The 2017 ISU World Synchronized Skating Championships gets under way this week in Colorado Springs, USA.
Teams have been arriving in the US over the past week to acclimatize to the time difference (7 hours behind the UK) and the altitude: the event arena is at more that 1,700 metres, and many competing teams train at not much above sea level. The last particularly high altitude championships, at Courmayeur in 2014, was at only about 1,400 metres. Teams have been able to practice at the nearby US Airforce Academy rink at over 2,000 metres.
The UK is again represented by Team Zariba of Aberdeen, who flew out Tuesday. Zariba managed to raise an impressive £22,829 through fundraising to finance the trip. The Isle of Wight’s Gemma Marsh is flying the flag for Sweden as part of Team Surprise (Sweden 1).
Unofficial practice gets under way tomorrow (5 April). The short programme is on 7 April, starting at 6pm local time until 9.24pm (1am to 4.24 am on 8 April in the UK); the free is on 8 April at 3.45pm to 8.30pm (10.45pm on 8 April to 3.30am on 9 April in the UK). Times are taken from the current schedule at: http://assets.ngin.com
Streaming is via icenetwork in the US and requires a season pass. For the rest of the world, it is streamed free on the ISU skating channel: the competition is typically available at lower resolution on catch-up afterwards if the live viewing times prove too much.
Entries and results: www.isuresults.com/results/season1617/wcsys2017
Streaming (free, embargoed in US): www.eurovisionsports.tv/isu/
Streaming (US only, requires season pass): http://web.icenetwork.com
Official Website: www.2017synchroworlds.com
ISU event page: www.isu.org
Sometimes, of course, IW synchro team members see fit to cease their involvement with ice skating and focus on something different, such as exams or a career. And sometimes, of course, iowskaters lives up to its promise to highlight the achievements of those former team members – even if it is no longer to do with skating.
