The BC Aquasonics junior team – including Langley coaches Susan Kemper and Tanya Magee and local athlete Cameron Blades – placed sixth at Synchro Canada’s national qualifier championships at Laval University’s Centre Aquatique Desjardins.
Last week’s result in Quebec marks the best finish at the national qualifier for a B.C. junior synchronized swimming team since the qualifier event was introduced in 2013.
The national qualifier is the largest synchronized swimming competition in Canada, with teams from across the country competing.
The top six in each event are awarded for their performance.
“We are tremendously proud of our Junior team,” said Kemper, who is the Aquasonics’ head coach.
“We had a few curve balls thrown our way this year but these young women work extremely well as a team and really came together for this competition. They fought hard and earned that fifth place spot for their routine and sixth place overall with their championship score.”
The Aquasonics junior team, coached by Kemper, and Magee, includes Courtney Armstrong, Jessica Friesen, Erin Nichols, Emily Yang, and Nancy Zhang of Surrey; Grace Macdonald of Delta; Cameron Blades of Langley; and Mikayla Papillo of Coquitlam.
The BC Aquasonics duet of Nancy Zhang and Cameron Blades also qualified for the Canadian Open at this event, placing 16th in the country while earning one of the top 20 spots required to move onto nationals.
The Aquasonics head next to Calgary for the Canadian Open synchronized swimming championships April 27 to May 1.
The Canadian Open brings together the best synchronized swimming teams from across the country and around the world in the National Stream Junior (16-18 years) and Senior (18-plus) age categories.
