Canada sixth in team free prelims, seventh in duet free prelims at FINA World Championships BARCELONA – Canada is in sixth place after the team free preliminaries on Tuesday in synchronized swimming at the FINA World Championships. Russia leads with 97.390 points, Spain is second at 94.100 and Ukraine third at 93.100. Canada totalled 88.180 to stand sixth heading into Friday’s final. The Canadian swimmers were Sandy Gill of Coquitlam, B.C., Chloe Isaac of Brossard, Que., Emilia Kopcik of Surrey, B.C., Lisa Mikelberg of Montreal, Marie-Lou Morin of Westmount, Que.,...

Balazs breaks into top 20 in open water battle BARCELONA – Toronto's Zsofi Balazs achieved her best-ever FINA World Championships result in a tightly packed women's 10-kilometre open water marathon in Barcelona Tuesday. Balazs finished 19th in a time of 1:58:28.5, which was 9.3 seconds off the pace of Brazilian Paliana Okimoto Cintra. It was a 1-2 finish for Brazil, as Ana Marcela Cunha came in 0.3 seconds later. Angela Alexandra Maurer of Germany was one second behind Okimoto Cintra to round out the top 3. The largest gap between...

Age Group Nationals in Montreal MONTREAL – Hundreds of young swimmers will gather in Montreal this week for the 2013 Canadian Age Group Swimming Championships. More than 900 athletes from 159 clubs are expected to battle for titles from Wednesday through Monday at Parc Jean-Drapeau Aquatic Complex on Ile Ste-Hélène. Female swimmers will compete in the 12-and-under, 13-and-under, 15-and-under and 16-18 age groups, while the males are divided into 13-and-under, 14-and-under, 15-and-under, 16-and-under and 17-18. This massive event, which features 250 races, will require more than 150 officials and volunteers...

(ATR) Julio Maglione tells Around the Rings that being unopposed for re-election as FINA president at the General Congress in Barcelona is “a great honor and an even greater responsibility”. In this respect, the IOC member from Uruguay finds himself in the same position as in 2009 when he won another four-year mandate. “Modestly, I think that FINA has developed a very solid strategy during the last four years, leading to a better recognition of our sport, an enhancement of our competitions, and a stronger position in a very challenging...

Barcelona, Spain - July 23 - The USA Women's National Team picked up their second straight victory and secured first place in their group with a 10-8 win over Canada earlier today. Lolo Silver (Long Beach, CA/Stanford/NYAC) and Melissa Seidemann (Walnut Creek, CA/Stanford/Stanford) each scored twice in the victory while Betsey Armstrong (Ann Arbor, MI/Michigan/NYAC) posted seven saves in net. Team USA held off a late Canada rally as they built a 9-3 lead midway through the third period only to see Canada close to within two with 5:43 to...

Brazilian's Poliana Okimoto Cintra and Ana Marcela Cunha sweep the women's 10K Poliana Okimoto Cintra (BRA) and Ana Marcela Cunha (BRA) signaled Brazil's intentions to be the faces of women's open water swimming in the lead up to the next Olympic Games. Okimoto Cintra touched just 3 tenths of a second ahead of her teammate in the women's 10K race. Angela Maurer of Germany finished a full second behind the winner to claim a bronze medal. For the Brazilian swimmers it was second medal for each at these World Championships...

Walnut Creek Aquanuts Advance on 'America's Got Talent' Synchronized swim team to compete next week at Radio City Music Hall INDIANAPOLIS - The Walnut Creek Aquanuts synchronized swimming club was recently named one of the Top 60 acts on NBC's "America's Got Talent," advancing to New York City's Radio City Music Hall for live competition. The Walnut Creek Aquanuts squad includes several members with U.S. national team experience. Which is still mind-boggling for at least one of the Aquanuts. "It has all been really surreal," said McKinzie Chelberg, 19. "I...

Barcelona, Spain - July 22 - The USA Water Polo Men's National Team fell to Croatia 9-7 earlier today to open play at the 2013 FINA World Championships. Team USA led late in the first half only to see Croatia use a four goal run that spanned the second and third quarter, building a lead they would never relinquish. John Mann (Newport Beach, CA/California/NYAC) and Matt DeTrane (Moraga, CA/Pepperdine/NYAC) each scored twice in the loss while Merrill Moses (Palos Verdes, CA/Pepperdine/NYAC) stopped nine shots including a penalty shot. Today's match...

Canada fifth in team tech at FINA World Championships BARCELONA – Canada placed fifth in the team technical event on Monday in synchronized swimming at the FINA World Championships. Russia won the gold medal with 96.600 points, Spain was second at 94.400, Ukraine third at 93.300, Japan fourth at 92.200 and the Canadians performing a new routine called Army followed at 90.300 bettering their preliminary round score from Saturday by 0.2 points. The Canadians swimmers were Annabelle Frappier of Mont-St-Hilaire, Que., Sandy Gill of Coquitlam, B.C., Chloe Isaac of Brossard,...

Newsletter #3 // July 22, 2013 follow us This newsletter provides you with the daily information and news on the 15th FINA World Championships in Barcelona (ESP) Team Ukraine makes world podium debut with bronze Ukraine celebrated their first trip to the podium at a World Championship (in synchronised swimming) with a bronze-medal winning performance in the team technical routine. The podium was exclusively European with Russia and Spain finishing 1-2. This evening at Barcelona’s Palau Sant Jordi, the Russian team showed what they do best, scoring a brilliant 96.600...