Synchronization

The 2011 FINA World Aquatics Championships are taking place in Shanghai, China, and will run until July 31. Swimmers and divers from 74 nations are currently competing in open water swimming, diving, water polo, and more. The synchronized completions, two in diving and four in swimming, can be especially picturesque, as competitors strive to position their bodies in exacting poses while tumbling through the air or suspended in water. Photographers in Shanghai positioned their cameras above and below the water's surface to capture some of these poolside images from the 2011 World Aquatics Championships. [32 photos]

Germany's Patrick Hausding (front) and Sascha Klein dive in the men's 10m platform synchro competition in the 2011 FINA World Championships in Shanghai, China, on July 17, 2011. (Daniel Kopatsch/DAPD)  

 

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Colombia's team performs during the preliminary round of the synchronized swimming team technical event at the 14th FINA World Championships in Shanghai, on July 18, 2011. (Reuters/David Gray) #

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A diver prepares to jump during the 3m springboard synchro competition in the 2011 FINA World Championships in Shanghai, China, on July 16, 2011. (Daniel Kopatsch/DAPD) #

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Alexandros Manos and Stefanos Paparounas of Greece compete in the men's 3m springboard synchro preliminary round during the FINA World Championships at the Oriental Sports Center in Shanghai, on July 19, 2011. (Feng Li/Getty Images) #

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Vadim Kaptur and Timofei Hordeichik of Belarus compete in the men's 10m platform synchro preliminary round on July 17, 2011, in Shanghai, China. (Adam Pretty/Getty Images) #

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Kazakhstan's synchronized swimming team competes in the preliminary round of the free combination synchronized swimming competition in the FINA World Championships in Shanghai, on July 19, 2011. (Francois Xavier Marit/AFP/Getty Images) #

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Team Spain competes in the synchronized swimming free combination preliminary round during day four of the FINA World Championships on July 19, 2011, in Shanghai, China. (Adam Pretty/Getty Images) #

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North Korea's Wang Ok Gyong competes in the technical solo preliminary round synchronized swimming competition in the FINA World Championships at the natatorium of the Oriental Sports Center, on July 17, 2011. (Peter Parks/AFP/Getty Images) #

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Members of team Macau compete in the synchronized swimming free combination preliminary round at the Oriental Sports Center, on July 19, 2011, in Shanghai, China. (Lintao Zhang/Getty Images) #

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China's Wu Minxia (right) and He Zi pose with their gold medals during the medal ceremony for the women's 3m synchronized springboard diving final in Shanghai, on July 16, 2011. China took the gold, Canada the silver and Australia the bronze in the event. (Reuters/Bobby Yip) #

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Eric Sehn and Kevin Geyson of Canada compete in the men's 10m platform synchro final during day two of the FINA World Championships in Shanghai, China, on July 17, 2011. (Feng Li/Getty Images) #

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Christin Steuer and Nora Subschinski of Germany dive in the women's 10m platform synchro final on July 18, 2011, in Shanghai, China. (Clive Rose/Getty Images) #

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Divers warm up prior to competing in the women's 3m springboard synchro final at Shanghai's Oriental Sports Center on July 16, 2011. (Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) #

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Kristian Ipsen and Troy Dumais of the U.S. plunge into the pool during the preliminary round of the men's 3m springboard synchronized diving event in Shanghai, on July 19, 2011. (Reuters/Christinne Muschi) #

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The Italian team performs their routine in the synchronized swimming Technical Teams final at the FINA 2011 Swimming World Championships in Shanghai, China, Tuesday, July 19, 2011. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan) #

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Team Brazil dives into the pool in the synchronized swimming team tech preliminary round on July 18, 2011, in Shanghai, China. (Adam Pretty/Getty Images) #

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Ukraine's team competes in the preliminary round of the free combination synchronized swimming competition in the FINA World Championships in Shanghai, on July 19, 2011. (Francois Xavier Marit/AFP/Getty Images) #

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Mary Killman and Lyssa Wallace of the U.S. perform in the preliminary round of the synchronized swimming duets free routine in Shanghai, on July 19, 2011. (Reuters/David Gray) #

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Cuba's Lianne Caraballo and Arianne Rodriguez compete in the duets preliminary round synchronized swimming competition in Shanghai, on July 19, 2011. (Peter Parks/AFP/Getty Images) #

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Ona Carbonell and Andrea Fuentes of Spain compete in the synchronized swimming duet free preliminary round during Day Four of the 14th FINA World Championships on July 19, 2011, in Shanghai, China. (Adam Pretty/Getty Images) #

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Meaghan Benfeito and Roseline Filion of Canada dive in the women's 10m platform synchro final on July 18, 2011, in Shanghai, China. (Quinn Rooney/Getty Images) #

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Eleni Katsouli and Iouliana Banousi of Greece compete in the women's 3m springboard synchro preliminary round at the FINA World Championships in Shanghai, China, on July 16, 2011. (Feng Li/Getty Images) #

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Britain's Nicholas Robinson Baker emerges from the pool sporting a tattoo of the Olympic rings as he competes in the preliminary round of the men's 3-meter synchronized springboard diving event in Shanghai, on July 19, 2011. (Peter Parks/AFP/Getty Images) #

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Canada's Emilie Heymans and Jennifer Abel dive in the preliminary round of the women's 3m synchronized springboard diving event in Shanghai, on July 16, 2011. (Reuters/Bobby Yip) #

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Oleksandr Gorshkovozov and Oleksandr Bondar of Ukraine perform during their men's 10m platform synchro diving final in Shanghai, on July 17, 2011. (Reuters/Christinne Muschi) #

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China's Qin Kai and Luo Yutong enter the water during the men's 3m springboard synchronized diving final at the 14th FINA World Championships in Shanghai July 19, 2011. (Reuters/Carlos Barria) #

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France's Fanny Bouvet and Marion Farissier during the preliminary round of the women's 3m synchronized springboard diving event in Shanghai, on July 16, 2011. (Reuters/Christinne Muschi) #

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Spain's team performs their routine in the synchronized swimming free combination event at the FINA 2011 Swimming World Championships in Shanghai, China, on Tuesday, July 19, 2011. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan) #

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Tingting Jiang and Wenwen Jiang of China, during their performance in the synchronized swimming duet free preliminary round on July 19, 2011, in Shanghai, China. (Adam Pretty/Getty Images) #

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Spain's team performs in the preliminary round of the free combination synchronized swimming competition in Shanghai, on July 19, 2011. (Francois Xavier Marit/AFP/Getty Images) #

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Mary Killman of the U.S. dives into the pool as she performs in the final of the synchronized swimming solo technical routine in Shanghai, on July 17, 2011. (Reuters/David Gray) #

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Kum Hui Choe and Jin Ok Kim of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea leap skyward during the women's 10m platform synchro final on day three of the FINA World Championships, in Shanghai, China, on July 18, 2011. (Quinn Rooney/Getty Images) #