Canada fifth in team combo at FINA World Championships

Canada fifth in team combo at FINA World Championships

BARCELONA – Canada earned its best result in synchronized swimming at the FINA World Championships on Saturdayplacing fifth in the team combo event.

Russia completed a gold medal sweep of all seven synchro events placing first at 97.060.  Spain was second at 94.620 and Ukraine third at 93.350.

Japan scored 92.020 and Canada followed at 90.410.  The Canadian swimmers were Camille Bowness of Beaconsfield, Que., Annabelle Frappier of Mont-St-Hilaire, Que., Sandy Gill of Coquitlam, B.C., Claudia Holzner of Calgary, Emilia Kopcik of Surrey, B.C., Lisa Mikelberg of Montreal, Marie-Lou Morin of Westmount, Que., Kaylene Scheil of Calgary, Jacqueline Simoneau of Montreal and  Karine Thomas of Gatineau, Que.

Canada performed its routine to the music of Queen which earned it a bronze at the 2011 World Championships.  The crowd jeered the judges when the marks were posted on Saturday.

‘’The crowd was incredible for us tonight,’’ said Morin, the team combo captain.  ‘’We gave a great performance and got everyone into it.  It’s such a great routine when it is executed like we did tonight.’’

The team combo preliminaries were last Sunday, but the six-day gap wasn’t an issue for the Canadians.

‘’We have such a strong team that we can overcome something like that,’’ said Morin.  ‘’It’s a routine we practiced so hard that everyone felt ready.’’

Canada did not reach the podium at this year’s worlds in synchronized swimming.

‘’This is a new generation of Canadian swimmers and these worlds were about discovering our team in this setting,’’ said Synchro Canada’s national senior team coach Meng Chen.  ‘’I have to say I was really pleased with how we performed. We have a lot of potential.  We have to keep focus on our performances and continue to build our reputation towards 2016.’’

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, the Centre national multisport-Montréal
Official suppliers: Speedo, Knox Gelatine, AdUp, 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.ca or follow Synchro Canada on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.

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For information:
Patrick Godbout
Synchro Canada 
Communications Manager
Email: [email protected]

Cell.: (514) 213-9897
Website : www.synchro.ca 
Facebook: Synchro Canada