The 2016 Canadian Qualifier Championships concluded yesterday with the presentation of 5 finals, including the always exciting team finals in the evening.
In the 13-15 team finals, the Calgary Aquabelles delivered an energetic performance that earned them 76.5333 points for a combined score of 72.4500 and the gold medal. Montreal Synchro narrowly edged Quebec Excellence Synchro for silver, 70.7704 to 70.7101.
The senior Team Free finals followed and featured three teams of very similar strength. In the end, home club Quebec Excellence Synchro prevailed over Dollard Synchro and the Calgary Aquabelles by a very slim 0.3 point margin (72.800 – 72.533 – 72.500). Toronto’s Regional Training Centre – Ontario (RTC), competing with a special organization status, earned the highest mark of the event (76.1667) and was also awarded gold.
The closing event of the competition, the junior team final, was a special treat to the large crowd at PEPS who had the opportunity to witness dynamic routines and spectacular highlights. RTC-Ontario was awarded the highest marks for its routines – 79.700 – and captured gold with a combined score of 75.6116. The Aquabelles, who were a slim 0.3 points behind at 75.3167, shared the top step of the podium and were also awarded gold, while Quebec Excellence Synchro won silver at 73.8483 and Montreal Synchro bronze at 73.6958.
Junior Duet
In the junior duet event, Andrée-Anne Côté and Camille Fiola-Dion, from the home club Quebec Excellence Synchro, delivered a strong routine performance that earned them gold with a score of 73.1333 and a combined score of 76.6396. Stefanie Dickinson and Luiza Vasylyeva, from Vancouver Pacific Wave, won silver with 73.3643 while Maude Jobin and Charlotte Maheu-Savard, from Montréal Synchro, won bronze with 72.9061.
13-15 Solos
The 13-15 solo finals featured a record-setting 42 competitors. In the end, Victoria Synchro’s Flynne Gossling, who was in the lead after her first place in figures on Wednesday, took home the gold with a combined score of 71.2720. Teah Hoffman, from the Calgary Aquabelles, was second with 71.0900 while Salomé Boissonneault, from Quebec Excellence Synchro, delivered the highest-scoring routine performance of the event to climb up to the bronze medal position with a combined score of 70.5050.
Junior National Team Trials
For 25 junior-aged swimmers, there was one day left in the competition as Synchro Canada was holding the last phase of its Junior National Team trials on Sunday. Up to 12 athletes will be selected and invited to join the National Squad training camp in Montreal in early May to start preparing for the Junior World Championships that will take place in July in Kazan, Russia.
Results from these trials will be released in a few days.