History is being made in the world of synchro. For the first time ever, synchronized skating will feature at the Olympic Winter Games, with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) confirming that Synchro9 will be part of the event program at the Alpes 2030 Olympic Winter Games.
It's a milestone for our discipline built on precision, speed and teamwork, and a long-awaited breakthrough for synchronized skaters and fans worldwide after decades of dedication and growth.
What is Synchro9?
Created by the ISU, Synchro9 is a new competition format designed to bring the energy and creativity of synchronized skating to a wider audience.
The format features nine teams of nine skaters (plus one reserve per team) competing in a fast-paced knockout event with a simplified scoring system and an engaging in-arena presentation—aimed at making the action easier to follow for both longtime fans and newcomers.
The road to Alpes 2030 starts now
The Olympic countdown begins well before 2030. After its inclusion in the Winter Youth Olympic Games Dolomiti Valtellina 2028, Synchro9 is set to officially launch during the 2026/27 ISU season.
Fans will get their first look at the format through a series of international competitions, before the season culminates at the ISU Synchronized Skating World Championships (Junior and Senior) in Nottingham (GBR).
- Irvine (USA): November 7–8, 2026
- Vantaa (Finland): November 28–29, 2026
- Rouen (France): January 29–30, 2027
- Budapest (Hungary): February 20–21, 2027
A new era for synchronized skating
Synchro9's inclusion at Alpes 2030 signals a major new chapter for the discipline, putting synchronized skating's hallmark elements "spectacular teamwork, breathtaking precision, creative choreography and high speed in front of the biggest winter-sport audience", writes the ISU in an official press release.
The 2030 Olympic Winter Games will take place from 1 to 17 February 2030 in France as part of the French Alps 2030 project, with events organised across four clusters: Haute-Savoie, Savoie, Briançon and Nice.