Editorial

The ten events that marked 2020


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The coronavirus set the tone for 2020, shaking up the world of sport in general, and of course synchronized skating. Jura Synchro has put together the events that marked this special year.

January - February: the competitions followed one after the other
At the start of 2020, no one suspected that a terrible virus would upset everyone’s plans. Synchro events followed each other with the final results being released after the Spring Cup in Italy. Who would have believed it then, but it was one of the last big international competitions of the year?

In mid-February, Team Unique exploded with joy when they learned of their victory in the very first Challenger Series.

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March: Juniors face off in Nottingham
As the virus was spreading more and more, the World Junior Synchronized Skating Championships 2020 were taking place in Nottingham. Due to the risks associated with the pandemic, several countries were missing during this long-awaited event and others left during the competition.

With two perfect programs, the skaters of Team Fintastic (FIN) became the 2020 Junior World Champions. Their free program called ”Anesthesia” immersed the public in the world of hospitals. Was this already a sign of the pandemic that was to come?


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Team Fintastic and its hospital emergency coloured dresses. (Credits: Kirsi Laine Photography - 2020)

March-April: Seniors' hopes soar
The decision fell in mid-March that the Senior World Championships scheduled in Lake Placid in early April would not take place. Hardly hit by Covid, the United States cancelled all major international gatherings and of course sports events. The decision came as a shock to fans and teams who had been preparing for it for months.

April-June: A new reality... at home
Working at home, training alone, washing hands, wearing masks... Little by little, so-called isolating gestures were taking hold of the daily lives of millions of people around the world. Skating rinks, schools, stores and restaurants were closing as the coronavirus spread rapidly around the world.

To maintain their physical shape and team spirit, skaters around the world were developing new ways of training and standing out for their creative ideas.

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Jura Synchro on TikTok and Tipeee
Your media organisation also experienced lockdown by offering interviews with coaches, tips, but also by appearing on two new platforms.

Jura Synchro is now on TikTok and Tipeee - a new platform that allows you to support via tips.

New themes and topics
In the United States, riots broke out following the death of George Floyd during his arrest by police. Manifestations were taking place in several cities against police violence and more especially because of racial and cultural differences, which led Jura Synchro into partnership with the organization OneTeamMVMT to present sporting personalities in a section called "Faces of Synchro".

Other themes have also appeared on Jura Synchro, such as the popularity of the adult category, Mixed Ages or even "Synchro Moms".


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The Junior Team Spirit training at the end of September, before the big COVID-19 restrictions in Sweden. (Credits: Figure Skating Pictures - 2020)

September-December: come back and disillusion
If some countries like Finland made the whole world dream by competing in the first national and interclub qualifications, other nations were forced to close the ice rinks once again. The second wave of COVID-19 once again shook up the teams' planning.



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But this was only short-lived! In December, Finland also closed its ice rinks due to the upsurge of the cases that hit Europe.

2020 ended with the first virtual synchronized skating competition organized in the United States. Other virtual events followed. They allowed teams to feel a taste for competitions again while remaining in safety.

December: horizon 2021
Unfortunately, synchro fans and athletes could have wished for a better Christmas present. In mid-December, the ISU announced the painful decision to cancel the 2021 World Junior Championships. The event was to take place in France in March.

With the majority of international competitions cancelled and no Junior Worlds, the season 2020-2021 will undoubtedly be very different from what we have seen so far. However, the arrival of the vaccine in many countries bodes well - fingers crossed - good perspectives for the upcoming months and the possibility of considering the 2021-2022 season more calmly.

Thank you for being by our side this year. Onward to 2021 and take care of yourself because the best is yet to come!

Discover our video retrospective of the last five seasons below: