'Synchro 9' Set for First World Championships Next March as 2030 Olympic Event

The schedule for the inaugural World Championships of "Synchro 9," which has been adopted as an official event for the 2030 Alps Winter Olympics, has been finalized.

The International Skating Union (ISU) announced that the 1st Synchro 9 Junior and Senior World Championships will be held from March 27 to 28 next year at the Motorpoint Arena in Nottingham, United Kingdom.

Following the Synchro 9 World Championships, the Synchronized Skating Junior and Senior World Championships will take place at the same venue.

ISU President Kim Jae-youl stated, "This event will be the very first Synchro 9 World Championships and a stepping stone toward the Olympics," adding, "Furthermore, it will be an event that opens a new chapter for the ISU."

Synchronized skating is a team figure skating event in which up to 16 skaters perform various formations and movements to music.

Rankings are determined through scoring by a panel of judges.

Synchro 9 is a modern modification of traditional synchronized skating.

It reduces the number of competing skaters per team to 9 and determines rankings through a one-on-one tournament format where two teams face off directly.

When introducing Synchro 9 last April, the ISU explained, "With short, intense, and fast-paced programs, it will be able to reach fans more easily," adding, "In particular, it was created in a format well-suited for digital platform broadcasting."

Synchro 9 made its debut last March when the Finnish team gave a demonstration at the ISU World Figure Skating Championships in Prague, Czech Republic.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) adopted Synchro 9 as an official event for the Alps Olympics last July.

(Photo: Captured from ISU social media, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.