First published on 10 September 2024 on Newsline

If you saw the Olympics recently, you might’ve seen thrusts, spins and flexibility moves gracing the pool, perfectly in time to music.

Olympians may make it look easy but artistic swimming takes a lot of practice.

Canterbury Artistic Swimming offers classes at Christchurch City Council’s Taiora QEII, Matatiki Hornby Centre and Graham Condon for beginners to start people off on their gold medal journey.

Coach Liaison Kylie McEwen said the phone hasn’t stopped ringing with people making inquiries since the Paris Olympics finished.

“Currently the club has members from 5-years-old to 53 in our beginner and masters classes,” she said.

“We’re equipped for new members, no matter their age, you just have to be able to swim 25m comfortably.”

The sport is growing in Christchurch, jumping from eight to 48 members in the last year and expanding from just Taiora QEII to Matatiki and Graham Condon as well.

“Our classes start with both basic swimming and synchro skills, like sail boats, ballet legs, flower pots, which can take a while to perfect,” Ms McEwen said. Coach Leticia Hart, an experienced artistic swimmer, elaborates on this process; ‘After those basics are mastered our athletes start trying out some of those same skills in a routine, set to music, much like we just watched at the Olympics’.

Ms McEwen said there are all sorts of other benefits to taking up artistic swimming, on top of mastering the graceful actions.

“It’s another way to continue to grow confidence in the water, which is something really important to us kiwis. And it is a phenomenal group of people from all sorts of backgrounds and genders.

“What I personally really enjoyed was that feeling of being a beginner again. It was quite humbling to begin with but that makes it all the better when you finally master a move you’ve been persevering with,” she said.

“It also develops body awareness. More often than not you’re upside down in the water and being aware of your surroundings and body is a primary component of most sports, so it’s a very transferrable skill to have.”

Ms McEwen said the Council’s pools were very accommodating for training, making sure they always have access to a side lane to coach and practise safely alongside.

“Training is once a week for beginners and we practise our routines with underwater speakers.”

“Push your boundaries and have a look – it can be one of the most satisfying things to be involved in,” Ms McEwen said.

Find out more about Canterbury Artistic Swimming here.