Ottawa, ON — Canada will send 16 athletes to the 2017 Synchro America Open, taking place at the Nassau County Aquatic Center in Long Island, New York. Canada will have entries in the solo, duet, mixed duet and team events at the competition which runs June 22-24, 2017 and is the sixth stop of the newly created FINA Synchronized Swimming World Series.

Jacqueline Simoneau, 20 (Montreal, QC), hopes to continue her medal-winning season. She has medalled at all three of her previous events this year, and will be competing in both portions of the solo event again in Long Island. She is coached by Johana Vasquez.

Simoneau will also be competing in both the Technical and Free routines in the Senior Duet category. With the retirement of her long-time partner Karine Thomas, she has formed a new partnership with Claudia Holzner, 23 (Calgary, AB). They are coached by Leslie Sproule.

A second Canadian duet, Emily Armstrong, 16 (Toronto, ON), and Halle Pratt, 17 (Calgary, AB), will make their international senior debut.

In the Senior Mixed Duet, Isabelle Blanchet-Rampling, 31, and Robert Prévost, 37, both from Montreal, QC, will compete for the second time this year. The two are also coached by Johana Vasquez.

In the team event, Canada will be represented by: Emily Armstrong (Toronto, ON), Catherine Barrett (St. John’s NL), Camille Fiola-Dion (Rimouski, QC), Maria Gheta (Laval, QC), Rebecca Harrower (Edmonton, AB), Audrey Joly (St-Eustache, QC), Sion Ormond (Aurora, ON), Halle Pratt (Calgary, AB), Kenzie Pridell (Regina, SK), Melody Roy (St-Hyacinthe, QC), Kristin Stremlaw (Ottawa, ON) and Cassie Winkelaar (Calgary, AB). The team is coached by Jen Koptie and Kasia Kulesza and apprentice coach Laura Swift.

A team from RTC-Ontario will compete in the Free Combination. The athletes on the team, coached by Manny Wu, are Laura Bellantone, Emma Fox, Teghyn Gurney, Olivia Jensen-Large, Faustine Leung, Maura McLean, Audrey Melkoumov, Jaiden Regnier, and Leah Sterling.

For more information regarding 2017 Synchro America Open, please visit the official website: http://fina.org/event/synchro-america-open.