National – Centenary Year (1988) – Artistic (Synchronised) Swimming Invitation Meet

Artistic (Synchro) Swimming International Invitation Competition

2/4 September 1988

Hector McNeil Pool, Greenock

Synchronised Swimming was the most recent of the aquatic disciplines to be added to the Olympic Games and in 1986 the Commonwealth Games. The sport evolved in Canada and the United States from a number of activities including life-saving tricks and floats. In Scotland there had been a long tradition of ornamental swimming, rythmic swimming and flotation teams but it was not until the 1960s that synchronised swimming got underway.
The 1970 Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh had a demonstration event which gave a boost to the development. Steady progress was maintained with another big increase since the 1986 Commonwealth
Games. 

Teams representing Denmark, England, Spain and the Federal Republic of Germany were invited to compete with our Scottish Swimmers in an International Invitation Event.
The Competition consisted of Solo, Duet and Team Events which were run in accordance with FINA rules and regulations. Each country was represented by a team of eight swimmers, two reserves and three officials. Our visitors and the Scottish team were hosted in very comfortable accommodation in Largs overlooking the beautiful Clyde Coast. A Civic Reception marked the beginning of our gathering and a party-disco brought it to a close. For those visitors who wished to stay for an extra day or so, we were delighted to extend our hospitality by suggesting a cruise down the Clyde, a visit to our Capital City, or perhaps a sight seeing shopping expedition to Glasgow.

To make this a most memorable as well as a highly spectacular occasion, during our Centenary Celebrations the Committee actively engaged in a Sponsorship Campaign to enlist the Financial Assistance from the West of Scotland’s Business Co9mmunity both great and small.