Canada wins gold at synchronized swim event

By: SHAWN HOBSON - Staff Writer | Saturday, July 16, 2005 10:17 PM PDT ∞

Members of the Canada team pump their arms during their routine that earned them a first place finish in the finals of the U.S. Open Synchronized Swimming Championships at the Poway Community Pool on Saturday.
Don Boomer
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POWAY ---- Tanya Matson literally stood above water while holding 120-pound Tracy Little above her head. Little then gracefully dove into the water in tune with the music of Polynesian drum beats and a touch of Bob Marley reggae.

It was just one of the many eye-pleasing maneuvers the eight-woman team from Canada performed en route to winning the gold medal at the U.S. Open Synchronized Swimming Championships at the Poway Community Center on Saturday afternoon.

The Canadian fans in the grandstands shouted with joy and waved their country's flag with enthusiasm after the 4-minute routine.

"That music they swim to is a real crowd pleaser," Jane Latter of Calgary, Alberta, said as the Canadian team stood in line and waved from the pool deck. "Look at them ---- they are all the same height."

Canada's No. 2 national team and the United States National Team II tied in Saturday's final free routine. Because Canada won the technical routine Thursday, it was awarded the gold.

Overall, Canada scored 93.751 points. The U.S. had 92.917.

The U.S. team swam to a version of the Spanish song "Malaguena" by conductor Stanley Black.

"It was a little surprising to see us have the same score with Canada," U.S. National Team II coach Gail Pucci said. "I thought we performed great, but we did not have a stellar technical swim."

The American athletes came from different parts of the country, but they have been training together in Chula Vista since June 10.

Leayn Pinette, a 19-year-old sophomore at Ohio State, gave a highlight to the American routine with a backward somersault.

"This was my first year on the national team, and I thought it was an excellent experience for me," Pinette said. "It was a lot different for me, training and swimming outdoors."

Pinette used to compete on the New Canaan (Conn.) Aquianas club team. The Aquianas were one of the 10 other club teams competing in the final day of team competition. Canada and the United States were the only two teams to have national teams at the event.

Riverside's Barbara Nesbitt, 17, captured the gold in the solo event. It was an exceptional performance from someone who has taken a year off from the sport.

"This was my coming-back party after only two months of practice," Nesbitt said. "I quit the sport because I thought it was getting too stressful. It was all about winning, and I didn't know if I was doing it because I loved the sport anymore."

Nesbitt's involvement with the sport runs deep. Nesbitt's mother, Sue, is the coach of the U.S. National Team I, and her older sister, Stephanie, is a former Olympic bronze medalist.

"That was the reason I wanted to get back into it," Nesbitt said. "Going to Athens in '04 and watching my sister Stephanie compete really inspired me to get back into the sport.

"Hopefully, this will be the first step for me getting on U.S. National Team I."

The U.S. Open wasn't just for women either. Kenyon Smith, a 15-year-old boy, competes for the Santa Clara Aquamaids. Smith, who finished fifth in the solo event, said he enjoys the sport.

"I like the sport and being able to perform," Smith said. "I was a little uncomfortable with the sport at first, but not anymore. I want to go as far as I can in the sport, but I can't compete past this level."

Men are not allowed to participate in the sport at the Olympics, the FINA World Championships or the Pan-American Games.

After the U.S. Open came to an end, the Canadian gold winners immediately took off for Montreal, where the FINA World Championships begin today. The Canadians will conduct a pre-swim ---- a nonofficial routine that prepares judges to score consistently and correctly --- today at 8 a.m. PDT. That's where U.S. Team I and Canada Team I begin competition.

Contact staff writer Shawn Hobson at shobson@nctimes.com.