The history of synchronized skating dates back to 1956, when Richard Porter brought together a group of skaters in Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA. The sport was originally known as "precision skating," reflecting the formations and coordinated movements performed by teams.
Competitions gradually became more structured. In 1984, the United States held its first national precision skating championships, an important step in the sport's development.
In 1994, the International Skating Union officially recognized synchronized skating as a discipline of figure skating. This decision marked another milestone in its international development.
Six years later, in 2000, the first official ISU World Synchronized Skating Championships took place in Minneapolis, USA. The discipline now had its own official World Championships.
The story continues in 2026. With Synchro9 confirmed for the Winter Youth Olympic Games 2028 and the Olympic Winter Games Alpes 2030, synchronized skating is entering another chapter.
Seventy years after its beginnings in Ann Arbor, the sport's journey is continuing toward the Olympic stage.