Help for New Synchro Fans | Golden Skate

Help for New Synchro Fans

Sophie-Anna

Medalist
Joined
May 24, 2013
WOW...I watch figure skating very closely including junior competitions but until this championships I haven't really seen anything from synchronized skating. This was the first time I saw it and I'm pretty amazed. I saw just some of the best programs, but I really enjoyed. Is the atmosphere at the big events always like that? I always thought that synchronzed skating is kinda boring but I was totally wrong.In the next season I will definitely watch it more and I also wish to put it into Olympics.
I have also some questions...How much they train? I mean top teams. Is it the same as the top skaters at singles or pairs or is it less? How long is the SP and the FS?
And if you have link to some videos of your favorite programs to the past can you post it there? I would love to see it.
 

loopy

Final Flight
Joined
Nov 13, 2012
Where I am in the US synchro competitions are big and the crowd is loud. Sectionals and Nationals are huge events as well as several key events during the year across the country. The atmosphere is a lot of fun and teams tend to be kind to each other - they decorate each others hotel doors give them cards and treats very sweet.

My skater was on a mid level team that went to nationals and they trained as a team 3-4 days a week, for about 90 minutes. They were expected to continue with freeskate and dance tests and their private coaches and had to do an addition 3 hours of practice on their own. During the summer they did an off ice class once a week. The seniors had an additional day of team ice and just a lot more. It is a huge sacrifice of time and energy, you have to love it to do it at that level.

Because ice is expensive, they practiced before freestyles - they often were up at 3-3:30am to get ready for practice and to get to the rink. Get it Called has a news section where some teams have blogged about their travels. http://www.getitcalled.com/category/news/

Out of all the areas of skating I would say synchro is the most inclusive - there is a team for every level and so much camaraderie. You don't do it to be an individual star, you do it so your team shines. Just a different outlook.

This is all my opinion. :D
 

CarolR

Spectator
Joined
Mar 28, 2012
My daughter was a Nexxice skater. Nexxice is the team that won worlds this year. They have four days of on ice practice per week. Each one is about 3 hours. They also have ballet, pilates or gym as well as floor practice. There are also intense camp weeks prior to nationals, internationals and at Christmas. It is very time consuming and most skaters are either part time students or have part time jobs. It is difficult to carry a full course load or a full time job and train on this team. Most of the costs to train are covered by families and at this point there is not a lot of financial support from the skating federation. As you can imagine it is extremely expensive but any skater and/or family will tell you totally worth it as evidenced this weekend in Hamilton.
 

Violetti

On the Ice
Joined
Jan 11, 2014
In Finland the skaters always train together (they live in the same city or very near so it is possible), 10-12 hours ice/week and about 10 hour dance, ballet etc. A top team many train even over 24 hours/week. Many of them trained with the same coach since they were little girls starting synchro.

Some past programs:

2013 world champions, Team Unique, Finland
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sDDFgsBXr7I

2014 world champions, Marigold Ice Unity, Finland
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uv9EhrVVg38

2010 world champions, Rockettes, Finland
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJyGv9RGjDo

In Canada 2015 they did an excellent camerawork. That means a lot.
 

Précision

Rinkside
Joined
Feb 29, 2012
Yes, there are lot of ways to train when you compare the top teams. In US most of the skaters, as loopy explaned train also their free skating of dance. In Finland, skaters choose to do synchro very early age, and there are beginner level teams that have 6 year-olds competing. Of course some of the skaters do first singles, but in the top you really can't do both. Teams usually do sessions with single coaches to learn to do single "tricks", but as in every other practise, teams practise together also in these kind of sessions.

here's some videos that might interest you:

first, this is the best beginner-level team in Finland, Team Minique ( same club as Team Unique). Skaters are under 10-year-olds.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMF1Ry-v0ug"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMF1Ry-v0ug


Musketeers free program 2015, the World Junior Champions 2013 and 2015
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOQeRdrFBcE"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOQeRdrFBcE


some other favorites tat hasn't been mentioned:

Paradise, Russia SP 2012, Hallelujah
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5FQ3QqtsJZU"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5FQ3QqtsJZU

Marigold IceUnity SP 2011, Be Italian
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uhz715pqQrY"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uhz715pqQrY

Nexxice SP 2009, Baba Yetu
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIhyFFAnrcQ"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIhyFFAnrcQ

Team Unique SP 2013, TU Flow
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQLAqxXtUlI"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQLAqxXtUlI

edit:
a few more :)
Paradise SP 2013, I Will Always Love You
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gt4x0GZjfcU"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gt4x0GZjfcU

Marigold IceUnity 2014, African Voque
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_bzlP3yT3Y"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_bzlP3yT3Y
Interesting little fact, MIU has skated to Lion king before, it was their Free in 2003. The beginning in both programs is the same ;)
free 2003: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kG6dzi89kC0"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kG6dzi89kC0

And for Senior programs, SP is 2:50, and Free is 4:30.
 
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TMC

Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 27, 2014
Awwww the little 'uns are so adorable!

ETA That Lion King by MIU has to be one of the best skating performances I've ever seen. Just...I have no words. No, I do: perfection
 
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loopy

Final Flight
Joined
Nov 13, 2012
That youth team is amazing! You almost never see 20 skaters on a team here at that age. Often they barely make it to 12 skaters.
 

Violetti

On the Ice
Joined
Jan 11, 2014
That youth team is amazing! You almost never see 20 skaters on a team here at that age. Often they barely make it to 12 skaters.

And there may be even more than 20 skaters in these youth teams in Finland. The closest team to me Valley Bay Synchrokids has 31 skaters this year. Here are some pictures of them. I did not find a video. They were 7th at the final of the national cups. https://vbskids.wordpress.com/
 
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