The inaugural Telluride World Synchro Championship was hosted by the Telluride Synchronized Ski Team – a nonprofit organization – and featured six competitive teams representing the ski and snowboard schools at Telluride and Aspen.  The Telluride Synchronized Ski Team is dedicated to scholarship, inclusivity, and inspiration — its mission is to promote the enjoyment and inclusiveness of skiing and riding and to contribute to its growth by supporting competitive synchronized ski and ride teams.

The competitive teams at the 2024 TWSC included:

Telluride Ghostriders

Telluride Tempters

Aspen Divas

Telluride Benders

Palmyra Prowlers

San Juan Sundancers

The competition consists of three scored components that combines for an overall team score: race, bumps, and synchro. 

The race competition consists of four athletes from each team.  These four individuals combine their official race course times to a team score.

The bump competition consists of two athletes from each team.  These two individuals are scored in five categories: aggression & speed, technique, control & precision, line choice, and impression & showmanship.

The synchro competition — 70% of the overall team score — features each team of six or eight athletes performing synchronized routines.  The routines are scored in five categories: synchronicity, technique, overall appearance, degree of difficulty, and deductions.

The highlights from the competition are too many to count. From first-year instructor Lilly Kemp, of the “San Juan Sundancers”, taking the first run in the race competition to kick things off … to Alex Peters, of the “Telluride Benders”, sending it full rodeo-style (with a 360° air) in the bump competition … to Brett Schreckengost’s epic drone camera recording the event in what is humbly believed to be the most professional videography of a synchronized competition of all time.

Synchronized skiing and riding has a long history.  While instructors across the world use synchronized skiing and riding to demonstrate technical skills — and perhaps coach students to the discipline — the longest and most consistent display of synchronized skiing and riding is hosted by the every-four-years Interski Congress, a gathering of national ski and snowboard instruction associations to exchange ideas, teaching practices, and demonstrations of technical performances.

Despite the global stage Interski provides for this sport, it is not a competition.  Various events have hosted synchronized competition over the years, such as Powder 8s in Jackson Hole, WY and the Battle of the Ski Schools in Vail, CO and Whistler, BC.  However, no event had such a consistent presence as the Aspen World Synchro Competition, which was hosted for 17 years until 2023. 

With synchronized skiing and riding in need of a new home, the Telluride Synchronized Ski Team took charge – and the inaugural Telluride World Synchro Championship was born. 

The TWSC meets the values and mission of the Telluride Synchronized Ski Team because it provides a stage for the best instructors to demonstrate their skills, inspires new skiers and riders to join our wonderful industry, and allows instructors to grow their careers in exciting, new ways.

The TWSC featured six esteemed judges who have been recognized for tremendous local and international achievements.  Their dedication to the ski and snowboard industry, integrity in scoring and assessment, and overall love for synchronized competition created important tradition for the TWSC to demonstrate a standard of excellence. 

Georgie Leel, Head Judge

APSI Alpine Examiner

Telluride Trainer and Instructor

Nev Leel

APSI Alpine Examiner

Training Manager at Perisher Ski Resort

Telluride Trainer and Instructor

Deb Willits

PSIA-RM Cross Country and Telemark Examiner

Trainer Supervisor at Telluride Ski and Snowboard School

Former PSIA National Nordic Team Member

Brad Alire

Former PSIA-RM Alpine Examiner

Telluride Instructor

Owner National Alpine Ski Camps

US Paralympic Coach

Stephanie Reynolds

PSIA-RM Alpine Examiner

Former PSIA-RM Alpine Committee Member

Aspen/Snowmass Senior Coordinator 6-Under Division

Michael Blanton

AASI-RM Snowboard Examiner

Former AASI-RM Snowboard Committee Chair

Former PSIA-AASI National Standards Committee Member

Telluride Trainer and Instructor

- written by Logan Lanier