gifted coach and will surely lead them to another selection for the World Championship in the near future. SynchroNice came in contact with Zorana Božic, member of Unique’s Social Media Team and she arranged an interview with team captains Iines Salaasti and Aino-Kaisa Akkanen. IINES SALAASTI & AINO-KAISA AKKANEN I believe skating made me a stronger person - IINES SALAASTI - SYNCHRO NICE 171