Junior National Team confident as 2014 FINA World Junior Championships get underway

The event is scheduled for July 30 – August 3 in Helsinki, Finland

Ottawa, July 29, 2014 – Canada will be represented by its 2014 Junior National Team including 11 athletes and four coaches at the 2014 FINA World Junior Synchronized Swimming Championships, July 30 – August 3, in Helsinki, Finland.

In the solo event, Canadian Senior National Team member Jacqueline Simoneau, still of junior age at 17, has high expectations. The athlete from Montreal, who will be coached by Canada’s Senior National Team Head Coach Meng Chen, captured a hard-fought bronze medal in solo at the last World Juniors in Volos, Greece, in 2012. This year she will be looking to improve on her results of two years ago: “My main goal is to swim to the best of my ability, but I’m also aiming for a high spot on the podium. I know I can compete with the Russian soloist and I intend to fight to the end to reach my goals.”

The team, which features athletes from all across the country, has been preparing for the event since the spring. “We are here to do our job and do the best we can for our country”, says Head Coach Jenn Tregale, who also led the 2012 team. “We are looking forward to the competition starting and seeing where this very skilled team can get to together. The sky is the limit!”

Clare McGovern of Toronto and Erica Slavin of Calgary (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.”

The competition has always been a great stepping stone for talented young Canadian athletes.

“Junior Worlds is an important step in the development program for future Olympians. Canadian Senior National Team members Gabriella Brisson, Claudia Holzner, Samantha Nealon, Lisa Sanders, Kaylene Scheil and Karine Thomas, all grew their skills while representing the country at previous FINA World Junior Championships. This competition will also be a great learning and performance experience for these young, talented athletes who will represent Canada at future major competitions including the 2016 and 2020 Olympic Games”, said Synchro Canada’s CEO Jackie Buckingham.

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)

The team is led by Synchro Canada’s 2014 Junior National Team head coach Jenn Tregale (Calgary, Calgary Aquabelles) and assistant coaches Geneviève Beauregard-Ross (Laval, QC, Dollard Synchro) and Elena Podolsky (Toronto, ON, Olympium Synchro).

In 2012, Synchro Canada’s Junior National Team won a bronze medal in the solo event, and placed 4th in the team event and 6th in duet.

Competition gets underway on July 30 in Helsinki with duet and team preliminaries.

For results and schedule, please visit www.synchro.ca

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.

– 30 –

For information:

Stéphane Côté

Synchro Canada

Communications Coordinator