Two Montreal-based athletes will be Canada’s representatives in the Mixed Duet category for the upcoming 2017 FINA World Championships. Isabelle Blanchet-Rampling, 31, and Robert Prévost, 37, were named today by Synchro Canada as the entry in the event. The two athletes from the Club aquatique de l’est de Montréal (CAEM) are coached by Denise Sauvé.
The pair made their international debut in May at the 2017 Canadian Open in Toronto/FINA World Series event where they were the sole entry in the event and took home the gold medal.
Blanchet-Rampling enjoyed competing their technical and free routines for the first time in front of the home crowd. “I loved the energy from the crowd. So far the feedback has been extremely positive and we’re really excited for this to start as a new process for both of us.”
Prévost, was pleased with the competition and paid tribute to their coach for her assistance in their preparation. “I was confident that it would go well. The leadership that our coach Denise Sauvé brings to us, helping us set goals, giving us exceptional choreography, helped make us confident.”
Working with the two in Montréal, Coach Sauvé, was ecstatic with their showing in Toronto. “The judges appreciated the complexity and the difficulty of the routine.” She is confident in her pair’s future. “The Canadian mixed duet has the potential and the talent to win a medal at the world championships.”
“Having such a strong Mixed Duet to represent Canada on the world stage is a significant step for the sport,” said Jackie Buckingham, CEO, Synchro Canada. “It is an amazing accomplishment for Isabelle and Robert to have the opportunity to compete at the highest level in the world. We know that other athletes and in particular male athletes will be drawn to the sport by seeing them compete successfully on the world stage.”
The Mixed Duet will have one more competition before heading to Budapest, Hungary for the FINA World Championships in July. They will travel to Long Island, New York to compete in the 2017 Synchro America Open taking place June 21-24, which is the sixth leg of the FINA Synchronised Swimming World Series.