Budapest / Hungary

The ISU World Synchronized Skating Championships 2016 will be held in Budapest, Hungary, on April 8 and 9. Hungary hosts the Championships for the second time (Budapest 2008). The ISU introduced the ISU World Synchronized Skating Championships in 2000 which took place in Minneapolis, USA. The first ISU World Junior Synchronized Skating Championships was held in Helsinki, Finland, in 2013.

26 teams from 21 ISU Members have been entered for the ISU World Synchronized Championships 2016. A team consists of 16 skaters (plus up to four alternates). The athletes on the ice should move in one flowing unit at high speed and perform a number of elements such as steps, blocks, wheels, moves in the field and lifts as well as isolated moves.

The Short Program consists of five required elements: Intersection element, move element, no hold element (executed in a block configuration (four (4) horizontal lines of four (4) skaters) including a step sequence feature), pivoting element, traveling element. The Free Skating Program contains ten required elements and must include the following seven (7) required elements, group lift element, two different intersection Elements, move element, no hold element, pivoting element and traveling element. Plus a choice of one element from each group A, group B and group C (see ISU Communication 1934).

Finland, Sweden, Canada, USA and Russia lead the medal table in Synchronized Skating. Finland has claimed a total of 20 medals in the ISU World Synchronized Skating Championship so far, including eight gold medals. Sweden ranks second (six gold) with Canada (2 gold) with 11 medals and the USA collected five medals since the inaugural World Championships in 2000. Russia is the only other country in the table with one bronze medal.

The defending champions Nexxice (Team Canada 2) are back and aim for a second consecutive title, but competition should be tough. Team Paradise (Russia 1) had a strong season so far, winning both the Free Skating at the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final and the inaugural ISU Shanghai Trophy. Team Surprise (Sweden 1), The Rockettes (Finland 2), The Haydenettes (USA 1) Team Unique (Finland 1), Les Supremes (Canada 1) will also be looking to grab the title. Of course Team Passion (Hungary) will be looking for a strong performance on home ice.

The teams are the following Australia (Nova Team), Belgium (Team Temptation), Canada 1 (Les Supremes), Canada 2 (Nexxice), Croatia (Zagreb Snowflakes), the Czech Republic (Olympia), Finland 1 (Team Unique), Finland 2 ( Rockettes), France (Les Zoulous), Germany (Team Berlin 1), Great Britain (Team Zariba), Hungary (Team Passion), Italy (Hot Shivers), Japan (Jingu Ice Messengers), Latvia (Team Amber), Mexico (Merging Edge), The Netherlands (Team Ice United), Russia 1 (Paradise), Russia 2 (Tatarstan), Spain (Team Fusion), Sweden 1 (Team Surprise), Sweden 2 (Team Boomerang), Switzerland (Cool Dreams), Turkey (Team Turquoise), USA 1 (The Haydenettes) and USA 2 (Miami Universtiy).

A live stream will be available on the ISU Skating Channel. This service will not be available in Canada and USA. For schedules on these specific territories please go to CBC and IceNetwork respectively.

The schedule of the ISU World Synchronized Skating Championships 2016 is as follows:
Friday, April 9: Short Program
Saturday, April 10: Free Skating