Synchronized Swimming Championship Event Coming to York for First Time

Combining elements of swimming, dance and gymnastics, the graceful sport of synchronized swimming will take center stage this June when the 2018 USA Synchronized Swimming East Zone Championships brings hundreds of talented youth athletes from around the Mid-Atlantic and beyond to York County.  

The YWCA York’s Synchro-ettes will serve as the host team for the prestigious competition, which runs June 8-10 at the Central York Community Natatorium. A $7,800 York County Tourism Grant funded facility rental fees and helped make the event possible.

“We are thrilled to be hosting, for the first-time ever, the 2018 USA Synchronized Swimming East Zone Championships this June. It’s an opportunity to showcase York County as a great place to host national and state athletic events, bring additional revenue to our economy and create local awareness about the sport we love,” said Kathy Warner, YWCA York’s Aquatics Director. “We are truly appreciative of the York County Convention & Visitors Bureau, which made this opportunity a reality for us. Partnerships like this allow us to bring big events to our area and create a fun and diverse place for people to live and work.”

The competition will feature male and female swimmers ranging in age from 7 to 18 years old and hailing from Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio, New Jersey and all of the New England states. About 250 competitors and more than 350 spectators are expected.

As visitors spend money on hotels, restaurants and more, the York County Convention & Visitors Bureau anticipates an economic impact of more than $300,000.

“This is exactly what the York County Tourism Grant Program is designed to do,” said Anne Druck, President of the York County Convention & Visitors Bureau. “In just a year, it’s already proven to be a powerful driver of projects that drive lucrative visitor spending to York County. It’s even better when those success stories include bringing youth athletes here, since they are the most likely to return as visitors, students or even as residents in the future.”

The York County Convention & Visitors Bureau’s Sport York program is designed to recruit events and generate additional economic impact in York County. Sport York positions York County as Pennsylvania’s Premier Sports Destination, highlighting the area’s dynamic facilities and central location on the East Coast. For further information about Sport York, visit www.yorkpa.org/sports.

The York County Convention & Visitors Bureau’s Mission is to maximize tourism expenditures and their economic impact in York County, PA, through comprehensive tourism sales and marketing programs. The York County CVB’s Vision is for a York County where tourism is recognized for the value of its economic impact and its role in raising the profile of York County as a sought-after destination. For more information on the York County Convention & Visitors Bureau, call 1-888-858-9675 or visit www.yorkpa.org.