"What is Synchronized Skating?"

Synchronized skating, or “synchro”, is a specialized discipline of skating involving groups of 8 to 16 skaters performing various group formations and individual freeskate and skating skills.

The objective is for the team to perform as one unit executing circles, blocks, lines, wheels and intersections in unison to music, while demonstrating edgework, freeskate element quality, skating power and flow. Skate Canada’s SynchroSkate program includes a number of Synchronized Skating categories which accommodate skaters at any age and skill level.

Synchronized skating has grown in popularity around the world and Canada is considered a world-leader in this discipline.  The London Skating Club has been a proud supporter of the discipline of synchronized skating in Canada, supporting synchronized skating teams at all levels in the club, and in our surrounding area since its early inception in the 1970’s.  The City of London was host to the first and second Canadian Championships back in 1983 and 1984, respectively, where the club’s Senior team "The Supremes", took home back-to-back gold medals.  Since then, we have a proud history of national medals in all different categories including Novice, Intermediate, Open and Adult.

In 2000 the first ever World Synchronized Skating Championships were hosted in the United States. Canada’s Black Ice captured a silver medal at the inaugural event. In 2003, Skate Canada was proud to host the World Synchronized Skating Championships in Ottawa, Ontario. In 2009, Nexxice brought home Canada’s first gold medal in the discipline of Synchronized Skating from the ISU World Synchronized Skating Championships in Zagreb, Croatia. Since then, several World Championships have since been held here in Canada, in London and Hamilton, Ontario, where Canadian teams have taken home hardware.

Specific technical requirements have been determined for each level based on skill development and age restrictions. There are no test prerequisites to participate on any level of Synchro team officially, however many clubs will have their own test requirements for their hosted teams.