Hi everyone,

Please find important news about Synchro Canada below:

1. Canada fourth at the 2010 FINA World Trophy
   Canada took the fourth position overall at the 2010 FINA World Trophy after being third in the team highlight event, fourth in the team thematic and in the combo events and fifth in the duet thematic. The Canadian team members were Geneviève Bélanger (Laval, QC), Camille Bowness (Beaconsfield, QC), Gabrielle Cardinal (Saint-Lambert, QC), Stéphanie Durocher (Repentigny, QC), Annabelle Frappier (Mont-Saint-Hilaire, QC), Sandy Gill (Coquitlam, B.C.), Emilia Kopcik (Surrey, B.C.), Rachel Kowalski (Kitchener, ON), Lisa Mikelberg (Hampstead, QC), Marie-Lou Morin (Westmount, QC), Marie Rondeau (Quebec City, QC), and Anne-Marie Vézina (L’Ancienne-Lorette, QC). Bowness and Morin took part to the duet event.
   
   "I am really pleased the way our team swam at this competition. It was a great experience for some of them who took part in their very first international FINA senior competition.", said the lead coach of the team, Meng Chen.
   
   For the 2010 FINA World Trophy, there were two panels of judges: six FINA Judges and six Celebrity Judges from Russia representing each 50 % of the final mark. "The most encouraging thing is that the marks coming from the FINA judges only would put us in the second position, right behind Spain who had the most experienced team there with three athletes who took part to the 2008 Olympic Games, and before Russia, who had a junior team. Our athletes definitively learned a lot from this competition and are now looking forward to their next competition."
   
   Check out the full results: http://www.synchro.ca/index.php?option=com_content&task=category&id=54&Itemid=38&lang=english
   Check out the press releases: http://www.synchro.ca/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=28&Itemid=74&lang=english
   
   
   
2. 2010-2011 Club Excellence Program
   Synchro Canada is pleased to announce that the 2010-2011 Club Excellence Program is now available for clubs to access online. The application deadline for the Club Excellence Program is February 25th, 2011. All of the information is available in the Club Excellence Program section on our Website: http://www.synchro.ca/index.php?option=com_content&task=category&id=37&Itemid=34&lang=english.
   
   
3. B2ten and Synchro Canada partnership at the tv show Tellement Tellement sport
   Tv show Tellement sport will talk about the partnership between B2ten and Synchro Canada, including the involvement of an acrobatic skiing coach along with the trampline with National Team members. The show will be broadcast Saturday, December 11 at 11:30 am on Radio-Canada (replay at 10:30 pm on RDI). The show will be available on the Website of the tv show at http://www.radio-canada.ca/emissions/tellement_sport/2010-2011/reportages.asp (French only).
   
   
4. Holidays schedule
   Please note that Synchro Canada office will be closed from Thursday, December 23rd, to Monday, January 3rd. The office will reopen Tuesday, January 4th.
   
   
5. UPDATE: Tickets for the 2011 Canada Games
   Please note that Synchro Canada is still actively working regarding tickets for the 2011 Canada Games athletes family members.
   
   At this time, the organizing committee would allow eight tickets per province/territory to be distributed amongst the athletes family members. They would then have access to a limited reserved section which would guarantee them a place during the competitions. Other athletes family members could have access to the other section by buying a week pass for the second week of the Canada Games, the one of synchronized swimming (http://www.canadagames2011.ca/en/home/tickets/passes.aspx#week2pass). Please note that those passes don’t guarantee a seat for the competitions as it will be on a first come first served basis.
   
   The organizing committee is still working to determine the final amount of seat available for the synchronized swimming events. There is a possibility that the number of tickets per province/territories for athletes family members could be raise. The new number brought up by the organizing committee would satisfy requests made by individuals and provinces following the email we sent few weeks ago, up to 20 per province.
   
   Synchro Canada would like to thank you for your patience and will keep you posted on the developments as soon as possible.
   
   
6. A new member in the Kasia Kulesza’s family
   Synchro Canada is pleased to announced that Kasia Kulesza, Synchro Canada National Team coach staff member, gave birth to her first baby, Friday, November 26, a girl of 6.15 lbs. Congratulations to the parents!
   
   
7. Call for interest: Host the annual U.A.N.A. Pan American Competition
   U.A.N.A. recently adopted a new format for their Pan American age-group competition. The event will take place each year starting in 2011, with all the following age-group categories represented: 12 and under, 13-15, junior (15-18) and senior (duet only). This will replace the former format which between 12 and under/13-15 age groups and junior/senior age groups each year.
   
   Synchro Canada is collecting interest from provinces and clubs to host this competition in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 or 2015. Overall, a maximum of 450 athletes will take part in this competition. Please let us know your interest by sending an email to Catherine Gosselin-Després ( This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it ). Deadline is December 29th, 2010.
   
   
8. Resume of the Canadian University Synchro Swim League first meet of the season
   The McGill Meet was held on Saturday November 13th and it was the first meet of the season for CUSSL. It was held in the Memorial Pool at the Sports Complex of McGill University. More details: http://www.synchro.ca/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=291&Itemid=64&lang=english.
   
   
9. Competition for athletes with a disability
   20th Commemorative Festival of synchronized swimming for the disabled
   May 7-8, 2011
   Kyoto, Japan
   Application deadline: January 2011
   More details: http://www.synchro.ca/index.php?option=com_content&task=category&id=56&Itemid=40&lang=english
   
   
   
10. Deadline for the December Canadian Synchronized Swimming Community Member of the Month: Wednesday, December 29
    You have until Wednesday, December 29 at 5 pm, to send the name, a picture and an explanation of a person that you think must be the December Canadian Synchronized Swimming Community Member of the Month. To do so, please send it to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it . You can mention a performance or an extraordinary story regarding one of your swimmers or judges or even point out the hard work of one of your volunteers or administrators! Check out the last member of the month: http://www.synchro.ca/index.php?option=com_content&task=category&id=102&Itemid=34&lang=english. 
    
    
11. IOC Honours COC's Martha Deacon with Annual Award
    Canadian Olympic Committee board member and long-time Olympic leader Martha Deacon has been awarded the prestigious 2010 IOC Trophy “Sport Inspiring Young People”. More details: http://www.olympic.ca/en/news/ioc-honours-cocs-martha-deacon-annual-award/.
    
    
12. Stephen Harper Receives Holiday Gift from Canadian Olympic Team
    To help remind the country of one holiday gift that directly supports Canadian athletes, Canadian Olympic Committee President Marcel Aubut and six Olympic athletes today presented Prime Minister Stephen Harper with a pair of Canadian Olympic Team Red Mittens on Parliament Hill.  More details: http://www.olympic.ca/en/news/stephen-harper-receives-holiday-gift-canadian-olympic-team/.  
    
    
13. CHUNKY nutrition tip of the month: alcohol and athletes
    Check out the CHUNKY Nutrition tip of the month on alcohol and athletes: http://coach.ca/alcohol-and-athletes-p141509&language=en.
    
    
    
14. SIRC newsletter of the month: exer-gaming
    Check out the SIRC newsletter of the month on exer-gaming: http://sirc.ca/newsletters/december10/Index.html. 
    
    
    
15. Motivate Canada recruiting National Team athletes for Esteem Team "Becoming a world class speaker' training - Edmonton January 15-16
    Motivate Canada is recruiting top-level athletes to join its national Esteem Team roster. Olympic, Paralympic or national-level athletes that complete a two-day training session on public speaking to youth will be qualified to conduct Esteem Team presentations in schools within their community and throughout Canada. The next 2-day weekend training session is to take place Edmonton on January 15 – 16, 2011. More details : http://www.esteemteam.com/en/media.
    
    
    
16. News from the members
    Do you have any news that you would like to share with other provinces and members? Your news can be on any subject, including about an athletes, coaches, administrators or officials. It can even be about your provincials programs or competitions. Send them to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it and we’ll be more than happy to share it with the other members.