Ottawa, May 5, 2011 – Canadian senior national synchronized swimming team members who are training for the 2011 FINA World Aquatic Championships and the Pan American Games will be in Toronto on May 19 as part of a promotion day.

Senior national synchronized swimming team members are actively preparing for the 2011 FINA World Aquatic Championships set for Shanghai, China, July 16-31 (synchro events are July 16-23), and for the 2011 Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico, October 14-30 (synchro events are October 18-21).  The Pan Am Games are the first opportunity for the national team to qualify for the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

The National Team will be the highlight of the opening ceremonies at the Ontario Open Age Group Synchronized Swimming Championships, taking place at the Olympium Pool on May 19, 2011. National Team members will showcase their routines where several of Synchro Canada’s Olympic alumni will be the MC’s:
-    Claire Carver-Dias (bronze medalist in the team event at the 2000 Olympic Games)
-    Fanny Letourneau (bronze medalist in the team event at the 2000 Olympic Games)
-    Lisa Alexander (silver medalist in the team event at the 1996 Olympic Games)
-    Valérie Hould-Marchand (silver medalist in the team event at the 1996 Olympic Games)
-    Nicole Cargill (5th in the team event at the 2004 Olympic Games)

This event is a collaborative effort between Synchro Canada and Synchro Ontario, with Olympium Synchronized Swimming Club hosting Canada’s largest annual provincial competitive meet. “Synchro Ontario and almost 500 athletes in attendance are thrilled at the opportunity to welcome their mentors and heroes”, said Synchro Ontario Executive Director, Mary Dwyer.

The schedule for the Canadian senior national synchronized swimming team is as follows:

Thursday, May 19
12 pm-2 pm: Pool training at the Olympium Pool in Etobicoke (590 Rathburn Rd.)
2 pm-3 pm: Poolside interview opportunities at the Olympium Pool in Etobicoke (590 Rathburn Rd.)
4:30 pm-6 pm: Participation in the opening ceremonies and in a watershow as part of a provincial competition
7 pm-9 pm: Attendance at Synchro Ontario’s athlete banquet

Towards London 2012
Synchro Canada’s Senior National Team is preparing for the 2012 Olympic Games with a goal to bring home medals and continue the pursuit of its rich tradition of excellence.

Since 2008, Synchro Canada has worked tirelessly to ensure that its team achieves this goal. After the 2008 Olympic Games, the 24 best senior athletes in the country were selected to train at the Québec Aquatic Training Centre (C.E.S.A.Q.), using the synchro pool at Montréal’s Olympic Park Sports Center.

The national federation has also assembled a multidisciplinary team of coaches and other experts, currently comprised of Julie Sauvé, best known for the successes of Sylvie Fréchette and Penny and Vicky Vilagos, as well as Meng Chen, Anastassia Goutseva, Lyne Piché and Kasia Kulesza, winner of a silver medal at the 1996 Olympic Games.

Synchro Canada’s Senior National team continues to make Canada proud. At the 2010 FINA World Cup, the team took home four medals in four events, something the team had never achieved before at a major FINA competition. At the 2009 FINA World Aquatic Championships, Canada earned two bronze medals, the first Canadian medals won at this event since 2001. Aside from the free combo event, Marie-Pier Boudreau-Gagnon won the bronze medal in the solo tech event, the first Canadian medal to be won in a solo event at a major international competition since the 1994 World Aquatic Championships.

The Canadian team also triumphed at the 2009 FINA World Trophy, beating the Russians for the first time in over a decade. During this competition, the Canadian team won three events, including the thematic routine event, which earned the team its first perfect 10 since 1997. In November 2010, Synchro Canada announced an innovative public-private partnership – one of the largest private sector investments in its history – between its National Team program and B2ten, a private sector initiative dedicated to athletic excellence in Canada.

B2ten is providing valued added training and related services to complement the support the national team already receives through publicly funded programs. Top-up services include sport science, physiology, psychology, preventive therapy, acrobatics, dance and pilates.

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:

Official partner: Epiderma
Program partners: Sport Canada, Own The Podium, B2ten, the Centre national multisport-Montréal
Official suppliers: Speedo, AdUp, MKI Travel, National Car Rental
Official Charity Partner: Plan Canada’s Because I am A Girl initiative

For further information, visit Synchro Canada’s Website at www.synchro.ca or follow Synchro Canada on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.

For more information:
Patrick Godbout
Synchro Canada
Communications Manager
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it  
Cell.: (514) 213-9897
Website : www.synchro.ca
Facebook: Synchro Canada
Twitter : www.twitter.com/synchrocanada