The ISU World Synchronized Skating Championships (WSSC) are the world championships for the sport of synchronized skating. Held since 2000, the World Synchronized Skating Championships is an annual event organized by the International Skating Union and attracts the most elite senior-level synchronized skating teams from around the world to compete for the World Championship.
Since the beginning, the top positions have been mainly dominated by Sweden and Finland: the Swedish Team Surprise have won six World titles, four silver medals and one bronze medal and the Finnish Marigold IceUnity are five-time World Champions with seven silver medals and two bronze medals. Rockettes from Finland have earned three World titles, four silver medals and six bronze medals. Other major teams include the Canadian Les Suprêmes (with three World titles and one bronze medal), NEXXICE (with two World titles, three silvers and two bronzes), the Russian Team Paradise (with three World titles and two bronze medals), the Finnish Team Unique (with one gold and one silver), as well as the American teams, Miami University (with one silver medal) and the Haydenettes (with four bronze medals.) Other medalists include the (now-discontinued) Canadian black ice with one silver medal and two bronze medals.
At the 2024 World Figure Skating Championships, Les Suprêmes made history by winning three consecutive World Championships. The previous consecutive world championships were achieved in 2000-2001 by Team Surprise, 2010-2011 by Rockettes and 2016-2017 by Team Paradise.
Although initially dominated by just a handful of teams and countries, the sport has arguably become more competitive over time, as supported by an analysis of the point 'gap' between the 1st and 10th placed teams. Starting from the 2005 WSSC (the first year the current ISU Judging System was introduced), the point 'gap' has tended to decrease over time:
WSSC (year) | 1st vs. 10th place (∆ points) |
---|---|
2005 | 85.27 [1] |
2006 | 77.56 [2] |
2007 | 77.03 [3] |
2008 | 63.06 [4] |
2009 | 48.02 [5] |
2010 | 56.42 [6] |
2011 | 52.69 [7] |
2012 | 38.32 [8] |
2013 | 55.12 [9] |
2014 | 56.32 [10] |
2015 | 50.39 [11] |
2016 | 53.32 [12] |
2017 | 53.41 [13] |
2018 | 40.03 [14] |
2019 | 63.20 [15] |
2020 | Event not held |
2021 | Event not held |
2022 | 66.39 [16] |
2023 | 61.76 [17] |
2024 | 56.92 [18] |
Year | Location | Gold | Total | SP | FS | Silver | Total | SP | FS | Bronze | Total | SP | FS | Source(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2000 | Minneapolis, United States | Team Surprise | 1.5 | 0.5 | 1.0 | black ice | 3.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | Marigold IceUnity | 4.5 | 1.5 | 3.0 | [19] [20] |
2001 | Helsinki, Finland | Team Surprise | 1.5 | 0.5 | 1.0 | Rockettes | 4.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | black ice | 4.0 | 1.0 | 3.0 | [20] |
2002 | Rouen, France | Marigold IceUnity | 2.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | Team Surprise | 2.5 | 0.5 | 2.0 | black ice | 4.5 | 1.5 | 3.0 | [21] |
2003 | Ottawa, Canada | Team Surprise | 2.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | Marigold IceUnity | 3.5 | 1.5 | 2.0 | Les Suprêmes | 3.5 | 0.5 | 3.0 | [22] |
2004 | Zagreb, Croatia | Marigold IceUnity | 1.5 | 0.5 | 1.0 | Team Surprise | 3.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | Rockettes | 4.5 | 1.5 | 3.0 | [23] |
2005 | Gothenburg, Sweden | Team Surprise | 207.75 | 71.23 | 136.02 | Rockettes | 188.40 | 64.33 | 124.07 | Marigold IceUnity | 187.17 | 68.67 | 118.50 | [1] |
2006 | Prague, Czech Republic | Marigold IceUnity | 197.29 | 69.89 | 127.40 | Team Surprise | 188.57 | 69.09 | 119.48 | Rockettes | 180.32 | 62.66 | 117.66 | [2] |
2007 | London, Canada | Team Surprise | 222.24 | 77.54 | 144.70 | Miami University | 198.71 | 69.75 | 128.96 | NEXXICE | 194.08 | 68.54 | 125.54 | [3] |
2008 | Budapest, Hungary | Rockettes | 210.48 | 72.55 | 137.93 | Team Surprise | 205.71 | 74.72 | 130.99 | NEXXICE | 198.81 | 70.67 | 128.14 | [4] |
2009 | Zagreb, Croatia | NEXXICE | 223.58 | 80.12 | 143.46 | Team Unique | 220.28 | 82.36 | 137.92 | Team Surprise | 209.30 | 78.24 | 131.06 | [5] |
2010 | Colorado Springs, United States | Rockettes | 223.90 | 81.40 | 142.50 | Marigold IceUnity | 216.98 | 75.34 | 141.64 | Haydenettes | 216.48 | 78.62 | 137.86 | [6] |
2011 | Helsinki, Finland | Rockettes | 215.43 | 74.81 | 140.62 | Marigold IceUnity | 213.48 | 73.54 | 139.94 | Haydenettes | 205.40 | 71.16 | 134.24 | [7] |
2012 | Gothenburg, Sweden | Team Surprise | 194.87 | 64.63 | 130.24 | NEXXICE | 193.64 | 63.76 | 129.88 | Haydenettes | 192.78 | 62.14 | 130.64 | [8] |
2013 | Boston, United States | Team Unique | 208.77 | 69.28 | 139.49 | NEXXICE | 208.25 | 72.84 | 135.41 | Haydenettes | 202.53 | 71.87 | 130.66 | [9] |
2014 | Courmayeur, Italy | Marigold IceUnity | 223.45 | 76.14 | 147.31 | NEXXICE | 220.88 | 74.85 | 146.03 | Rockettes | 220.66 | 74.98 | 145.68 | [10] |
2015 | Hamilton, Canada | NEXXICE | 214.73 | 71.06 | 143.67 | Marigold IceUnity | 214.06 | 70.39 | 143.67 | Paradise | 203.48 | 66.25 | 137.23 | [11] |
2016 | Budapest, Hungary | Paradise | 212.69 | 73.86 | 138.83 | Rockettes | 207.84 | 70.03 | 137.81 | Haydenettes | 206.95 | 68.09 | 138.86 | [12] |
2017 | Colorado Springs, USA | Paradise | 208.70 | 72.62 | 136.08 | Marigold IceUnity | 208.58 | 70.88 | 137.70 | NEXXICE | 197.54 | 67.17 | 130.37 | [13] |
2018 | Stockholm, Sweden | Marigold IceUnity | 209.02 | 72.61 | 136.41 | Team Surprise | 207.99 | 72.83 | 135.16 | Paradise | 200.97 | 76.05 | 124.92 | [24] |
2019 | Helsinki, Finland | Paradise | 234.38 | 87.12 | 147.26 | Marigold IceUnity | 228.70 | 85.90 | 142.80 | Rockettes | 228.61 | 82.12 | 146.49 | [25] |
2020 | Lake Placid, NY, USA | Event cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic (Originally scheduled for 3–5 April 2020) | ||||||||||||
2021 | Zagreb, Croatia | Event cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic (Originally scheduled for 8–10 April 2021) | ||||||||||||
2022 | Hamilton, ON, Canada | Les Suprêmes | 236.31 | 81.51 | 154.80 | Marigold IceUnity | 228.72 | 77.48 | 151.24 | Rockettes | 226.20 | 82.76 | 143.44 | [26] |
2023 | Lake Placid, NY, USA | Les Suprêmes [27] | 240.98 | 79.00 | 161.98 | Rockettes | 239,56 | 78.61 | 160.95 | Team Unique | 239.56 | 78.01 | 161.55 | |
2024 | Zagreb, Croatia | Les Suprêmes | 237.97 | 78.89 | 159.08 | Haydenettes | 233.85 | 76.74 | 157.11 | Rockettes | 229.84 | 78.00 | 151.84 | |
2025 | Helsinki, Finland | To be held on 4–5 April 2025 | ||||||||||||
2026 | Salzburg, Austria | To be held on 10–11 April 2026 | ||||||||||||
2027 | Nottingham, United Kingdom | To be held on 2–3 April 2027 |
Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Finland | 9 | 12 | 9 | 30 |
2 | Sweden | 6 | 5 | 1 | 12 |
3 | Canada | 5 | 4 | 6 | 15 |
4 | Russia | 3 | 0 | 2 | 5 |
5 | United States | 0 | 2 | 5 | 7 |
Totals (5 entries) | 23 | 23 | 23 | 69 |
Rank | Team | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Team Surprise | 6 | 5 | 1 | 12 |
2 | Marigold IceUnity | 5 | 7 | 2 | 14 |
3 | Rockettes | 3 | 4 | 6 | 13 |
4 | Paradise | 3 | 0 | 2 | 5 |
5 | Les Suprêmes | 3 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
6 | NEXXICE | 2 | 3 | 3 | 8 |
7 | Team Unique | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
8 | Haydenettes | 0 | 1 | 5 | 6 |
9 | Black Ice | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
10 | Miami University | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Totals (10 entries) | 23 | 23 | 23 | 69 |
Synchronized skating, often called synchro, is an ice skating sport where between 8 and 20 skaters perform together as a team. They move as a flowing unit at high speed over the ice, while performing elements and footwork.
Dr. Susanna Rahkamo is a Finnish former competitive figure skater, sports leader and leadership consultant.
Laura Anneli Lepistö is a Finnish former competitive figure skater. She is the 2010 world bronze medalist, the 2009 European champion, and a two-time Finnish national champion.
NEXXICE is the name for synchronized skating teams representing Burlington Skating Centre from Burlington, Ontario, Canada. Their senior team are twelve-time Canadian national champions (2007–15,2017,2023), the first North American team to win the World Championships (2009), and again in 2015. They are 2012–14 World silver medalists and 2007–08 & 2016-17 World bronze medalists.
Marigold IceUnity are a senior-level synchronized skating team from Helsinki, Finland, representing the figure skating club Helsingin Luistelijat. Coached by Anu Oksanen and Tiina Turunen, they are five-time World Champions and were ranked second in the world in 2015 by the International Skating Union.
Team Surprise was a senior synchronized skating team from Sweden. Established in 1985, they were the world's most successful team with six world championships and 12 medals in total, placing off podium only in 2010, 2011, and 2013-17.
black ice were a synchronized skating team from Canada. Their senior team were three-time medalists at the World Championships and eight-time Canadian national champions. The team was founded by Cathy Dalton and Susan Pettes. On October 20, 2010, black ice announced they were retiring. Their junior team won the 2006 French Cup and was 5th at Junior World Challenge Cup that same year. black ice also appeared on the Canadian reality show Say Yes & Marry Me! in 2003, where they helped a man propose to his girlfriend.
The Haydenettes are a senior-level synchronized skating team representing The Skating Club of Boston in Norwood, Massachusetts, United States. They are five-time bronze medalists at the World Synchronized Skating Championships, earning the title in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, and 2016. Formed in 1979 by Lynn Benson, the Haydenettes are the most successful synchronized skating team in U.S. history, with 30 U.S. National titles.
Helsinki Rockettes are a senior-level synchronized skating team from Helsinki, Finland, representing the figure skating club Helsingin Taitoluisteluklubi. They are one of the most successful teams in the world with three World Championships and they are ten-time Finnish champions.
Team Unique is a senior-level synchronized skating team from Helsinki, Finland, representing the figure skating club Helsingfors Skridskoklubb (HSK). Established in 1993 and competing at the senior level since 1996, Team Unique are the 2013 world champions, 2009 world silver medalists and the 2013 and 2016 Finnish champions. Currently, they are ranked seventh in the world by the International Skating Union. The team's home club, HSK, is also the home club to the junior team Team Mystique.
Matthias Versluis is a Finnish figure skater. Competing in ice dancing with Juulia Turkkila, he is the 2023 European bronze medalist, a two-time Grand Prix of Espoo bronze medalist, 2023 CS Finlandia Trophy gold medalist, and a four-time Finnish national champion.
The ISU World Junior Synchronized Skating Championships (WJSSC) are the junior world championships for the sport of synchronized skating. Held first time in 2013 and originally planned to be held biennially, the WJSSC is now an annual event sanctioned by the International Skating Union.
Musketeers are a junior-level synchronized skating team representing the figure skating club Helsingin Luistelijat, based in Helsinki, Finland.
Team Fintastic are a junior-level synchronized skating team from Helsinki, Finland, representing the figure skating club Helsingin Taitoluisteluklubi (HTK). They are the most successful junior team in the world. Team Fintastic are the 2023, 2022 and 2020 World Junior Champions, three-time world silver medalists and have eight victories at the Junior World Challenge Cup, with seven consecutive victories from 2007 to 2014.
The 2006–07 synchronized skating season began on July 1, 2006, and ended on June 30, 2007. During this season, which was concurrent with the season for the other four disciplines, elite synchronized skating teams competed on the International Skating Union (ISU) Championship level at the 2007 World Championships and Junior World Challenge Cup. They also competed at various other international as well as national synchronized skating competitions.
Team Mystique are a junior-level synchronized skating team from Helsinki, Finland, representing the figure skating club Helsingfors Skridskoklubb. The club is also home to the senior team, Team Unique. They have placed second twice at the Junior World Challenge Cup.
Les Suprêmes is the senior-level synchronized skating team representing the figure skating club Club de Patinage Artistique de Saint-Léonard in Montréal, Quebec, Canada. CPA St-Léonard fields teams, all named Les Suprêmes, at six levels: star 3, juvenile, novice, open, junior and senior.
Team Paradise are a senior-level synchronized skating team representing Russia. They are three-time World Champions, they claimed the 2015 World Championships bronze medals, and they are the 1999-2017 Russian National Champions.
The 2004–05 synchronized skating season began on July 1, 2004, and ended on June 30, 2005. During this season, which was concurrent with the season for the other four disciplines, elite synchronized skating teams competed on the International Skating Union (ISU) Championship level at the 2005 World Championships and Junior World Challenge Cup. They also competed at various other international as well as national synchronized skating competitions.