A world championship event here on Ibiza

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Synchronized swimming championships in Ibiza
By Jerry Brownstein
The Club Deportivo Sincro Ibiza is hosting two championship synchronised swimming events over the three days 24-26 May: the MEN’s CUP 2019 (www.menscupibiza2019.com) and the first Mixed Championship Ibiza. Both competitions will be held at the Municipal Sports Complex of Es Viver. The Men’s Cup has been a biannual event since 2005, and was previously held in Prague, Stockholm, Paris, Barcelona, Milan and Amsterdam. Ibiza is proud to join this list as the venue for the eighth edition. In the Mixed Championship men and women compete together. Synchronised swimming is a hybrid form of swimming, dance, and gymnastics that combines advanced water skills with grace, artistry and precise timing. The swimmers perform a synchronised routine of elaborate moves in the water accompanied by music. They can be either solo, duet, team or combo. Since 2018 the official name of the event has been changed to ‘Artistic Swimming’.


You have probably seen synchronised swimming in the Olympics as it has been an official event since 1984. However, the Olympics only allows women to compete in this sport... but that may be changing. The exclusion of men is odd because in the late 19th century synchronised swimming was a male-only event. In the early 20th century it became a women's sport, with men banned from many competitions. The Men’s Cup was established in 2005 as a protest to this exclusion. In 2016 the European Aquatics Championships finally allowed male synchronised swimmers to compete, and it is felt that the Olympics may soon follow suit.

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