Team Canada started its 2024 World Cup season with a bang last weekend in Paris, reaching the podium 3 times. The Paris World Cup, the 2nd stop in the 2024 schedule, was the first event held in the newly inaugurated Paris Olympic Aquatic Centre and also served as the test event for artistic swimming in preparation for the 2024 Olympic Games. In a strong field of over 200 athletes from 35 countries, Canada continued to build on its recent success by capturing medals in the team free, duet technical and duet free programs while gaining some valuable competition experience in the venue that will host the Olympic artistic swimming competition in less 3 months. The state-of-the-art facility did not fail to impress team veteran Kenzie Priddell who remarked that the new venue made athletes “feel like stars” and that “anything was possible”.
In duet, the newly formed pair of Audrey Lamothe and Jacqueline Simoneau debuted a new technical routine, capturing 2 bronze medals as they continue to climb up the world rankings.
“For us it’s ‘slow and steady wins the race’,” said Simoneau, “so today we are really thrilled to deliver a strong and clean swim, but we know we have a lot more in store leading into Paris.”
In the team events, Canada also debuted a brand-new technical program and pushed the degrees of difficulty to the highest levels for each event. In the free program, Canada captured the silver medal with the highest degree of difficulty at 56.0000 and an incredible score of 297.5853.
“It’s just so amazing and special to be here in Paris and to have an incredible swim and really feel that connection all together and really feel proud about everything we’ve been able to accomplish,” Kenzie Priddell told World Aquatics. Team Canada finished in 5th position in both the technical and acrobatic routine events.
The team members present in Paris were: Sydney Carroll (Saskatoon, SK), Scarlett Finn (Toronto, ON), Laurianne Imbeau (Québec City, QC), Audrey Lamothe (Montreal, QC), Jonnie Newman (Calgary, AB), Raphaelle Plante(Québec City, QC), Kenzie Priddell (Regina, SK), Alicia Réhel (Mirabel, QC), Claire Scheffel (Brantford, ON), Jacqueline Simoneau (Saint-Laurent, QC) and Florence Tremblay (Rimouski, QC).
Team Canada’s next stop will be at home at the 3rd leg of the World Cup hosted in Markham, Ontario, from May 31 – June 2. This is your chance to see Team Canada on the road to the Olympics. Tickets are selling fast and can be purchased here.
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Contact:
Stéphane Côté
Chief Officer – Business Development
stephane@artisticswimming.ca
418-420-2125
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