Synchro Canada announces its 2014 Junior National Team

Synchro Canada’s 2014 Junior National Team will represent Canada at the FINA Junior World Championships

Ottawa, July 3, 2014 – Synchro Canada is pleased to announce its 2014 Junior National Team members who will represent the country at the 2014 FINA World Junior Synchro Championships, July 30 – August 3, in Helsinki, Finland.

The 10-member team is led by Synchro Canada’s Junior National Team Head Coach, Jenn Tregale (Calgary, AB, Calgary Aquabelles) as well as assistant coaches Geneviève Beauregard-Ross (Laval, QC, Dollard Synchro) and Elena Podolsky (Toronto, ON, Olympium Synchro).

The final roster of the 2014 Junior National Team was selected following a camp which concluded June 28 in Calgary. “The girls have shown great improvements over the past 5 weeks”, says Tregale. “The team routine themed Yoga has been enhanced and choreographed to show off the strengths of all our swimmers.”

2014 Junior National Team members are:

CÔTÉ, ANDRÉE-ANNE (St-Georges, QC, SynchroÉlite de Québec) ***

DENG, Wenjing (Whitby, ON, Granite Synchro) **

HARROWER, Rebecca (Edmonton, AB, Dollard Synchro)

LEBLANC, Cossette (Toronto, ON, Burlington Olympium Synchro Club)

MCGOVERN, Clare (Toronto, ON, Granite Synchro) *

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

RUSSELL, Abby (Calgary, AB, Calgary Aquabelles)

SLAVIN, Erica (Calgary, AB, Calgary Aquabelles) *

WALKER-BYRON, Madeline (Ottawa, ON, Granite Synchro)

WONG, Kali (Calgary, AB, Calgary Aquabelles) **  

* Member of Synchro Canada’s 2012 and 2013 Junior National Teams

** Member of the Synchro Canada’s 2013 Junior National Team

*** Member of Synchro Canada’s 2013 13-15 National Team

**** Member of Synchro Canada 2012, 2013 and 2014 13-15 National Teams

Clare McGovern and Erica Slavin (alternate: Wenjing Deng) were selected as the Canadian duet members. The routine themed Goddesses of War has seen its speed and intricacy increased as the pair prepares to face the World in Finland. “Erica and Clare are a fantastic match”, says Tregale. “We are very excited about this pairing. They look great together and are pushing each other to be better on a daily basis.”

In addition, Canada’s Senior National Team member Jacqueline Simoneau, who is still of junior age, will represent Canada as its soloist at the competition. Simoneau captured the bronze medal in the solo event at the last Junior World Championships in Volos, Greece, in 2012.

The team will now train in Montreal to continue their Canadian training until July 21 when they will head to Finland for a few days of training before the start of the Championships.

An open house will be offered at the CEGEP du Vieux-Montreal prior to the team’s departure. More information on the open house will be forwarded soon.

From left to right:

Bottom Row : Genevieve Beauregard-Ross, Kali Wong, Abby Russell, Clare McGovern, Wenjing Deng, Rebecca Harrower

Top Row : Jenn Tregale (Head Coach), Halle Pratt, Andrée-Anne Côté, Madeline Walker-Byron, Erica Slavin, Cossette Leblanc, Elena Podolsky

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 Institut national du sport du Québec

Official Aquatic Supplier: Speedo Canada

Official make up: MAKE UP FOR EVER

Official suppliers: Knox Gelatine, AdUp, National Car Rental

Official hotel: Hilton Hotels Canada

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:

Stéphane Côté

Synchro Canada

Communications Coordinator