On June 4, at the conclusion of the 2017 Canadian Espoir Championships in London, ON, Synchro Canada held the last phase of the selection trials for its 2017 13-15 National Team, slated to compete at the 2017 Mediterranean Cup in Mealhada, Portugal, on August 3-6.

Earlier in the week, the top 35 athletes from the 13-15 national figures competition had advanced to phase 2 of the trials, a second figures event. The top 24 athletes from that second phase were invited to attend phases 3 and 4, a half-day routine and pattern swim assessments that was held at the conclusion of the competition on Sunday.  Synchro Canada High Performance Consultant Sheilagh Croxon led the team of coaches, judges and technical personnel who were on hand for the selection.

Synchro Canada is proud to announce that the 12 members of the 2017 13-15 National Team are:

NAME CITY CLUB
BOISSONNEAULT, Rosalie Drummondville, QC Montréal Synchro
CZARKOWSKI, Jaime Calgary, AB Calgary Aquabelles
ENNS, Marissa Toronto, ON Olympium Synchro
FINN, Scarlett Toronto, ON Granite Synchro
GAUTHIER, Mikaelle Gatineau, QC Dollard Synchro
* GOSSLING, Flynne Toronto, ON Granite Synchro
GREENFIELD, Natalie Calgary, AB Calgary Aquabelles
* HOFFMANN, Teah Calgary, AB Calgary Aquabelles
KUTNYK, Taissia Montréal, QC Montréal Synchro
VEILLEUX, Audrey St-Jérôme, QC Dollard Synchro
* WARREN, Jade Ottawa, ON GO Capital Synchro
WHITTEN, Madeline Toronto, ON Variety Village Synchro

*Returning member from 2016 13-15 National Team

The team will start training at the beginning of July at the Toronto Pan Am Sport Centre (TPASC), at the same time as Synchro Canada’s Junior National Athlete Pool.

The 12 athletes will be under the leadership of head coach Jennifer Tregale (Calgary, AB – Calgary Aquarelles) and assistant coach Elena Podolsky (Kitchener, ON – Waterloo Regional Synchro). Nathalie Lagrange (Terrebonne, QC – Montréal Synchro), the assistant-coach for the Junior National Athlete Pool, will also be working with the team and travelling to Portugal for the competition.

Coach Tregale is looking forward to working with the 13-15 National Team this summer. “The athletes named to the team are a very talented and hard working group of girls. We will be attending a very high-level international competition this year and the athletes and coaches will work very hard to get ready. I am also very pleased to be working with Elena and Nathalie again.”

Synchro Canada’s Chief Sport Officer, Julie Healy, who is responsible for the 13-15 development program nationally, was especially pleased with the cross-section of athletes who made it onto the team this year.  “Our team members come from 7 different clubs, while 9 athletes out of 12 are new to the national team program, which means that there is a new wealth of talent being developed all across the country.  Congratulations to the athletes who were selected – we are very excited about the talent on this team. We are also very thankful for the commitment and collaboration from coaches and clubs Canada-wide who have been so instrumental in getting these athletes ready to become international swimmers.”