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Photo Credit: Antoine Saito/Canada Artistic Swimming

Entries and Results: Competition Results | AQUA Official (fina.org)

Videos: Artistic Swimming World Cup Markham 2023 – YouTube

Markham, March 17, 2023 – Canada’ s Audrey LAMOTHE took home her second medal of the event, as the World Aquatics Swimming World Cup, hosted by Canada Artistic Swimming, continued at the Markham Pan Am Centre. 

In the Women’s Solo Free, Japan’s Yukiko INUI won the gold medal with a score of 319.8291. Even though the veteran competitor wished she’d had more practice time for the routine, she outscored her nearest competitor by almost 80 points. She is looking forward to working with her coach to develop the program further as the season progresses. Taking the silver medal was Lilou LLUIS VALETTE, a 16-year old from Spain with a score of 240.1041.  Winning her second bronze medal of the competition was 18-year old Audrey LAMOTHE from Canada who finished with a score of 224.5041. She considered herself fortunate to “be at home and compete in front of my family and friends. I’m able to use their energy for my swim.”  

In the Men’s Solo Free, it was another veteran, 27-year old Giorgio MINISINI from Italy who took the gold, scoring 296.1209 . “It was nice to compete again on the international stage,’’ he said. He is also pleased to see the change to the scoring system of the sport. “It’s really different, really challenging so everybody here has to adapt to find their way but I am really happy that we are changing our sport, even though there is a lot of work to do.” 

Gaining valuable experience at the event in Markham was the silver medalist Fernando DIAZ DEL RIO SOTO from Spain, who scored 168.4000. The 20-year old gained valuable experience at the event in Markham. “This World Cup was really important because this is the first time that we compete with new requirements so we come here to check how we would do.” Taking the bronze medal was Eduard KIM, the 17-year old from Kazakhstan, with a score of 149.7541.

There were no Canadian entries in the Men’s Solo Free.

Japan was the lone entry in the Mixed Team Free event. Their score of 353.4208 has set the standard to start the season. According to Megumi YOSHIDA It was quite important to show our strength to the world in this World Cup event” and they plan to continue developing the routine for the next events.

In the Mixed Duet Technical the gold medal went to China’s Wentao CHENG  (24) & Haoyu SHI (21) who scored 236.2292 to lead the field by 42.6 points. Although pleased to win in Markham, according to Cheng, they will “definitely upgrade the difficulty for the next competition.” Two teenaged teams took silver and bronze. In second was the duo from Spain, Judith CALVO REQUENA (19) & Dennis GONZALEZ BONEU (18) with a score of 193.6417. The bronze medal went to the Kazakhstan competitors Nargiza BOLATOVA (19) and Eduard KIM (17) who scored 177.3167. Although a second entry from Spain, Emma GARCIA & Fernando DIAZ del RIO SOTO scored 188.7458 only one medal/country per event is awarded. 

The veterans in the competition were Canada’s Isabelle BLANCHET-RAMPLING  (37) & Robert PREVOST (43) who finished sixth with a score of 120.5375. One of the factors keeping them competing was the opportunity to challenge themselves under the new scoring system. According to Blanchet-Rampling, “this was a great experience and they plan to strategize from this competition to prepare for the next one.”

There were 18 entries in the Women’s Duet Technical event. The top two teams were separated by only 1.77 points. Taking gold were Shelly BOBRITSKY (21) & Ariel NASSEE (19) from Israel who earned 233.4292 just ahead of the Ukrainian team. It was the first ever World Cup gold medal in Duet for Israel, and Nassee was almost speechless following the medal ceremony. “For me it was an amazing feeling because I just got into the duet a little less than a year ago with my partner Shelly – I feel like I’m waking up from a dream.” The twin sisters from Ukraine, Maryna ALEKSIIVA & Vladyslava ALEKSIIVA, both 21, scored 231.6543 to take the silver medal. In the bronze medal position were Japan’s Moe HIGA (15) & Mashiro YASUNAGA (23) with a score of 204.1083.

Just finishing off the podium were Canada’s Jonnie NEWMAN (17) & Kenzie PRIDDELL (25), who brought the home crowd to its feet swimming a routine filled with energy that received a score of 202.0584. In their first-ever competition together, they finished in fourth place. Newman liked that (this system) “gives you so many opportunities to learn about your own performance. Every competition you can step it up.” Right behind them in fifth place was the second Canadian duo of Scarlet FINN (21) & Alicia REHEL (19) who scored 196.4209.

Competition continues at the Markham Pan Centre on Saturday, March 18, with the Mixed Duet Free, Duet Free and the team Acrobatic Routines to be contested in front of a sold-out crowd. 

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Contacts:
Steve Wallace, CEO (steve@artisticswimming.ca , 416-885-9662) 
Barb MacDonald, Media Relations Manager (barbmacd@storm.ca, 613-894-1769) 
Marianne Ossa, Media Relations Manager (Marianne.ossa@gmail.com)