Gymnastics Canada – OTTAWA, ON (March 17, 2016) – Gymnastics Canada is pleased to announce the names of the athletes, coaches, and judges nominated to compete at the 2016 Pacific Rim Championships in Everett, Washington, USA from April 8^th to 10^th. The three-day event is expected to feature athletes from more than 14 countries, including Canada, China, Japan, Russia, and the United States, competing in men’s and women’s artistic gymnastics, rhythmic gymnastics, and trampoline gymnastics.

The Pacific Rim Championships take place every two years with the last event being hosted in Richmond, BC in 2014. The Championships are unique in that they offer an opportunity for junior and senior aged athletes to compete together in a team format. During the Olympic year, teams may be a mix of junior and senior athletes, or they can be only seniors. This year’s Canadian team is a mixture of juniors and seniors: the rhythmic and trampoline gymnastics teams are mixed junior/senior, while the artistic gymnastics teams are all young, senior-aged gymnasts.

“This event offers an excellent opportunity for our athletes to experience a high level team competition format, and to gain valuable international competition experience,” said Cathy Haines, Chief Technical Officer at Gymnastics Canada and Head of Delegation for the event. “In the past, many of our current top senior national team athletes have honed their competitive skills at this competition in preparation for major games and World Championships.”

Who: 24 athletes, 8 team coaches, 11 judges, and 4 personal coaches
What: 15^th Pacific Rim Championships
Where: XFINITY Arena in Everett, Washington, USA
When: April 8^th to 10^th, 2016
Website: http://www.pacrimchamps.com
Social: #PACRIM2016

THE TEAMS:

WOMEN’S ARTISTIC (BIOS: http://www.gymcan.org/disciplines/womens-artistic-gymnastics/national-teams)

• Megan Roberts, Toronto, ON – East York Gymnastics 
• Rose-Kaying Woo, Lasalle, QC – Gym-Richelieu 
• Shallon Olsen, Vancouver, BC – Omega Gymnastics 
• Meixi Semple, Oshawa, ON – Gemini Gymnastics 
• Kirsten Peterman, Cambridge, ON – Revolution Gymnastics 
• Brittany Rogers, New Westminster, BC – Calgary Gymnastics Centre 

Team coaches:

• David Kenwright, New Westminster, BC 
• Lisa Cowan, Toronto, ON 
• Elena Davydova, Oshawa, ON 
• Svetlana Lashina, Vancouver, BC 
• Michel Charron, Montréal, QC 
• Aaron Brokenshire, Cambridge, ON 

Judges:

• Elizabeth Armitage, Toronto, ON 
• Natalie Turner, Montréal, QC 
• Sheri Wilson, Calgary, AB 

MEN’S ARTISTIC (BIOS: http://www.gymcan.org/disciplines/mens-artistic-gymnastics/national-teams)

• Aaron Mah, Vancouver, BC – Phoenix Gymnastics 
• Sam Zakutney, Ottawa, ON – Ottawa Gymnastics Centre 
• Damien Cachia, Calgary, AB – University of Calgary 
• Justin Karstadt, Toronto, ON – Futures Gymnastics 
• Samuel Paquin, Montréal, QC – Centre Père Sablon 
• Scott Nabata, Kamloops, BC – Kamloops Gymnastics Trampoline Centre 

Team coaches:

• Markos Baikas, Saskatoon, SK 
• Jason Woodnick, Calgary, AB 

Judges:

• John Caroll, Surrey, BC 
• Kelly Thompson, Antigonish, NS 
• Mike Hood, Vancouver, BC 
• Todd Sader, Campbell River, BC 

RHYTHMIC (BIOS: http://www.gymcan.org/disciplines/rhythmic/national-teams)

• Alexandra Chtrevenskii, Montréal, QC – Questo 
• Natalie Garcia, Mississauga, ON – Newnorth National RG 
• Sophie Crane, Toronto, ON – Jusco RG 
• Carmen Whelan, Markham, ON – Silhouettes of York 
• Katherine Uchida, Toronto, ON – Jusco RSG 
• Cindy Huh, Colombo, SRI – Aura RG 

Team coaches:

• Iana Nadtotchii, Markham, ON 
• Lidia Joukova, Montréal, QC 
• Tatyana Dolic, Mississauga, ON 
• Stefka Moutafchieva, Toronto, ON 

Judges:

• Megan Magid-Arnold, Vancouver, BC 
• Zdravka Tchonkova-Dimitrova, Winnipeg, MB 

TRAMPOLINE (BIOS: http://www.gymcan.org/disciplines/trampoline/national-teams)

• Keegan Soehn, Red Deer, AB – Thunder Country Trampoline 
• Kyle Soehn, Red Deer, AB – Thunder Country Trampoline 
• Jérémy Chartier, Montréal, QC – Les Asymétriques 
• Zachary Blakely, Calmar, AB – Thunder Country Trampoline 
• Samantha Sendel, Montréal, QC – Skyriders Trampoline Place 
• Samantha Smith, Toronto, ON – Okanagan Gymnastics 
• Kalena Soehn, Red Deer, AB – Thunder Country Trampoline 

Team coaches:

• Kenneth Soehn, Red Deer, AB 
• Karina Kosko, Saint-Bruno, QC 

Judges:

• Traci House, Ottawa, ON 
• Georgina Nerpio, Vancouver, BC 

COMPETITION SCHEDULE:

Friday, April 8:

• 1:30 pm: Men’s Team Final, All-Around Final, Event Qual. – Subdivision 1 (AG); Women’s Trampoline Team Final and Ind. Prelims (TG) 
• 2:00 pm: Rhythmic Team and All-Around Day 1 (RG) 
• 7:00 pm: Men’s Team Final, All-Around Final, Event Qual. – Subdivision 2 (AG); Men’s Trampoline Team Final and Ind. Prelims (TG) 

Saturday, April 9:

• 1:30 pm: Women’s Team Final, All-Around Final, Event Qual. – Subdivision 1 (AG); Jr. Trampoline Finals (TG) 
• 2:00 pm: Rhythmic Team and All-Around Day 2 (RG) 
• 7:00 pm: Women’s Team Final, All-Around Final, Event Qual. – Subdivision 2 (AG); Sr. Trampoline Finals (TG) 

Sunday, April 10:

• 12:00 pm: Jr. Women’s and Men’s Individual Event Finals (AG) 
• 1:00 pm: Rhythmic Individual Event Finals (RG) 
• 6:00 pm: Sr. Women’s and Men’s Individual Event Finals (AG) 

ABOUT GYMNASTICS CANADA

First established in 1969, Gymnastics Canada is the national governing body for the sport of gymnastics in Canada. Gymnastics Canada works closely with the twelve Provincial Federations and the 700 local clubs to provide a broad range of programs and services to meet the needs of all participants. From athlete development, to coaching and judging education, Gymnastics Canada sets the operating standards and practices for the sport in Canada. Our mandate is to promote and provide positive and diverse gymnastics experience through the delivery of quality and safe gymnastics programming. Visit www.gymcan.org for more information, or follow us @CDNgymnastics

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For more information, contact:

Julie Forget
Director, Communications and Marketing
Gymnastics Canada
Tel: 613.748.5637 x 233
Cell: 819.210.2064
Email: jforget@gymcan.org