Walnut Creek Wins Overall Title
Riverside scores top honors in solo and trio at Speedo Juniors

The Walnut Creek Aquanuts, winners of the duet and team events, captured the overall junior national title on Saturday at the 2003 SPEEDO Junior National Synchronized Swimming Championships in Fort Collins, Colo.

Coached by Tammy McGregor and Soohee Shim, the Aquanuts fought hard for their title, earning 58 championship points. Cross-bay rival Santa Clara finished a close second with 55 points, followed by Riverside with 37.

Walnut Creek's Kate Hooven and Becky Kim capped off a spectacular meet by taking duet gold with a score of 80.774. The Aquanuts team routine earned the crowd's approval and the judge's as well with the top score of 81.473.

Riverside earned gold with Barbara Nesbitt's solo and their trio of Brooke Abel, Meryl Grandia and Caitlin Stewart. Nesbitt and Abel were named to the 2003 U.S. Junior National Team along with eight other swimmers from around the country.

The 2003 SPEEDO Junior Synchronized Swimming Championships were held at the Edora Pool and Ice Center in Fort Collins. More than 350 elite athletes ages 14-18 were vying for junior national titles in the solo, duet, trio and team events. Top athletes now advance to the U.S. National Championships, April 23-26 in Long Island, N.Y.

The Speedo Juniors is hosted by the Rocky Mountain Synchro Association and the Fort Collins Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Solo Final
1. Barbara Nesbitt, Riverside, 81.795. 2, Becky Kim, Walnut Creek, 81.054. 3, Lidia Birukova, Santa Clara, 80.707. 4, Christina Jones, Santa Clara, 80.664. 5, Kate Hooven, Walnut Creek, 80.327. 6, Annabelle Orme, Walnut Creek, 78.952. 7, Danielle Kramer, Canton City, 78.844. 8, Brooke Abel, Riverside, 77.826.

Duet Final
1, Kate Hooven, Becky Kim, Walnut Creek, 80.774. 2, Christina Jones, Jessica McMahon, Santa Clara, 79.275. 3, Rachel Rife, Rebekah Rife, Walnut Creek, 79.275. 4, Kathy Duong, Hae-Rin Lee, Santa Clara, 77.920. 5, Leah Pinette, Leayn Pinette, New Canaan Aquianas, 77.321. 6, Suzanne Alborg, Missy Knight, Walnut Creek, 76.852. 7, Nicole Langley, Alicia Mundy, Riverside, 76.386. 8, Jillian Penner, Natalie Chase, 76.062.

Trio Final
1, Brooke Abel, Meryl Grandia, Caitlin Stewart, Riverside, 78.899. 2, Poppy Carlig, Kathy Duong, Hae-Rin Lee, Santa Clara, 78.792. 3, Jayme DeLancy, Leah Pinette, Leayn Pinette, New Canaan Aquianas, 77.386. 4, Diana LaScala-Gruenewald, Deborah Shim, Jeanine Wurzel, Walnut Creek, 76.555. 5, Fiona Lundie, Elizabeth Burns, Bahareh Nikbakht, Santa Clara, 75.544. 6, Meghan Kinney, Jaclyn Mundy, Michelle Theriault, Riverside, 74.770. 7, Lindsey Davis, Tori Hay, Alandi Stec-Neifert, Walnut Creek, 74.455. 8, Paige Chang, Brittany Smiley, Ashly Wenzel, Arizona, 74.122.

Team Final
1, Walnut Creek Aquanuts A, 81.473. 2, Riverside Aquettes A, 80.146. 3, Santa Clara Aquamaids A, 80.036. 4, Santa Clara Aquamaids B, 77.135. 5, Seattle Synchro, 77.026. 6, Walnut Creek Aquanuts B, 76.270. 7, New Canaan Aquianas, 76.036. 8, Riverside Aquettes B, 75.636.

Overall Standings
1, Walnut Creek Aquanuts 58. 2, Santa Clara Aquamaids 55. 3, Riverside Aquettes 37. 4, New Canaan YMCA Aquianas 13. 5, Seattle Synchro 7. 6, San Diego Sweetwater Dolphins 3. 7, CCS Tailspinners 2. 8, Arizona Aqua Stars 1.