Pratt and the Calgary Aquabelles lead first day at 2013 Canadian Espoir Champs

Pratt and the Calgary Aquabelles lead first day at 2013 Canadian Espoir Championships

NEPEAN, Ont.- Halle Pratt posted the best score in figures then helped her Calgary Aquabelles club win the gold medal in the team combo event in the 13-15 age group on Thursday to open the 2013 Canadian Espoir Championships in synchronized swimming.

In the team combo final, the Aquabelles totaled 73.083 performing a routine paying tribute to the Olympics.  Montreal Synchro was second at 70.867 and Toronto’s Variety Village Synchro was third at 66.567.

‘’It was a really exciting moment for our team to get the gold medals,’’ said Pratt.  ‘’It’s a program we have been working on since last September.  The biggest challenge in a competition is to keep everyone focused and duplicate what we’ve done in practice.’’

In figures, the 13-year-old Pratt totaled 72.568 followed by Audrey Joly of Dollard Synchro in second at 71.508 and Paige Hopper of the Aquabelles third at 70.733.

‘’Figures is always a hard event,’’ said Pratt.  ‘’It’s all about concentration and keeping focused on what you have to do.’’

The top-25 in the figures event advanced to the second phase of the 13-15 national team trials which is scheduled for Sunday June 2.  The top-16 in the second phase will then be invited to participate in a final selection camp which will finalize the 10-member roster.

Here are the 25 swimmers to advance to the second phase of the 13-15 national team trials on June 2:

-ARMSTRONG, Emily (Toronto, ON, Variety Village Synchro)

-BAILLARGEON, Jasmine (Saint-Rédempteur, QC, Montréal Synchro)

-BARNES, Sabrina (Guelph, ON, Granite Synchro)

-BAUER, Breanne (Calgary, AB, Calgary Aquabelles)

-BUCHAL, Shae (London, ON, London Synchro Club)

-CÔTÉ, Andrée-Anne (L'Ancienne-Lorette, QC, Synchro Elite de Quebec )

-ENGLAND, Aerin (Burlington, ON, Olympium Synchro)

-GHETA, Maria (Montréal, QC, Synchro Laval)

-GURNEY, Teghyn (Toronto, ON, Variety Village Synchro)

-HEITSHU, Brooke (Puslinch, ON, Variety Village Synchro)

-JOBIN, Maude (Mascouche, QC, Montreal Synchro)

-JOLY, Audrey (Saint-Eustache, QC, Dollard Synchro)

-KLODT, Grace (Ajax, ON, Variety Village Synchro)

-MACMILLAN, Natalie (Toronto, ON, Variety Village Synchro)

-MATTSON, Stephanie (Calgary, AB, Calgary Aquabelles)

-MCGUIRE, Gwendolyn (Sherwood Park, AB, Aurora Synchro)

-OZIKIZLER, Meghan (Toronto, ON, Granite Synchro)

-PELLEY, Morgan (Calgary, AB, Calgary Aquabelles)

-PÉPIN, Clarence (Laval, QC, Synchro Laval)

-PLAMONDON, Alicia (Lac-Beauport, QC, SynchroÉlite de Québec)

-PRATT, Halle (Calgary, AB, Calgary Aquabelles)

-ROY, Melody (Sainte-Madeleine, QC, Les Vestales)

-SHANTZ, Jordan (West Montrose, ON, KW Synchro)

-ZAVITZ, Joelle (Guelph, ON, Granite Synchro)

ZHOU, Angela (Edmonton, AB, Aurora Synchro)

About Synchro Canada

Synchro Canada is the national organization governing synchronized swimming in Canada. It represents 10 provincial associations, a territorial association, as well as some 150 clubs and 12,000 members across Canada. A member of FINA, the world’s governing aquatic sports organization, Synchro Canada promotes the quest for excellence by developing the athletes, citizens and ambassadors of the sport of synchronized swimming at every level. Synchro Canada would like to thank its sponsors:

Program partners: Sport Canada, Own The Podium, B2ten, the Institut national du sport du Québec
Official suppliers: Speedo, Knox Gelatine, AdUp, MKI Travel, National Car Rental
Official make up: MAKE UP FOR EVER
Official hotel: Hilton Hotels Canada
Official Charity Partner: Plan Canada’s Because I am A Girl Program

For further information, visit Synchro Canada’s Website at www.synchro.caor follow Synchro Canada on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.

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