Rink

S eventy years ago in the fall of 1956, Dr. Richard Porter created the first "precision" skating team at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. The Hockettes, as they are still known today, performed intricate, choreographed maneuvers in unison between periods of the university's hockey games. They were a huge hit, and future gigs at more regional events boosted the Hockettes' popularity. Several years after Porter planted the seed, competitions amongst colleges and clubs commenced and a new discipline took root worldwide in what would become known as "synchronized skating" in 1998. Undoubtedly, Dr. Porter could not have imagined that his unique concept of team show skating would ever make it to the Olympic Winter Games. But that's exactly what occurred on July 7, 2026, when the International Olympic Committee announced that Synchro9 would be added to the French Alps 2030 Games. Nine skaters on a team, skating over the Olympic rings. The news stunned everyone, who thought that the earliest opportunity for possible inclusion to the Games would be 2034 in Utah. Sport leaders worldwide had spent decades lobbying for synchronized skating to be added to the Olympics, only to be disappointed along the way. Kyleigh Gaff, U.S. Figure Skating 's director of high performance, synchronized skating, was on a plane headed to a United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee winter sports meeting when the news broke. She, along with her USOPC winter sports colleagues, celebrated the monumental announcement and other exciting Olympic news. "It was special to be part of that experience," she said. Heather Paige, vice president of U.S. Figure Skating, a member of its strategic planning committee and the organization's representative on the ISU Synchro9 Working Group, said Synchro9 is designed to be dynamic, creating a wide range of competitive possibilities. "I think everybody is excited to have more freedom in how a program is designed," Paige said. "We've moved away from the word 'elements,' and there are far fewer constraints. For a long time, programs have been designed around checking boxes to secure technical marks, and some of the creativity has been lost. Even with 16 skaters on the ice, we've felt those limitations, so the idea of creating something compelling with only nine skaters initially felt daunting. "Overall, though, everyone is energized by the opportunity to think differently. Coaches can create something innovative while still preserving the qualities that make synchronized skating what it is. With fewer constraints and greater creative freedom, there is a real opportunity to do something extraordinary." With Synchro9 taking form, the foundation of U.S. Figure Skating 's current synchronized skating program will remain intact, with the current pipeline and divisions preserved. While there are plenty of details to be hashed out over the next four years, here's a tentative preview of what to expect. THIS SEASON ( 2026-27 ) Synchro9 teams have formed and will be monitored for the opportunity to compete internationally for the U.S. The Haydenettes and Skyliners have formed teams at the senior level, while Teams Elite and the Lexettes will vie in the junior division. At this time, Synchro9 teams forming must have been national team members in the past at either the junior or senior levels in synchronized skating. Four international events are planned, including the first one in the U.S. at Great Park Ice & FivePoint Arena in Irvine, California, Nov. 7–8. The rest of the schedule is Nov. 28–29 in Vantaa, Finland; Jan. 29–30 in Rouen, France; Feb. 20–21 in Budapest, Hungary; and March 26–April 4 at the 2027 ISU Synchronized Skating Combined World & Junior World Championships in Nottingham, Great Britain. The U.S. will be represented by a single team (Team USA) at the Synchro9 World & Junior World Championships, respectfully. Discussions are underway about how Synchro9 may be included in future championship events. USICERINKS.COM SEPTEMBER.OCTOBER.2026 / 43 PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES, CYNTHIA SLAWTER PHOTOGRAPHY "With fewer constraints and greater creative freedom, there is a real opportunity to do something extraordinary."

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