Synchronized swimming was money for Canada in the early years with Olympic medallists such as Carolyn Waldo, Michelle Cameron, Sylvie Frechette, Sharon Hambrook, Kelly Kryczka and Penny and Vicky Vilagos.
Even though Canada hasn’t won an Olympic medal in the sport since Sydney 2000, that earlier success still reverberates among young performers in pools across the country, including Saanich Commonwealth Place.
The Victoria Synchronized Swimming Club is preparing for the Canadian championship trials, which begin Wednesday in Quebec City, for berths into the nationals later this year in Winnipeg.
“The girls were watching the live stream of the Olympic trials and although disappointed [Canada narrowly failed to qualify in the team category for Rio 2016], it keeps them interested and shows there are opportunities out there,” said head coach Tara Gant.
Gant, whose assistant coach is Olena Foshchevska, came up in the glory era of Canadian synchronized swimming and has been coaching for 25 years.
Gant said there are swimmers on her Victoria team with national team potential for the future. Her swimmers are the best on the Island and are certainly dedicated, putting in 20 hours per week at Saanich Commonwealth Place.
Three of the swimmers — Julie Preston, Hannah Proud and Paige Wilson — travel from Nanaimo. The other team members headed to Quebec City are Sophie Gander, Mara Lambert-Wilson, Kaitlyn Aylesworth, Caoimhe McElroy, Emily Bennett and sisters Flynn and Reed Gossling. Their ages range from 10 to 18.
“I like everything about our sport . . . from the lifts to the presentation,” said Reed Gossling.
Much like figure skating and rhythmic gymnastics, it is performance sport.
“It is artistic and creative,” said Preston.
The national trials in Quebec City feature competitions in individual, duet (for which Canada did qualify for Rio) and team, with the top 10 in each category advancing to the Canadian championships. As with any competition comes pressure, especially in a sport with so many elements in the routines to master and remember.
“All the nerves are on deck,” said Preston. “Once you jump into the water, you don’t remember any of those nerves. You go on auto pilot.”
For their two team routines, the Victoria Club will perform to Voodoo Dolls and Blues Brothers themes.
“I like the lifts,” said Flynn Gossling.
They are also the most physically challenging aspects of what is a demanding sport. The performers must generate that lifting power without using the pool floor for support. So dryland strength training becomes an important part of the sport, noted Gossling.
“It’s a hard sport, but you do your best,” said Preston.
The best, in Canada, has historically been pretty darn good.
