SAFSA welcomes visiting ISU coach Eeva Sunnari to support synchronised skating growth

Synchronised skating in South Africa is set for a timely boost with the upcoming visit of Eeva Sunnari, who will be in the country in her capacity as a Visiting ISU Coach. With development work in 14 countries, she says her goal is to help South African skaters, coaches and stakeholders build practical momentum.

“Having worked around the world within the development of Synchronised Skating, I am very much looking forward to contributing to the future of this intriguing sport discipline in South Africa,” she says. “As a result of my first visit, I hope local skaters and coaches will feel inspired and equipped with new tools, ideas and perspectives, which would serve as an energising and motivating base for further learning experiences and successes.”

Sunnari is a Master of Sport Sciences, a four-time World Championship medallist, and a long-term expert in synchronised skating with 40+ years of experience in figure skating (including 35 years in synchro). A former national team skater and captain, later team leader, coach, consultant and mentor, she has contributed to development projects across five continents. She serves as a Visiting ISU Coach (2019–present) and holds a part-time role as Synchronised Skating Discipline Manager at Skating Finland.

From SAFSA’s perspective, synchronised skating is a smart pathway for a country with limited ice and few rinks.

“Due to limited facilities and ice time available in South Africa, Synchronised Skating offers a wonderful opportunity to include more skaters in the sport and to reap the benefits of skilled training, discipline, teamwork and competition,” says Rosalind Thomson, National Development Officer at SAFSA.

South Africa’s history in the discipline is real and recent.

“The commitment and camaraderie displayed by our teams has been evident over the years, with Team Sunthings (Western Province) participating in Senior Worlds in 2000 (USA), 2001 (Finland), 2003 (Canada), 2004 (Croatia), 2010 (USA) and 2013 (USA). Team Rainbow (Western Province) participated in Junior Worlds in 2013 (Finland) and 2015 (Croatia),” adds Thomson.

Mixed-age teams are now broadening that foundation.

“Over the last two seasons, there has been a rise in mixed-age teams, which can include skaters of all ages. Team Insync (Central Gauteng) attended international competitions in Switzerland in 2023, Poland in 2024, and the Czech Republic in 2024. Team Velocity (Western Province) competed in the Czech Republic in 2023, and Team Illusion (Gauteng North) competed in Hungary in 2025,” says Thomson.

Sunnari’s development lens focuses on three essentials.

“As the most important key ingredients for enabling the growth of synchronised skating in a country like South Africa but also applicable in almost any country, I would pinpoint core, consistency and co-operation,” she says.

“To build a strong foundation for the teams to reach their own potential, there needs to be attraction and retention for a broad base of skaters to fall in love with the sport. Together with a motivating, consistent and determined practice culture and versatile co-operation between different stakeholders and experts, the popularity of and respect for the sport will increase, giving the best individuals the chance to improve faster and eventually find their way into the best teams, which is the prerequisite for the South African Synchronized Skating to succeed and maximize its potential also at the international stage.”

SAFSA has also set a clear target.

“SAFSA would like to encourage and grow the discipline of synchronised skating so that within the next four years we can again see a South African team at major international events such as Junior and Senior Worlds. Synchronised Skating is currently not an Olympic sport, but members of the international community are working hard to make this a reality. When the time comes, South Africa will be ready,” adds Thomson.

Support structures matter, and the federation points to both local and international inputs.

“The support of the ISU and coaches such as Ms Sunnari will bring the much-needed expertise and guidance to our local coaches and stakeholders, as well as inspire our skaters to push the boundaries. With a two-season commitment from the ISU, we can develop not only skaters, but coaches and technical specialists within South Africa. Online training throughout the year will keep our coaches up to date with international standards and trends.”

That blend of breadth and detail is part of what makes synchronised skating resonate here. “Synchronised skating is a wonderful discipline in a sport which is most often thought of as a solitary endeavour, and even without the gravity-defying jumps, there are incredible technical elements which are inspiring to behold,” says Thomson.

Sunnari adds that growth is sustainable when the pathway is wide at the base and steady in delivery. “Attraction and retention” of skaters, a consistent training culture, and co-operation across coaches, officials and organisers are the levers she has seen work elsewhere. She aims to share concrete tools that coaches can apply immediately, while giving teams fresh ideas to raise day-to-day standards on and off the ice.

For SAFSA, the timing is right. Mixed-age teams are expanding access, international trips are building belief, and a structured plan is in place to align with global standards. With expert input from Sunnari and ongoing ISU support, the following steps are clear: retain more skaters in the sport, enhance coaching capacity, and improve performance so that South African teams return to the Junior and Senior World stages.