Synchronised swimming is a hybrid form of swimming, dance and gymnastics, consisting of swimmers (either solos, duets, or teams) performing a synchronised routine of elaborate moves in the water, accompanied by music. Synchronised swimming demands advanced water skills, and requires great strength, endurance, flexibility, grace, artistry and precise timing, as well as exceptional breath control when upside down underwater. Swimmers perform two routines for the judges - one technical and one free - as well as age group routines and figures. Synchronised swimming is governed internationally by FINA (Federation Internationale de Natation Amateur). To read more about synchronized swimming, please click here to view Wikipedia.org.

Our sport combines the grace of gymnastics with the athletics of swimming. Synchronized swimming is one of the most disciplined and demanding sports in the world. It combines strength and endurance with flexibility, balance and grace. It is a hybrid of swimming, gymnastics and dance, consisting of swimmers (either individuals, duets, teams or combos) performing a synchronized routine of elaborate and dramatic moves in the water, accompanied by music. Figures are specific positions and movements in combination. Swimmers synchronize groups of figures to music for solo routines and to music and other swimmers when performing duet or team routines.

In competition, judges score each swimmer or team on technical merit and artistic impression. The execution of figures and the patterns/angles formed in the water are evaluated as well as the choreography, interpretation of the music and synchronization. The athletes need to be accurate with their timing and dramatic ability.

Developed in the early 1900s in Canada, synchronized swimming became an Olympic sport in 1984. Since its introduction, Canada has won medals in every Olympic Games. For more info go to Wikipedia.org

 

Synchro promotes healthy competition individually and as part of a team. It demands hard work, discipline, and commitment on the part of its athletes. Synchronized swimmers boast some of the highest fitness levels in sports. The sport develops strength, stamina, and the ability to work cooperatively within a team. Athletes form friendships, some lasting a lifetime. Athletes learn to act as role models, and respect others around them. Synchro encourages realistic goals and fair play. It assists young athletes to strive for excellence while enjoying this multi-faceted sport.

 

Artistic impression: An effect, image or feeling retained as a result of a synchro routine, covering choreography, interpretation of music and manner of presentation.

Back layout: A position in which the body is extended, with face, chest, thighs and feet at the surface.

Ballet leg: A position in which one leg is extended perpendicular to the water surface, with the body in a back layout position.

Boost: A rapid, headfirst rise out of the water, aiming to raise as much of the body as possible above the surface; also see rocket boost.

Cadence action: A sequence of identical movements performed one-by-one by all team members, usually in rapid succession.

Canadian Amateur Synchronized Swimming Association “CASSA”; otherwise known as Synchro Canada

Championship Score: The combined routine and figure scores. In duet and team routines, the figures score is the average of the figures score of all the swimmers. In different age groups, different weighting is applied to figures and routines when calculating the championship scores.

Choreography: The art of assembling movements that create a cohesive, complete and well-balanced picture which has meaning, style and form.

Combined spin: A descending spin of at least 360 degrees followed without a pause by an equal ascending spin in the same direction.

Continuous spin: A descending spin with a rapid rotation of at least 720 degrees.

Crane: A position in which the body is extended in a vertical position with one leg extended forward at a 90-degree angle.

Deckwork: The mood or theme-setting moves that swimmers perform on the deck once the music starts before they enter the water. Only ten seconds of deckwork is allowed.

Degree of difficulty: A weighting applied to a particular figure for scoring purposes in a figure competition.

Degree of difficulty (D.D.): The number value placed on each figure from 1.3 to 3.1, the higher the number the more difficult the figure.

Descending spin: A spin of 180 or 360 degrees that starts at the height of the vertical position and is completed as the heels reach the surface.

Difficulty: An important component of the technical merit of a routine, as it tests the swimmer's skill level.

Double ballet leg: A position in which the legs are together and extended perpendicular to the water surface, with the face at the surface.

Egg-beater: A rotary action of the legs used to support and propel the upper body in an upright position, leaving the arms free; similar to treading water.

Federation Internationale de Natation Amateur “FINA”; international governing body that sets policies for synchro around the world.

Figure: A succession of movements which is a combination of positions and transitions. They bear such names such as Kip, Eiffel Tower, Barracuda, etc.

Figures: A position with the swimmer’s legs above the water and the arms doing the propelling.

Figures Suit: A black bathing suit and white bathing cap must be worn by all swimmers competing in a figure event. Nose clips and goggles are optional; however if using goggles, clear, not tinted goggles are recommended.

Flamingo: A position in which one leg is extended perpendicular to the surface with the other leg drawn to the chest and parallel to the surface and the face at the surface.

Float: A surface formation with between two and eight swimmers connected horizontally.

Flutter-kick: Simultaneously kicking the legs side by side in order to move forward or backward in the water.

Free routine: A routine in which the choreography and choice of music is completely free.

Full twist: A rotation of 360 degrees at sustained height.

Gel: A gelatin mixture used on the swimmer–s hair to hold the hair in place during a routine in competition.

Half twist: A rotation of 180 degrees at sustained height.

Judges: Trained volunteers who sit beside the pool and mark a swimmer. Both the routine and figure events are judged.

Level: The body’s position in relation to the water surface, such as high, medium or low.

Lift: One or more swimmers giving support to lift another swimmer (or more) above the surface of the water in a spectacular fashion. For example, holding a swimmer up in the air as if she were a statue (similar to a male partner lifting his female partner in pairs skating), or throwing a swimmer up in the air into a back flip. Also known as stacks.

Marks for Figures: Each judge assigns one mark for each figure, between 0 and 10, with 0.1 increments. The judge considers from the standpoint of perfection, slow, high, and controlled, with each section of the figure clearly defined and in uniform motion. High and low marks are then excluded. The remaining marks are averaged, and multiplied by the Degree of Difficulty. Athletes are required to swim four figures. The scores from each figure are added together to give a score out of 100.

Marks For Routine: Each routine receives two sets of marks: one for technical merit and one for artistic impression. Marks are on a scale of 0 – 10. The high and low marks are removed from each set of marks and then the set is averaged. The score for technical merit accounts for 60% of a total score, while the score for artistic impression accounts for 40%.

Masters: This category offers swimmers over the age of 20 an opportunity to participate in synchro. Many Masters swimmers enjoy the friendship and exercise synchro offers, as well as a chance to compete.

Meet: The synchro word for competition.

Nose clip: A small clip of hard plastic or wire with a thin rubber coating used to stop water from entering the nose during underwater movements.

Pattern: The configurations the team makes in the water. The team should almost always be in a pattern – an identifiable shape held in position so the viewing audience knows immediately what it is.

Pool pattern: The path swimmers take through the water.

Pre-swimmer: A swimmer who swims before the competitors in order to warm-up the judges. A pre–swimmer is not competing, therefore her marks are not counted into the competition scores. Usually there are pre–swimmers for each event.

Propulsion technique: The way a swimmer uses her arms, legs or both to move through the water – a driving force.

Referee: The official in charge of the swimmers, officials and deck personnel at a meet.

Reverse combined spin: An ascending spin of at least 360 degrees followed without a pause by an equal descending spin in the same direction.

Rocket boost: A move in which a swimmer boosts herself out of the water either head and shoulders or feet first at maximum height. A measure of the swimmer’s strength and control.

Rocket split: A move involving a thrust to the vertical position, followed by a rapid leg split before returning to the vertical position at maximum height.

Routine: A timed program performed to music containing parts of figures, strokes and body movements. Routines are choreographed to synchronize the swimmers’ movements to music and to each other. Within a routine the swimmer tries to demonstrate maximum skill, ease of execution and musical interpretation. A routine may be swam as a solo, duet or team. Each routine category has a specific time limit depending on the age group. Senior Teams swim both technical and free routines. Technical routines must contain a number of required elements that must be executed in a specific order. Free routines have no restrictions.

Scull: A movement of the hands designed to apply continuous pressure against the water to propel, balance and support the body.

Spin: An ascending or descending rotation in a vertical position performed in a uniform motion unless otherwise specified.

Split: A position in which the legs are split evenly forward and back, with the feet and thighs at the surface, while the lower back is arched and the hips, shoulders and head are in a vertical line in the water.

Strokes: The movement performed when a swimmer’s head is out of water and her arms are being used artistically while her legs are doing the propelling (eggbeating or flutterkick).

Synchronized Swimming: The rhythmic interpretation in water of specific movements, swim strokes, and figures, accompanied to music. The sport requires a high level of aquatic ability along with strength, endurance, breath control, balance and rhythm.

Team: A team can consist of 4 - 10 swimmers with 8 being optimal. Teams are penalized .5 points for each member less than 8 and do not receive any additional points for more than 8 swimmers. Penalties only apply to Tiers 6-8 teams.

Technical merit: One part of a routine score which takes into account the execution of strokes and figures, propulsion techniques, precision of patterns (synchronization with each swimmer and with the music) and difficulty of strokes, figures, patterns and synchronization.

Technical merit: The level of excellence demonstrated by a swimmer's mastery of movements and skills.

Technical routine: A routine that contains required elements woven into the choreography. Competitors are free to choose the music they perform to, but must perform the set required elements in succession.

Thrust: A move that starts from a back pike position with the legs perpendicular to the surface and involves a rapid vertical upward movement of the legs and hips as the body unrolls to assume the vertical position.

Training Meet: A figures competition held annually in the fall. Coaches consider these competitions as developmental/training events.

Twirl: A rapid twist of 180 degrees.

Twist: A rotation at sustained height.

Twist spin: A move that involves a half-twist followed, without a pause, by a continuous spin.

Vertical position: A position in which the body is extended perpendicular to the surface of the water with the legs together and head down with head, hips and ankles in line.

Walkout front: A move in which, starting in the split position, the front leg is lifted in a 180-degree arc over the surface to meet the other leg in a surface-arch position, with the body moving from an arch to a back layout. An aquatic version of a front walkover in gymnastics.