Team Fintastic Junior (FIN) looks on prior to the Short Program during the 2020 ISU World Junior Synchronized Skating Championships in Nottingham, United Kingdom.© ISU
The ISU World Junior Synchronized Skating Championships will be held in Innsbruck (AUT) March 17-19, 2022. A total of 23 teams representing 18 ISU members have been entered for the Championships. This is the seventh edition of the ISU World Junior Synchronized Skating Championships, which was a biennial event, and has become annual beginning of 2017. The event was cancelled in 2021 due to the ongoing pandemic.
Innsbruck (AUT) will host the event for the first time. The previous editions took place in Nottingham (GBR) in 2020, Neuchatel (SUI) in 2019, Mississauga (CAN) in 2017, Helsinki (FIN) in 2013 and in Zagreb (CRO) in 2015 and 2018.
Overview of the top contenders
Defending Champions Team Fintastic Junior (FIN) are back and hope to win again after taking the title for the first time two years ago.
Gold medalist Team Fintastic Junior (FIN) celebrate after the medal ceremony during the 2020 ISU World Junior Synchronized Skating Championships in Nottingham, United Kingdom..© ISU
The challenge should come from Team Musketeers Junior (FIN), 2019 World Junior bronze medalists Team Skyliners Junior (USA) and the two Canadian Teams Nexxice Junior and Les Supremes Junior.
Team Nexxice Junior (CAN) performs in the Short Program during the 2020 ISU World Junior Synchronized Skating Championships in Nottingham, United Kingdom. © ISU
Teams from Australia, Austria, Croatia, Czech Republic, France, Great Britain, Germany, Hungary, Italy, The Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and Turkey are competing as well.
Following the IOC recommendation, in order to protect the integrity of ice skating competitions and for the safety of all the participants of international ice skating competitions, the ISU Council based on Article 17.1.q) i) of the ISU Constitution, agreed that with immediate effect and until further notice, that no Skaters belonging to the ISU Members in Russia (Russian Skating Union and the Figure Skating Federation of Russia) and Belarus (Skating Union of Belarus) shall be invited or allowed to participate in international ice skating Competitions including ISU Championships and other ISU Events (Full Statement to be read on ISU website).
Originally called Precision Skating, Synchronized Skating was introduced in the 1950s. It is a highly technical form of Figure Skating characterized by speed, precisions, unison, intricate formations, synchro elements, difficult footwork, spectacular lifts and exciting transitions. A synchronized team consists of 16 Skaters (plus up to four alternates).
Team Harmonia Junior (CZE) performs in the Short Program during the 2020 ISU World Junior Synchronized Skating Championships in Nottingham, United Kingdom. © ISU
Event Schedule
The schedule of the ISU World Junior Synchronized Skating Championships 2022 is as follows:
Friday, March 18, 2022: Short Program
Saturday, March 19, 2022: Free Skating
The event is live streamed on the ISU Youtube Channel. Follow the event on social media using the hashtag: #WorldJSynchro