Synchronised swimming is a growing sport in Great Britain with the number of swimmers and clubs involved increasing nationally. Synchronised Swimming is often descriped as a mixture of swimming, dance and gymnastics in the water and is suitable for any ability right from an early age.Competitive synchro swimmers must be extremely fit, and completely at home in the water. They must be strong yet graceful, interested in music sufficiently to be able to choose and interpret pieces of routines, and have stamina and determination.

Synchronised swimmers regularly train with speed swimmers in distance work. With their own sessions being devoted to working on 'figures' - the set body positions and transition movements which form the basis of synchro. In addition, hours are spent working on routines. Swimmers work alone on solo routines, with partners for duet routines or in teams of between 4 and 10 swimmers, perfecting movements, developing the choreography of the routines etc. Landwork sessions include working on flexibility, strength and weight training, also creating, walking through and learning routines and listening to music.

Synchronised swimming can start from the age of 5 years, with programme called Aquafun, learning the very basic fundamentals of the sport, this can be taken all they way through to a club structure of competition and skill assessments.

With the first Welsh Synchronised Swimming Club based at the South East Wales Regional Pool, Newport International Sports Village competing in a variety of competitions from Novice to Regional and National Standard the sport is well on its way to developing across our Regions.

For information on Aquafun in your area, contact your local swimming pool provider or your local Swimming Development Officer.

For more information on Synchronised Swimming in Wales please contact the City of Newport Synchronised Swimming Club on newportsynchro@hotmail.co.uk