Synchro: The Sport Formerly Known as Precision

Synchro focus and links
History of Synchro/Precision
2005-2006 U.S. level requirements
Submission form

It is said that figure skating requires the elegance of a royal court, the grace of a ballerina, the speed of a sprinter, the balance of a tightrope walker, the agility of a high diver, the endurance of a marathon runner, the coordination of a juggler, strength of a high jumper, the rhythm of a dancer, and the performance of a mime. Add that all to the unison of the Rockettes, the uniformity of a synchronized swimming team, and the teamwork of soccer players, and you've got synchronized skating.

The sport is often likened to synchronized swimming or the Blue Angels on ice. It involves eight to twenty skaters on the ice at the same time, and is characterized by intricate formations and maneuvers, difficult footwork, changing hand and arm holds, deep edges, sharp changes of direction, and absolute uniformity. "Precision skating" started out as being something merely to entertain spectators between periods at U of Michigan hockey games. Today, synchronized skating is an extremely competitive sport, with teams all over the world including Australia, Belarus, Canada, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Russia, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and of course the United States. The first World Synchronized Skating Championships were held in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in April of 2000, where 21 teams from 16 countries competed.

Many synchro skaters also work in other branches, especially in moves in the field (which is now required of synchro skaters to compete in qualifying competitions) and ice dance. With the requirement of spins in short programs, slightly more emphasis is being placed on freestyle skating. (Jumps of more than one rotation were formerly not allowed, but for the 2005 season, up to four skaters at a time may perform axel jumps.) Still, ask almost anyone involved in multiple disciplines, and chances are they will tell you the same thing. There is a whole different feel to team skating...the comradery, the fellowship, the sense of "us." On the best teams, the members becomes more like a family than just a loose association of skaters.

Synchronized skating consists of five basic elements:

• Line: Skaters form a straight line and hold onto each others' shoulders, hands, wrists, or may perform a variety of other holds. Sometimes lines are purposely made curved, such as when the team is skating around a corner. The line is the most basic element of synchronized skating and forms the foundation for all the other maneuvers.
  
• Block: Skaters form parallel lines, sometimes changing configuration (e.g. from four lines of five skaters to five lines of four skaters). Lines may be of equal or of different lengths and may or may not be lined up with one another. Blocks are also performed with changing hand and arm holds and intricate footwork. Sometimes "open" blocks are performed, where the team members are disconnected but maintaining the shape of the block; this makes it far more difficult to keep spacing between the skaters and is a mark of a truly skilled team.
  
• Circle: Skaters form one or several circles (sometimes a circle within a circle) that may revolve either clockwise or counter-clockwise. Higher level teams perform changes of direction during their circles and make the circle travel across the ice as it rotates. Hand and arm holds change with skaters facing inside and/or outside the circle, and footwork and field moves may be performed. Skaters must take great care to ensure a completely round circle (not an "egg"), even if footwork sequences require them to temporarily let go of one another.
  
• Wheel: Skaters form lines that rotate around a center point, similar to wheels seen in professional ice shows.. Like circles, wheels can travel across the ice as they rotate. Common variations of the wheel include double and triple parallel wheels, three- and four-spoke wheels, the S-wheel, and interlocking wheels (where two or more smaller wheels rotate close to each other, in opposite directions, so that their spokes overlap). Difficulty lies in maintaining the shape of a wheel, particularly if it is traveling, while performing footwork, changing directions, and changing arm holds.
  
• Intersecting maneuver: The most difficult and dangerous maneuver in synchronized skating. A basic intersection involves each team member skating through the space between two people in another line. Skaters must be sure that their lines are straight and that ample space is provided for others to pass through; often skaters are little more than an arm's length apart. Highly skilled teams add to the difficulty factor by performing "tricks" in the middle of intersections such as spirals or back lunges. Intersections are not always performed in two lines, either; many teams approach intersecting maneuvers in other shapes such as a triangle, a box, or two circles.